I’m a chef… and you’re making mash all wrong! Top tips for the creamiest mashed potatoes

Everyone loves rich, creamy mashed potatoes, but it can be difficult to get the right consistency.

Want to know the secret to more a-peeling puree? Then follow the advice of Lisa Marlywho is a chef trainer with a food awareness organization ProVeg UK and a nutrition coach.

Here she reveals how to make restaurant grade mashed potatoes…

Lisa tells MailOnline that a common mistake is that they only use one type of potato.

She says, “For the ultimate mash, use a 50/50 combination of waxy and starchy potatoes.” This creates the perfect puree.

“For example, if you use a combination of russet potatoes, with their high starch content, with waxy Yukon golds, you’ll get the best results.”

Next – resist boiling the potatoes in salted water.

Lisa says, ‘Although adding salt to the water is the “standard”, seasoning at the end of the puree is absolutely fine and will give you the best result according to your personal taste.

‘Most cooks add salt to get the seasoning into the potato. But the potatoes must be small to have the desired effect.

“And add the potatoes to salted water and you might end up with them getting soggy on the outside and firm on the inside.”

Do not use a fork to puree as this will result in a ‘clumpy, uneven result’.

Use a combination of waxy and starchy potatoes for the ultimate mash, says Lisa (file image)

Instead, says Lisa, “you use a rice press to squeeze and break up the cooked potatoes.”

Some chefs claim that a mouli gives an even better result, but according to Lisa, adding cream or milk after the potatoes have been put through the rice machine can “smooth out any small lumps.”

She adds, “Blumpy/gritty texture could mean potatoes are undercooked, so cooking a little longer should fix this problem.”

Want that restaurant-level finish? Butter, oil and cream will do the trick.

Lisa says, ‘Use butter and oil. Using two types of fat will result in a rich mashed potato. For 2 kg of potatoes, add 40 g of butter – vegetable or dairy – and 30 ml of olive oil. This will give you a buttery and delicious puree.

You can also add 100 ml of cream or milk to spice it up even more. Gently heat the cream or milk in a pan and incorporate it into the puree for the ultimate consistency and texture.’

For more from Lisa, visit her Instagram page – www.instagram.com/lisamarleychef.