I got a potato ricer today - how exactly does it work?

[Hulababy]

After a conversation on MN last week I went out and got a potato ricer but not sure what to do with it. I want it to make doing mash potato easier as I hate peeling all those potatoes. Do I just cook the potatos, skin and all and then put it though? Or what?

Help please!

Thanks in advance.

Hello hula

You peel and boil the spuds as usual then drain and leave to cool for 5 mins. Then get a mixing bowl, or the pan you cooked the spuds in. Fill the chamber of the ricer with the cooked spuds, stand bowl underneath and depress plunger. Be warned, hot water may spurt out of spuds so mind your fingers and back of hands. Keep going til you have used up the spuds and then use a spoon to push any mush through the chamber.

Add butter, milk, cream, seasoning etc.and mix lightly with a fork

Perfect mash every time

Thanks suzywong. Someone on the other thread said I didn't need to peel the potatoes - what I was moaning about at the time - can I do this?

I think if you don't peel the potatoes you'll get brown bits in your mash. Better for you though! (Vitamins, fibre etc)

I reckon I will give it ago, brown bits and all. Maybe do it without if we have visitors round and I want it to look good!

oooh - i like the sound of this
where do you get these from?

With my potatoe ricer. I bake the potatoes in the microwave, cut them in half, place the potatoe cut side down in the ricer and push out lots of light potatoe strands. I've never noticed any skin comming though. You just take the skin out of the inside of the ricer. We used our first one so much it broke and we rushed out to by another one. I admit I like baked potatoe skins so have been known to eat them whilst the rest of the family eat the mash!

Thanks carolann.

Popsycal - got mine today for £7.95 from John Lewis. I did look int he cook shop, Sinclairs, opposite my apartment but they only had an expensive chrome one - £23 - and the woman in there said the cheaper one is actually better.

oooh - i have john lewis vouchers1

very clever carolann
i don't have a microwave so never thought of that

Carolann, that's exactly what I do The skin doesn't go through the holes at all.

If you squidge it through into a bowl, you can then mix milk/butter in. I generally then squidge it through again onto the plates. Being a cruel and evil mother, I don't bother with this for DSs. They get plain potato.

Mind you I make the best mash in the WORLD with a peeler and a smasher. When you use huge spuds there isn't even much peeling.

Soupdragon - I wouldn't be bothering with milk/cream either as on diets, and DD just likes any mash regardless of how it comes.

No milk or cream in mashed potatoes!!!!!!

Good god woman are you crazy?

Forgot to mention I add about half a tub of Utterly Butterly to mine!

Also, northerner's DH (a chef) says you should only add warm milk, not cold.

Hulababy - Nigella Lawson does the same as Carolann, or, does Carolann do the same as Nigella?

I've been looking for one for ages, where did you get yours, please tell me is was a major store.

I got mine from Ikea. They sell them in Lakeland too (which is where I saw the microwaved potato trick I think).

Thanks Soupdragon, I'll look in Lakeland next weekend.

A little splash of olive oil and a twist of two of pepper, in our house, yum. Always fancied a potato ricer, now it looks like I have a good excuse to get one, no potato peeling, that I like the sound of.

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Going to give it a go this week.

I know, how bad will it be without the butter and cream, but do you know how many extra points that's be!?! Less butter - more alcohol

OK, my potatoes are just about cooked (microwave, with skins on). Next question - which blade do I use? I have 3 of them - small, medium or large holes. Any experts out there?

Tell me please, is a ricer better than a smasher do you get smother mash? I have thinking about gettin a ricer for ages.

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