Monster mashing

Taking the mashing out of mash, Ian Macrae checks out a new potato ricer

For mash, get Smash”, said the now almost retro-chic TV ad for the Cadbury’s instant collation. And the way in which we earth-beings treated the noble spud had the little aliens rocking with metallic laughter.

But let’s face it, if what you want is really smooth, tasty, totally lump-free, buttery mashed potato to bulk out and add a new dimension to a classic dish, as well as soak up that delicious gravy, the answer can never come out of a packet.

Having said that, up till now, producing said silky smooth mash may not always be the easiest or most accessible of kitchen activities.

You could blitz it up in a food processor if you have one, but the risk of over-blitzing is considerable and produces soggy glutinous results.

Mechanically, there are two basic ways of mashing, both of which require considerable arm and hand strength.

The first is your standard issue masher, a plate with holes in it stuck on the end of a vertical handle.

You use the implement like a plunger to pulverise your boiled potatoes. But reducing to a consistently smooth consistency takes time, effort and patience.

The other way is to use a potato ricer.

There are several varieties of these around. My old one came from IKEA and like many of their products, price and basic functionality meant compromise on style and finish. It was an ugly, charmless brute and using it again required a lot of arm and hand strength.

The other type is based on the same sort of design as an old fashioned garlic press, and it’s this kind which has been given an extra twist by American manufacturer Chef’n.

The Chef’n has two arms pivoted at one end. Part way along the lower one is a circular band, into which slots a metal container open at one end and with holes in the bottom. On the upper part is a shorter arm ending in a flat plate. It’s the plate that pushes the lumps of boiled potato down through the holes in the bottom of the metal container.

But – and here’s the twist – the central pivot of this big lever is ratcheted. This means that , instead of having to rely on your own strength to push the potato through and into a waiting bowl, the ratcheting makes the gadget much easier to use.

My only quibble would be that the underside of the lower arm which sits across a bowl as you put the potato into the ricer is rounded and therefore inclined to wobble. It would be better flat so that it sat with greater stability.

But for smoothness, both of operation and of the mash it produces, this gets top marks.

Recipe suggestion
- Creamy garlic mash
- Cut 6 to 8 potatoes into pieces and boil for around 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile peel 5 cloves of garlic, melt some butter in a pan and fry the garlic cloves whole for 3 minutes.
- Strain the potatoes and put them and the garlic through a ricer keeping the butter
- Mix the butter into the mash stirring thoroughly and add a good splodge of double cream.
- Stir thoroughly.
- Good with any meat that’s served with sauce or gravy.

Information
Chef'n Potato Ricer, ref 14028, £29.99
Order online: www.lakeland.co.uk Order by phone: 015394 88100
46 stores nationwide