POMMES MOUSSELINE
Instructions:
- Here’s a very special potato dish that is so velvety and rich it’s almost like a mousse—hence its name. It’s sheer indulgence, and I love it. I’m sure you will, too.
- 2 1/ 4 lb (1kg) Ratte, fingerling, or Yukon Gold potatoes, washed but not peeled
- large pinch of fine table salt
- 1 1 /4 cups whole milk
- 1 1 /4 cups heavy cream
- 7 tbsp (1/2 stick plus 3 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, diced
- sea salt and freshly milled
- black pepper
- Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
- Add the fine salt, cover, and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium. Simmer gently (don’t boil) for about 30 minutes until the potatoes feel soft when gently squeezed. Remove the pan from the heat.
- One at a time, take the potatoes out of the water and peel off the skin with a small, sharp knife. As soon as they’re all peeled, push them through a food mill.
- Transfer the puréed potatoes to a clean saucepan. Bring the milk and cream to boiling point in another pan, then remove from the heat. Using a rubber spatula, beat one-third of the creamy milk into the potatoes over medium heat, followed by one-third of the butter.
- Carry on beating in the milk and butter in two more batches. The potatoes will become shiny and silky smooth. Make sure each batch of milk and butter is fully incorporated before adding the next, and switch to a balloon whisk when the purée gets to the liquid stage. To allow for different varieties of potatoes, you may need to adjust the amounts of milk and butter.
- To serve, taste and correct the seasoning if necessary, then pour the potatoes into a warmed bowl.