Michelin Star Mashed Potatoes
🥔 Joël Robuchon’s Michelin mashed potato – is it the greatest mash of all time?!
I’ve finally taken on Joël Robuchon’s Michelin-star mashed potato to see which version truly reigns supreme. How could I resist testing a recipe from a chef once crowned “Chef of the Century” by Gault Millau in 1990? I’ll be honest, I was expecting an elaborate list of ingredients, but was pleasantly surprised to find only four: potatoes, butter, milk, and seasoning (salt and pepper). We’re counting seasoning as one, ok.
It just goes to show that the simplest ingredients can create the most indulgent and luxurious dishes. And if you’ve been here a while, you’ll know we love a birra butter around here.
The METHOD
What makes this mash stand out is the attention to detail. Not only do you use a specific potato variety, Ratte potatoes (which have a naturally buttery texture), but you also peel them after boiling. It’s definitely a lengthier process (and yes, my fingertips can confirm this after a few 3rd degree burns), but it does genuinely transform the texture.
Once mashed, Robuchon’s method asks you to stir vigorously, something I’ve always avoided to prevent that dreaded gluey texture. But to my surprise, this recipe proved me wrong: the more I mixed, the creamier and silkier the mash became. Always a school day in the Poppy Cooks kitchen. The high butter ratio is what gives it that outrageously creamy, restaurant-level finish.
Tips to recreate Michelin-style mash at home
Use the right potato: If you can’t find Ratte potatoes, go for Charlotte potatoes or Yukon Gold. Avoid starchy ones like King Edwards for this recipe as you may find it does go gloopy.
Warm your milk before adding it in, cold milk can dull the flavour and texture, plus you want to mash to remain warm.
Use a potato ricer or sieve for the smoothest result. Mashing with a fork or masher can leave small lumps.
Don’t rush the butter stage, add it in small cubes of cold butter and beat each one in fully before adding more.
And finally, serve immediately; even Michelin mash deserves to be eaten hot and fluffy. Don’t let your hard work go to waste.
Watch me take on expert, intermediate and beginner mashed potato
If you’d like to see how this recipe stacks up against my expert, intermediate, and beginner mashes, check out my full video on YouTube. Spoiler: yes, the beginner version involves instant mash, and no, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. But…can it compare to Robuchon’s masterpiece? Absolutely not. However, if you need a mash in 2 minutes flat, it does the job.
If you’re craving indulgence with less effort (and fewer singed fingers), my intermediate mash might just be your new go-to. But let’s be honest, of course I’d say that hehe.
Michelin Star Mashed Potatoes
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/michelin-star-mashed-potatoes/
Ingredients
- 1 kg potatoes, preferably ratte potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled
- 1 tbsp coarse salt
- 250g salted butter, diced and kept chilled until needed
- 250ml whole milk
- Salt and white pepper
Metric
Imperial
Instructions
- Put the potatoes in a saucepan with 2 litres/4 pints of cold water and the coarse salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until knife tender, around 25 minutes.
- Drain the potatoes and peel them with a small knife. Put them through a potato ricer into a large saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and dry the potato flesh out a bit by turning it aggressively with a spatula for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, rinse a small saucepan and pour out the excess water but do not wipe it dry. Add the milk and bring to a boil, but keep an eye out for boiling over!
- Turn the heat under the potatoes to low and incorporate the well-chilled butter bit by bit, stirring it in energetically for a super creamy mash. Pour in the very hot milk in a thin stream, still over a low heat, still stirring constantly. Keep stirring until all the milk is absorbed. Turn off the heat and taste for salt and pepper, then serve.