The Best Pommes Puree or Mashed Potato You've Ever Eaten

The best mashed potatoes in the world! French pommes puree is an incredibly buttery, silky and creamy mashed potato with an incredible butter to potato ratio and a few clever techniques making all the difference. Find out all the secrets to achieving these mashed potatoes, made famous by Chef Joel Robuchon.

About These Pommes Puree or Paris Mash

Pommes Puree or Paris Mash is a French dish of mashed potato that produces wonderfully buttery and creamy mashed potatoes. This legendary pommes puree recipe was made famous by Chef Joel Robuchon and is his signature dish. He first introduced his pommes puree in 1981 at his debut Paris restaurant, Jamin at a time when French restaurants avoided using humble ingredients like potatoes. These buttery mashed potatoes feature an incredible 1:2 butter to potato ratio that makes these the absolute best mashed potato or pommes puree ever. These are so good and truly, nothing else can beat it.

If you've been lucky enough to dine at one of Robuchon's restaurants you'll know how good it is. But don't worry, I'll show you how to make this incredible pommes puree at home.

I made this many years ago but combined it with another recipe and I think it totally got lost and deserved a recipe of its own because they're THAT good!

Why This Recipe Works and Why You'll Love It

• This is a special occasion dish and while you may not make such a buttery mash for everyday occasions, it's perfect for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas or just a special dinner party. It is truly divine.

• The recipe is simple: just potatoes, butter, milk and salt. But it's what you do with these ingredients and the ingredients themselves that make the difference.

• I'll show you which potato is best to use because at Joel Robuchon, they use a particular type of potato.

• I'll explain which butter is best, what temperature is best and why.

• I'll show you how to season your potatoes perfectly down to the centre.

• I'll also explain which tools you need to use to achieve that silky, buttery result.

Video How To Make Pommes Puree

Ingredients For Pommes Puree

Potatoes - If you can access La Ratte potatoes, a small fingerling potato, use those. In its place Kipfler potatoes are the next best sub as they share a nutty flavour with La Ratte and are also waxy fingerling potatoes. Otherwise Yukon Gold and Dutch Creams are good all rounders.

Salt - Fine or kosher salt, ideally white to keep a pale yellow flesh colour.

Butter - Salted butter, and if budget permits, a French butter would be perfect.

Milk - Make sure to use full cream or whole milk.

Tips For Making Pommes Puree

1 - The thing that makes these mashed potatoes so special is the buttery creaminess of the pommes puree. To do this, you need to ensure that all of the water and liquid is removed from the mash before it absorbs the butter by returning them to the pan and then stirring the potato mash on low heat.

2 - Keep the skin on potatoes if you're boiling them for mash. The skin acts as a barrier and prevents the potatoes from becoming waterlogged and instead leaves them fluffy.

3 - If you make mashed potatoes often, invest in a potato ricer. This tool squeezes the boiled potatoes through small holes in a single motion creating a light, fluffy texture. Other tools overwork the starches in potatoes making them gummy and gluey and they will not take on the butter as well.

4 - I used kipflers and I prefer to remove the skins before passing them through the ricer as it makes the pressing process easier. I also found that when I pressed skin on kipflers through the ricer, no matter how well I scrubbed the potatoes, they would end up slightly discoloured.

5 - Some say that you need to use cold butter cubes, but for me, even room temperature butter is fine, as long as it is not melted. Melted butter separates the fat and milk solids so that you don't get an even distribution of these through the mash.

6 - Always use hot milk rather than cold to allow the blending process to be easier.

7 - Do I really need to sieve the mashed potato? To get that signature texture, yes I'm afraid you do! :)

If you want more potato recipes or another French potato side dish try these Pommes Anna, Duchess Potatoes, Fondant Potatoes or Aligot.

Pommes Puree Recipe

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott

Recipe Overview

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 45-55 minutes

Serves: 4 as a side dish

Ingredients Needed

• 500g/1.1lbs potatoes
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 250g/8.8oz butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup/125ml/4floz whole milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives to serve

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1 BOIL- Scrub and clean the potatoes (500g/1.1lbs potatoes) very well, leaving the skin on. In a large saucepan, bring enough water to the boil to cover potatoes and add the salt (2 tablespoons salt). Bring potatoes to a simmer. Cook potatoes uncovered over moderate heat until a knife can be inserted into the potato easily. Drain in a colander and allow to cool for 10 minutes. With gloves, remove the skins.

Step 2 PRESS - Pass the potatoes through a potato ricer fitted with the finest setting. Place the mashed potato into a heavy bottomed saucepan on low heat. With a flat bottomed spatula, stir the potato for 3-5 minutes to remove all moisture - the potatoes should be light and dry. Add the butter (250g/8.8oz butter), 2-3 cubes at a time until it is thoroughly incorporated.

Step 3 SIEVE- Bring the milk (1/2 cup/125ml/4floz whole milk) just to the boil (you can do this in the microwave or in a saucepan). Slowly add the milk a little at a time or in a thin stream. Ensure that each quantity of milk is fully incorporated before adding more milk. Pass the potatoes through a fine mesh sieve into another heavy bottomed saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. This can be made up to 1 hour in advance.

Step 4 SERVE - Scoop into a warmed dish and smooth over with an angled spatula. Using the spatula, press down gently to make patterns. Sprinkle with chopped chives (1 tablespoon) to serve.

Step 5 WARM - To keep warm, place in the top of a double boiler, uncovered, over simmering water and stir occasionally to keep smooth.

Personal Note

Every time I make these pommes puree I am so chuffed with how they turn out. They really are incredible and I think I'm very clever although it's not me that's clever, it's Joel Robuchon. But there is something instantly ego boosting when you cook something that tastes delicious.

And as I was taking photos of this, so proud of the pommes puree, beaming broadly at the dish as if I were a proud mother, I dropped my phone into the centre of the mash!

My ego boost was dashed in a matter of seconds. That's why there aren't that many pictures of these mashed potatoes because once my phone fell into it, it took out the pretty pattern and I had no choice but to eat it by the spoonful Your Honour...

So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever tried Robuchon's pommes puree?