Something to make Potato Puree...

[phan1]

I want soft, luxurious puree, not mashed potatoes! Unfortunately, the potato purees that I read about call for a Tamis, which is too expensive for me, especially considering I'm looking for a tool that will just do one thing. Can someone maybe recommend me a very fine ricer or some kind of press? I'm looking for something that's not going to take up much cooking space but will also give me a very find puree. I've no experience with ricers, but would they work as well as tamis?

I've had heavenly results running them through my strainer, where a tamis would give me the same result. But even one serving would take forever for me to do, so I'm looking for some equipment help.

[jsmeeker]

how about a food mill??

[phan1]

Food mill takes up too much space and it's expensive... Preferably, I'd like a really fine-sieved ricer if anyone can recommend one. Would any ricer be able to match a food mill or tamis?

[Dave the Cook]

How expensive is too expensive? You can buy a tamis from Bridge Kitchenware for $30 to $40.

There are some really inexpensive (like $10) Chinese-made tamis (tamises?) coming into the market, but there's no consensus on the quality yet, as far as I know.

[maggiethecat]

how about a food mill??

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I agree. Use the smallest disc size for the silkiest results. A food mill will probably set you back 30-40 bucks, but it's easier on the forearms than a tamis, and much more versatile.

[Dave the Cook]

A food mill is far more versatile, I agree. I use mine for tomatoes, chiles, apples, etc. But a tamis will yield a finer puree.

[JAZ]

If you want the best of a sieve/tamis and a food mill, you might want to try this one, which is, essentially a sieve with a food mill blade and handle. At $36, it's not exactly cheap, but it's not much more expensive than a good ricer with a fine disk.

[Batard]

Not to pull things off-topic, but I am actually in the market for a food mill and have been looking around. I was looking at the OXO stainless:

http://www.cheftools.com/prodinfo.asp?number=06-0974

Anyone have any other recommendations? Thanks.

[maggiethecat]

Janet, that's a beautiful thing! As you say, the best of both worlds. I want one, really bad. But I don't actually need one, sigh, because I have my 30 year old Mouli.

A tamis casts a lovely pro glow over your home kitchen, and it works. But in the end, forcing the spuds through your sieve will produce perfect results with no expenditure.

And then, there's the puree producer that dare not say it's name: a cheapo hand mixer. My mother in law's "whipped potatoes" were severely short of the butter of Joel's, and broke every tenet about how to smush spuds, but they were silken.