Mash

[Kikujiro]

I'm cooking for guests and want to make mash or pommes puree I can basically do in advance. Has anyone tried Heston's thermoregulated preparation? Is it as tricky as it sounds? 15% variation in slicing thickness sounds pretty good to me ...

[Jinmyo]

Use a mandoline, Kiku.

[Kikujiro]

I'd need to get a new one. My only mandoline is the ultrathin Japanese type

Plus a digital probe thermometer of course.

Edited March 27, 2003 by Kikujiro (log)

[g.johnson]

Can't mashed potatoes be held for a while over a water bath? Wouldn’t that be easier?

[elyse]

Sounds like an awful pain. Why don't you do it in advance to see if it works, and if worst comes to worst, you can do them over again on the day? Why do you want to do them in advance? No one to recruit at the time?

To answer your question, no. I haven't tried it. But do tell how it works out.

[Kikujiro]

Can't mashed potatoes be held for a while over a water bath? Wouldn?t that be easier?

Yes, it might well be. But he's got me all antsy now about starch.

[Matthew Grant]

Having tasted Hestons pomme puree straight from the saucepan in which the maestro himself finished it, I feel qualified to speak on this matter

The potato is good however, I don't know that it i any better than pomme puree made in the 'normal' manner using a potato ricer. As stated in the article, the main advantage is being able to cook them in advance and leave them in the fridge until you need to finish them.

[jackal10]

I tried this, and also could not taste much difference. Also mashed potato doesn't really get left over in our house, so being able to store it is not a consideration

The things that make the difference are the variety of potato (I prefer King Edwards for mash) and the amount of butter (50% by weight of potato might be considered excessive).

Don't overprocess - use a hand masher or ricer.. Using a food processor or stick blender just leads to wallpaper paste.

Edited March 27, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[fresh_a]

Joel Robuchon has a microwave pureed pomme de terre here in France. They're small blocks of frozen mashed potatoes, you add milk, put it all in the microwave, and 6 minutes later , mmm!

[Jinmyo]

Joel Robuchon has a microwave pureed pomme de terre here in France. They're small blocks of frozen mashed potatoes, you add milk, put it all in the microwave, and 6 minutes later , mmm!

You're not kidding, are you?

I'd try it.

[Andy Lynes]

I was on the kitchen of a rather nice hotel and bistro over the last couple of days and they made their mash in a bloody great food mixer and reheated to order, which is pretty standard kitchen practice and the texture was just perfect. Mash will hold quite well at home, but it does get a little stale tasting if left too long. I'm sure Heston has something to say about that somewhere.

[Jon Tseng]

BTW has anyone figured out if its supposed to be floury or waxy spuds wot are good for mash

I have seen conflicting opinions in various book

molecular gastronomical substantiation of course welcome

J

[beachcove]

I'm afraid I can't give you any molecular substantiation - but I find that starchy potatoes are good for mashing - they're more amenable to soaking up all the good fatty stuff.

I have heard that people use waxy potatoes for potato salad, because they hold their shape better. I prefer starchy ones for salad for the same reason as above. Plus, when the edges of the potato slices crumble slightly into the dressing, it adds an extra sort of unctuousness, you know?

[MatthewB]

FWIW, I tried Steingarten's mash recipe on Monday night. I'd recommend it. Not earth-shattering, but better than the typical methods.

I would also recommend the use of a potato ricer. Doesn't turn the mash into glue.

For the curious, Corriher in Cookwise basically endorses Steingarten's method. And, Corriher notes that the Idaho Potato Mashing Association (did I get that right? ) recommends a very similar method.

[Vanessa]

I would also recommend the use of a potato ricer.  Doesn't turn the mash into glue.

I use a mouli legumes if feeling in need of lump-free mash. Works just like a ricer, but has multiple uses.

v

[MatthewB]

Vanessa,

What size disc do you use?

I started with my food mill using the smallest disc. It didn't work well, so I moved to the potato ricer.

[Vanessa]

Vanessa,

What size disc do you use?

I started with my food mill using the smallest disc.  It didn't work well, so I moved to the potato ricer.

No, never the smallest - I would expect that to have a similar gluing effect. Medium or large round holes, I can't remember exactly unless I look at them at home.

v

[Basildog]

We use a normal hand masher.The same one has been at Margot's for nearly 10 years! It has done tons and tons of mash, but it has a small crack, so maybe not long for this world.We will have to give it a decent send off, when the time comes

[MatthewB]

Thanks, Vanessa.

As far as the actual mashing method, I think I'll set aside Monday night to try two: one with the food mill & the largest disc and another with the traditional hand-masher in respect of Basildog.

Any other suggestions? (Though I reserve the right to decline trying eighteen mashing procedures in one evening!)

Just don't call me a Steingarten mini-me.

[vengroff]

Yukon Gold + ricer + holding over simmering water has worked well for me in the past.

[Suzanne F]

Fine Cooking had a piece sometime ago on the relative merits of waxy versus starchy versus "all purpose" potatoes for mashing. (Unfortunately, the clipping is waiting with a zillion others for me to file ) What I can remember is that waxy give you a smoother puree and starchy give you a fluffier one. I forget what AP do.

Whenever I had to make the mashed potatoes at a restaurant, it was: peeled baking potatoes (starchy), boiled, dried in the oven, and passed through a food mill/mouli, then mixed with butter, sour cream, etc. Packed into a bain marie, covered with buttered paper, kept warm for service, but heated to serving temperature a la minute. Sometimes, when the bain was kept on the shelf over the burners, the potatoes would rise in a column and push up over the top.

[Vanessa]

Thanks, Vanessa.

As far as the actual mashing method, I think I'll set aside Monday night to try two:  one with the food mill & the largest disc and another with the traditional hand-masher in respect of Basildog.

I regularly use the hand masher - when I'm in the mood for not minding the odd lump. Or, more recently, I have taken to just mashing very lightly with a fork, and leaving the skins on (thin-skinned potatos). Some people call them crushed potatoes.

[Kikujiro]

Now, just to confuse things, supposing it was celeriac mash. Could I make that in advance and just heat it in a pan when needed without it all going nasty?

[Basildog]

I regularly use the hand masher - when I'm in the mood for not minding the odd lump.

Vanessa, what you need is a young boy who will keep mashing untill you stay stop. I'll lend you mine

[Vanessa]

I'll consider him after due inspection tomorrow

v