Two-Colored Mashed Potatoes

Two-Colored Mashed Potatoes

When I want to change something about a regular side dish, I make this two-colored mashed potatoes. It’s a kind of recipe I picked up from a French kitchen, where I learned some details that make a difference. Boiled potatoes in their skins, crushed while hot, retain their texture and flavor, and don’t become watery. For the two-colored version, I also use purple potatoes, which give an interesting look to the dish. I make it at home when I feel like adding something extra to a simple meal or when I have guests and want everything to look more arranged, without needing complicated techniques.

Quick Info

Total Time: 50-60 minutes
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes (including peeling hot potatoes)
Cooking Time: 35-45 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Difficulty: easy, but requires attention when peeling and mashing hot potatoes
Recipe Type: side dish

Ingredients

- White floury potatoes – 700 g
- Purple potatoes (vitellotte) – 400 g
- Butter – 50 g
- Milk – about 150 ml (or more, depending on the desired texture)
- Cream – 1-2 tablespoons (only for the purple mashed potatoes)
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Sea salt – to taste
- White pepper – to taste

Preparation Method

1. Wash the white and purple potatoes well, without peeling them. Boil them separately in salted water.

2. Boil the potatoes until a fork easily goes into them without falling apart. The time varies depending on size, but usually takes between 35 and 45 minutes. Check them from time to time.

3. Drain the water and, while they are very hot, peel the potatoes. For me, this is quickest with a small knife, although you need to have a bit of patience to avoid burning yourself. If you let them cool down, the mash won’t have the right texture.

4. Mash the hot potatoes with a special masher or a stainless steel sieve, never in a blender or mixer, as they will become gummy. Place the white potato mash and the purple potato mash in separate bowls.

5. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, add the butter, and stir until melted. Also, add the tablespoon of olive oil. Everything needs to be hot when you add it to the mash, so it mixes well.

6. Gradually pour the milk with butter over the white potato mash, stirring with a round whisk or spoon. Adjust the consistency to taste. Finally, add sea salt and white pepper.

7. For the purple potato mash, do the same, but you can also add 1-2 tablespoons of cream when pouring in the milk and butter. Mix well, then add salt and white pepper.

8. For presentation, use a ring mold: place a layer of white mash at the bottom, then, using a piping bag or a spoon, add a layer of purple mash on top. If you want a more restaurant-like appearance, use the piping bag for the colored part.

Why I Make This Recipe Often

I like that it’s easy to adapt and doesn’t require hard-to-find ingredients. The colorful appearance makes the plate look better, even at a regular meal. The fact that it keeps the good potato flavor, without being covered by other aromas, makes it a suitable side dish for almost anything.

Tips and Variations

Tips

- It works best with floury white potatoes, not those that remain hard after boiling.
- Mash the potatoes while they are warm; otherwise, they become sticky.
- Use only warmed butter and milk, not cold.
- Sea salt makes a difference in taste.

Substitutions

- If you can’t find purple potatoes, you can make the mash only from white potatoes.
- For dairy, you can adjust between milk and cream, depending on what you have at home.
- You can also use vegetable butter or margarine, but the taste will be different.

Variations

- For a different look, alternate layers or pipe various shapes with the piping bag.
- You can add your favorite herbs (parsley, dill) to the mash if you want extra flavor, but it’s not classic for this recipe.
- A little roasted garlic can also be added to the white mash if you crave a subtle note.

Serving Ideas

- Next to steak or simple baked fish.
- As a base layer for a platter with sautéed vegetables.
- It can be individually plated in small dishes for more special occasions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hot should the potatoes be when I peel and mash them?
Ideally, they should be as warm as possible. If you let them cool down, the mash becomes harder to homogenize and the texture isn’t as creamy.

Can I make this recipe with only white potatoes?
Yes, the classic mash is made only with white potatoes. The purple mash adds appearance, it’s not essential for taste.

Do I have to use both butter and olive oil?
It’s not mandatory to use both, but the combination gives a more balanced texture and a subtly different taste. You can adjust according to your preferences.

What’s the best method to mash the potatoes?
A manual masher or a sieve are the most suitable. Don’t use a blender or mixer; the mash will become gummy.

Can the mash be made in advance?
It can be prepared a few hours ahead, but it won’t have the same taste as fresh. Reheating changes the texture.

Nutritional Values

Estimated per serving (out of 6):

- Calories: 180-220 kcal
- Protein: 3-4 g
- Carbohydrates: 32-36 g
- Fats: 6-8 g

Values may vary depending on the proportions of butter, milk, and cream used. The purple potatoes do not significantly change the caloric intake compared to white ones.

Storage and Reheating

The mash lasts in the fridge for 1-2 days in a covered container. It can be reheated in a steamer or microwave, although the texture becomes denser, and sometimes a little hot milk needs to be added to make it creamy again. The best remains immediately after preparation.

In France, I learned that the best mashed potatoes, which are also made in the most exclusive restaurants, are made from starchy white potatoes that are boiled in their skins and crushed while hot. Unlike the usual way of making mashed potatoes, the real deal is made with whole boiled potatoes, and the explanation is simple: they retain their starch and flavor and do not absorb water as they do when cut into pieces and boiled in salted water. Its texture is different from the potato foam we are used to, but the taste is sublime. The potatoes are boiled in water with sea salt, peeled while hot, and crushed with a potato masher (not with a blender or mixer). Hot milk in which butter has melted and a bit of olive oil is added, along with sea salt, and everything is mixed well using a round whisk, seasoned with white pepper at the end. The same method is used for purple potatoes, to which we can add a little sour cream to the mixture when making the mash. Using a ring mold, the white mash is placed at the base, and with the help of a pastry bag, the purple mash is added. Everything is simple and easy, and the result is not only beautiful but also exceptionally tasty. Enjoy your meal!

 Ingredients: white potatoes butter olive oil milk purple potatoes/vitelotte sea salt white pepper

 Tags:  mashed potatoes