Mashed potato will be perfectly creamy if you add one often-overlooked ingredient, according to Poppy O'Toole, better known as Poppy Cooks. In partnership with Nanna Tate, the Michelin-trained chef shared her top tips for making the perfect mash with no lumps to accompany your meal.
Crème Fraîche: The Secret Ingredient
The classic method involves mashing potatoes with butter, warm milk and salt. However, Poppy says adding crème fraîche to the mix can take your mash to the next level.
She told us: "One of my favourite ways to have mash is using crème fraiche. I've done it for years, butter and crème fraîche and then some herbs, some chives, some parsley all chopped through into it [and] plenty of salt."
Explaining why the ingredient is her go-to, she said: "Crème fraîche has got that slight tartness, like that slight sourness to it, it just brings even more flavour to it." She also noted that for those watching their waistline, low-fat or fat-free versions are available, though she personally prefers full-fat.
Avoiding Lumps: Preparation Tips
As for avoiding lumps, Poppy explained why spending a little extra time on the potatoes can make all the difference. "I boil them a little bit further than I think most people do," she explained. "So, I go for like 15 to 20 minutes so they are already almost mash."
After draining, she leaves them to steam dry for about 10 minutes, similar to her roast potato method. "You don't want a lot of liquid in your mash because, otherwise, it loses its integrity and then it becomes a purée," she said.
Once cooked, Poppy pushes the potatoes through a fine sieve rather than using a masher. "It makes it easier, otherwise you're going to have some bits that are lumpy," she shared. "It takes a bit of time, and it's a bit tedious, but it does give you this beautiful, smooth mash."
Butter and Cutting Techniques
Poppy emphasised the importance of butter: "I am butter and cream, like I am quite heavy, so I do a lot. I add more butter than anything else to it, so it's probably, let's say if I'm doing maybe like four potatoes, that would be for like four people, I would probably add about 100-150g of butter."
She also advised slicing potatoes into 1cm rounds rather than quarters before cooking. This helps them cook more evenly and quickly, while absorbing less water, resulting in a smoother, creamier mash.
