These are the potatoes that brought Chef Joel Robuchon to world notice, and they are the potatoes that brought Jean Pierre Clot fortune. He is the man who resurrected this potato from the Alps and sent it to Chef Robuchon, who proceeded to make this over-the-top version of mashed potatoes. This version is simplified from Chef Robuchon’s, as it skips using a tamis, or drum sieve, for the potatoes. Do not attempt this in a food processor or blender as it will provide you with gummy, pasty potatoes. You will need a food mill, or a ricer.
INGREDIENTS:
1½ pounds of La Ratte potatoes 5 ounces unsalted butter 5 ounces milk, room temperature Salt as needed-around 3-4 tablespoons as quite a bit goes into the cooking waterMETHOD:
Cut butter into ½ inch cubes.
Place unpeeled* potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by 2 inches. Add 2-3 tablespoons salt to the water, enough so you can taste it. It should be almost oceanic. Bring potatoes to a gentle boil and then simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, until you can easily cut one in half. Immediately drain, and peel as while warm using a towel to hold and rub the skin away and a thin bladed knife to scrape peel off.
Pass the potatoes through the smallest-holed disk of your food mill into a large pot. Place the pot over medium-low heat.
Once the potatoes are all milled, use a firm wooden spatula and stir the potatoes vigorously over low heat to drive out remaining moisture. This should take 3-5 minutes. The potatoes will start to form a ball.
At this point, add the butter bits, a few at a time and vigorously stir in. Continue until all the butter is in.
Heat the milk until quite warm, but nowhere near boiling. You should be able to dip a finger in, but want to pull it out quickly.
Switch to a firm whisk, and whip the potatoes vigorously for 30 seconds. Drizzle in the milk and whip 30 seconds. Season liberally with salt, and continue to whip until everything is incorporated and hot. The potatoes should be loose, and when you lift the whisk, potato should run off onto the surface of those in the pot and stay on the top. The texture should be like a loose whipped cream just before peaks start forming.
Serve while hot.
Chef’s Notes: *Using unpeeled potatoes keeps them from getting waterlogged and means these potatoes are fluffier when done, and will absorb all that butter. Although it may not seem necessary, it is this technique that helps elevate these potatoes to the raved about dish they are. The heating to drive off extra moisture and the vigorous stirring and whisking are all important as well, and when it says “vigorous”, really do give it a good thrashing. Although it may seem there is a lot of butter, remember it is being divided up. If you wish to make the potatoes lighter, pour them into a fine-meshed tamis (drum sieve) and use a plastic pastry scraper to push them through to aerate. Work quickly with very hot potatoes or they will cool.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen, after Chef Joel Robuchon
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