PUREE/MASH
WITH VEGETABLES

[Back to overview basic cooking methods]

Both puree and mash with vegetables are prepared by mashing boiled potatoes. Vegetables are added to and mixed through the mash at some point when preparing mash with vegetables. The details are in the recipe.

Puree

• Boil the potatoes until they are cooked through and through and then drain off the water; follow the steps of the basic cooking method ‘boil’
• Heat some milk in a saucepan or in the microwave (about 150 ml per 1 kg potatoes). If you do not want to use milk, you can also use the water left over from boiling
• Mash them well in a pan using a masher or potato ricer (do not use a hand blender: the starch molecules will break and the puree will become gluey)
• Use a wooden spatula to stir in as much milk (or cooking fluid) as you need until you have a smooth and creamy puree
• To make the puree extra creamy: add some butter (about 25 grams per 1 kg potatoes). However, you don’t need to.
• Return the pan to the heat source and heat the puree while stirring.
• Then season the puree with salt, pepper and add a bit of nutmeg if desired.

Mash with vegetables

Because you can basically use any vegetables you want, there is a huge variety of mash with vegetables. The moment that the vegetables are added differs per recipe. Some recipes call for adding and mashing raw vegetables into the boiled potatoes. There are also recipes in which the vegetables are cooked or heated separately and then added later. Finally, there are recipes in which the vegetables are boiled together with the potatoes. In the end, just follow the recipe.

You can make a lovely smooth puree using a sieve: grab a big spoon, put a good-sized spoonful of boiled potato into the sieve and rub the potato through the sieve using the bottom of the spoon.