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Creamy Classic French Mashed Potatoes
The secret to these luxurious French mashed potatoes is simmering Yukon Golds directly in a rich bath of milk and butter instead of water. Passing the tender potatoes through a food mill guarantees a silky, almost pourable texture without a single lump. It's a decadent side dish that brings restaurant-quality richness straight to your dining table. You'll never look at standard mash the same way again.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter
- 1⅓ cups whole milk
- Salt and white pepper
Instructions
- 1Place the potato pieces in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Set aside to drain. Rinsing removes excess surface starch for a silkier final texture.
- 2Warm the butter, milk, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large saucepan over low heat until the butter melts.
- 3Stir the drained potatoes into the saucepan and raise the heat to medium-low. Cook just until the liquid starts to boil.
- 4Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pan. Simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until a paring knife slides easily into the center of the potatoes with no resistance.
- 5Drain the potatoes in a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Wipe out the saucepan, return the cooking liquid to the pan, and place it over low heat.
- 6Set a food mill fitted with its finest disk over the saucepan. Working in batches, process the potatoes through the hopper directly into the warm liquid.
- 7Whisk the milled potatoes and cooking liquid together for 10 to 15 seconds until completely smooth. The mixture should be almost pourable. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Notes
- Equipment: If you don't have a food mill, a potato ricer works perfectly to achieve that signature lump-free texture.
- Appearance: White pepper is traditional here because it blends in seamlessly, but black pepper tastes just as good if you don't mind the specks.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat, whisking in a splash of extra milk if the potatoes have thickened too much.