Joël Robuchon’s legendary pommes puree is arguably the best mashed potato recipe in the world. The renowned French chef and restaurateur, often regarded as one of the greatest in history, took a seemingly simple side dish and turned it into an unforgettable masterpiece that has inspired chefs and home cooks alike for over 40 years.
Robuchon earned 32 Michelin stars (more than any other chef in history) during his storied career and his legacy lives on with restaurants throughout Europe, North America and Asia. Out of all of his amazing food, he is most known for his Pommes Puree aka mashed potatoes. These are not just any regular mashed potatoes. They are buttery, rich, silky smooth and full of potato flavor. As we all know, the French loveee their butter (flaky croissants, we see you) and this recipe does not disappoint. Luckily, I have had the pleasure of tasting these glorious buttery potatoes at his restaurant L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London. Let me just say, they do not disappoint…SO good. Robuchon, known for his meticulous attention to detail, transformed the humble potato into an unforgettable culinary masterpiece that has transcended time and cemented his legacy. He once said, “I owe everything to these mashed potatoes.” The magic comes from the technique and, yes, it is worth it. If you want to dazzle your friends this Thanksgiving or any other occasion, make this recipe.
**Warning** Do not be alarmed by the amount of butter 😉 and please make sure you are using high quality grass-fed organic butter. After all, good butter is actually healthy for us.
Ingredients
2 lbs Potatoes, scrubbed *see notes
1 lb unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes and chilled until needed
1 cup whole milk
Salt
Instructions
- Fill a 6-8 quart pot with cold water. Salt the water generously (about 2 tsp per 4 cups of water). Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20-25 minutes).
- Drain potatoes in a colander, make sure to peel the potatoes while they are still hot (very important). Run the peeled potatoes through a food mill (with the finest disk). If you do not have a food mill, you could also use a potato ricer. Transfer the potato to a large saucepan. Turn the heat to low and mix, drying out the potatoes (about 5 minutes).
- In a small saucepan, add the milk and bring to a boil.
- Start to add the chilled butter to the potatoes little by little, whisking until incorporated. Once the butter is mixed in, pour in the very hot milk in a thin stream, still over a low heat, whisking briskly until creamy.
- Taste for salt and add as needed.
- Lastly, pass potatoes through a fine sieve for that famous silky texture.
Et Voilà!
Notes
* Robuchon famously used La Ratte potatoes, a French heirloom variety with a nutty flavor that are super creamy. Since these can be hard to find in North America, you can substitute with Russian Banana Fingerlings (probably also hard to find) or Yukon Gold, which are widely available.
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