what to do with a potato ricer

 Mastering the potato ricer technique guarantees velvety mashed potatoes every time. Think of it as akin to using a garlic press, but on a larger scale. This kitchen gadget features two elongated handles: one linked to a basket adorned with tiny perforations, while the other ends with a flat piece that snugly fits into the basket. Boiled potato chunks find their place in the basket, then undergo gentle pressure through the holes, emerging on the opposite side resembling rice grains—hence the moniker. This conversion facilitates swift, effortless mashing, yielding a lusciously smooth texture.

Besides white and sweet potatoes, the potato ricer proves versatile, accommodating parsnips, turnips, and even aiding in crafting fruit coulis or small batches of baby food. Certain models even offer a selection of discs, each with varied hole sizes, allowing customization of the mash's consistency.

How to Use a Potato Ricer

Here's a step-by-step guide to using a potato ricer for perfect creamy mashed potatoes:

1. Peel several white potatoes (or your preferred type) and cut them into 1-inch cubes.
2. Boil the potato cubes for about 15 minutes until they are soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork.
3. Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander, then transfer them back to the cooking pot or leave them in the colander.
4. Load a few pieces of cooked potato into the ricer's basket, selecting the disk with the largest holes if options are available.
5. Squeeze the handles of the ricer over a clean pot or bowl, pressing the potatoes through the holes.
6. Work swiftly to avoid cooling the potatoes, and be cautious not to overfill the ricer's basket to prevent spillage.

1. Once you've finished processing all the potatoes through the ricer, mix in your preferred ingredients like butter, sour cream, warm milk, salt, pepper, or nutmeg. Use a wooden spoon to blend them together. If needed, gently reheat the pot on low heat before serving. After using the ricer, make sure to promptly clean or rinse it to prevent starchy potato residue from drying and becoming hard to remove later on.

2. Using Your Ricer for Other Foods

   Potatoes aren't limited to being mashed with a ricer - you can also use it for various other foods. Here's how:

   1. For berry coulis or fruit sauce, thaw frozen berries or cook fresh ones with sugar, then press them through the ricer's smallest-holed disk into a bowl.

   2. Steam apples, peas, or broccoli until very soft, then use the ricer with the largest-holed disk to make a smooth purée, perfect for baby food.

   3. Get creative with spaetzle by pressing dough through the ricer into boiling water to form noodles.