This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
Potato purée
The French have fond childhood memories of this, and while nothing will ever be as good as "Maman" made, here's a fairly straightforward way to make it.
254 K 4.3/5 (36 reviews)
1 hour 35 min.
Easy
2.40 €
1 kg 300 g
5 IngredientsLast modified on: October 3rd 2010
1 kg 
125 g 
125 g 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 50 min.
Cooking: 45 min.
All in all: 1 hour 35 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - ⌛ 40 min.
Wash 1 kg potatoes but don't peel them. Put on to boil in a large pan of lightly-salted water.
The potatoes are cooked when a knife blade goes through them easily.
The potatoes are cooked when a knife blade goes through them easily.
Stage 2 - ⌛ 2 min.
Remove them from the water as soon as they are cooked (don't leave them to cool in the water, they might take on an unpleasant taste).
Stage 3 - ⌛ 5 min.
As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel them and remove any small blemishes (the "eyes" of the potato).
Stage 4 - ⌛ 15 min.
Cut into pieces and pass through a vegetable mill using the finest setting.
If you don't have a vegetable mill, use a potato masher (a sort of grid on a handle), but it's hard work.
If you don't have a vegetable mill, use a potato masher (a sort of grid on a handle), but it's hard work.
Stage 5 - ⌛ 2 min.
Put the mashed potatoes in a pan.
Stage 6 - ⌛ 5 min.
Stir constantly over low heat for 4 or 5 minutes to dry the purée.
This is to improve the texture.
This is to improve the texture.
Stage 7 - ⌛ 3 min.
Then add 125 g butter cut into small pieces, a little at a time, stirring well until the butter is completely incorporated.
Stage 8 - ⌛ 2 min.
Add 125 g cream and mix again thoroughly.
Stage 9 - ⌛ 1 min.
Salt and pepper. Your potato purée is ready.
Already quite delicious just as it is, you can serve it "Irish style", for example, with a little chopped chives.
Already quite delicious just as it is, you can serve it "Irish style", for example, with a little chopped chives.
Stage 10 - ⌛ 20 min.
You can improve it even further by passing it through a sieve. It's long and tiring...
Stage 11
...but you'll have the finest, smoothest potato purée ever.
Remarks
I advise you to use white pepper rather than black; it's less noticable in the finished purée (no little black bits).
The great chef Joel Robuchon liked to say that he built his restaurant's reputation on its potato purée and green salad. Indeed, I got the idea of using the sieve from him, but please note that in his day he used 250g (½ lb) of butter for 1 kg (just over 2 lb) of potatoes!
The great chef Joel Robuchon liked to say that he built his restaurant's reputation on its potato purée and green salad. Indeed, I got the idea of using the sieve from him, but please note that in his day he used 250g (½ lb) of butter for 1 kg (just over 2 lb) of potatoes!
Keeping: Several days in the fridge, in a closed jar.
Source: Home made.
How much will it cost?
- For 1 kg 300 g : 2.40 €
Change currency:
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
Some other recipes using this recipeSee them all 16
Two-stage beef chuck
This recipe cooks beef chuck (or braising steak) in two stages: first, slow-cooked in red wine "in the bag", then fried and served with potato purée and a red-wine sauce.
123 K4.3 3 hours 60 min.
Salmon and Spinach Gratin
This gratin has a layer of spinach, a layer of salmon with tomato and a layer of potato purée topped with grated cheese.
77 K4.3 50 min.
Oxtail Parmentier
Rather like the classic hachis Parmentier, but using oxtail stewed very slowly in red wine and herbs.
326 K4.7 5 hours 50 min.
Dauphinoise potatoes with Serano ham
These tasty, bite-sized rosettes can be served as an aperitif snack or to accompany a meal.
120 K4.6 40 min.
Spinach parmentier
A parmentier with its classic layer of mashed potatoes on top, but sliced hard-boiled eggs underneath, and grilled spinach and bacon tied together with a béchamel sauce.
14 K 60 min.
This recipe uses (among others)
Potatoes
Like these other recipes: Mushroom velouté, Grated potato cakes, Valay salad, Roast in the bag pork with fondant vegetables., "Day After Pork Belly" Soup, ... See them all 86
Butter
Like these other recipes: Loaf for "les filles'", Lime meringue tart, Clementine confectioner's custard, Apricot and pistachio clafoutis, Rillettes stuffed mushrooms, ... See them all 485
Cream
Like these other recipes: Elsa's Comtoise galette, Loin of pork with herbs and julienne vegetables , Creamy rice with spinach, Chocolate muffins, Nanou's apple and almond cake, ... See them all 121
Salt
Like these other recipes: Foie gras fingers, Pilau rice, Comtoise tart for Seàn, Rémoulette dressing, Sesame fried scampi, ... See them all 682
Other recipes you may also like
Ciabatta
Ciabatta is a small, very soft Italian bread. The name means "slipper". It normally takes a long time to prepare as a special leaven called "biga" is used, but this simplified version is quicker and just as good. October 24th 2017305 K3.8 3 hours 25 min.
Clafoutis-style plum financier
The classic French "financier" is normally a little cake, but it can also be made clafoutis-style over fruit in an oven-proof dish. May 17th 202047 K 1 hour 2 min.
Strawberry mousse with mascarpone
This dessert is bursting with strawberry flavour. The creamy mascarpone mousse is made with a cream whipper and served on a bed of lightly sweetened fresh strawberries. August 22th 202144 K 25 min.
Brussels sprouts à la Lombarde
Brussels sprouts cooked on the side, strips of ham, tomato sauce and Mascarpone cheese. December 13th 202324 K 1 hour 15 min.
Soft fruits in sabayon
This recipe is made by briefly cooking an assortment of soft fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, currants...) with a little sugar to glaze them. They are served in a small dish, covered with a delicious sabayon which can be lightly "burned" on surface. February 21th 2011280 K3.9 50 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2026-01-18)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.