Mushroom potato puree (think dried-mushrooms pureed into mashed potatoes) came from my old chef Lenny Russo's cookbook. It's one of the more interesting mushroom recipes I've made.
Over the course of the project, photographer Tom Thulen and I would work off a list of dishes from different sections each week, chosen by the publisher. Mashed potatoes with mushrooms were on the list, and I was excited to make them.
The original recipe called for mushroom duxelles, but I thought that making a really strong one with a thick puree of dried wild mushrooms could be really good.
How to make it
To make the mushroom-lovers version here, you infuse the dried wild mushrooms into a bunch of cream and butter, puree, then use it to flavor some freshly cooked and rice potatoes.
It's ultra rich and filled with black trumpet flavor. It'll be good anywhere you'd have mashed potatoes, but especially with meat, preferably roasted.
Use a ricer
You must use a ricer here. A foodmill will ruin a puree of potatoes, activating the potato starch and making them feel like glue in your mouth.
Types of mushrooms to use
Feel free to use your favorite dried wild mushrooms here. Dried chanterelles are a good alternative for black trumpets and keep the light color of the potatoes. Other strongly flavored mushrooms like porcini would be good too.
If you want to use fresh mushrooms there's notes on that in the recipe. If you have to use cultivated mushrooms, reach for shiitakes before something like baby bellas or white button mushrooms.
Black Trumpet Potato Puree
Equipment
- 1 potato ricer or food mill
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 40 oz russet potatoes or yukon golds
- 1 oz dried black trumpets mushrooms
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 small shallot 2 oz
- 1 large clove garlic grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 4 oz unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil
- Fresh slices chives or green onions to garnish
Instructions
- Cover the mushrooms with the water and rehydrate for 15 minutes.
- Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 inch pieces. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water until just tender, drain very well and pass through a food mill into a mixing bowl while still hot. Cover the bowl with cling film and put in a warm place until needed.
- Meanwhile, swish the mushrooms to remove grit, then lift the mushrooms out of the water. Strain the liquid, discarding the last tablespoon of liquid with any grit. Reserve the mushrooms and liquid separately.
- Sweat the shallots, (grate the garlic into the pan now), in 2 tablespoons of the butter until translucent, then add the mushrooms and sweat for a few minutes more.
- Add the black trumpet liquid and reduce until the pan is nearly dry. Add the cream and salt, bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat and reduce for 5 minutes more on medium-low.
- Pour the trumpet cream into a blender like a vitamix, or a food processor in a pinch. Puree until very smooth, scraping down the sides if needed. Drop in the butter at the end.
- Pour the mushroom cream into the hot riced potatoes, combine, season to taste with salt. Adjust to your desired consistency by adding a splash of hot cream or sour cream if it's thick.
Lenny Russo
Nice riff on mushroom potato purée, and thanks for giving my cookbook a plug as well for mrntioning me in the same sentence as Robuchon. Also, my book is quite beautiful with no small thanks to you and Tom Thulen as well as the stunning artwork of George Morrison.
Alan Bergo
No prob boss!