Serves 6 150 ml milk 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped a small handful of fresh mint 450 g Juliette potatoes, peeled and chopped 110g butter 175g petits pois salt and pepper For The Beetroot Foam 2 tbsp rapeseed, or olive oil 1 small onion, peeled and sliced 1 uncooked beetroot (approx 225g peeled weight), peeled and chopped vegetable stock or water 4 tbsp whipping cream a knob of salted butter salt and pepper
Method Pour the milk into a pan, add the garlic and mint and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover, and leave to infuse while you prepare the potatoes. In a saucepan cover the potatoes with cold water, add salt, and bring to the boil. Cook until soft, then drain in a colander. Return the potatoes to the saucepan and dry them out by shaking the pan over a low heat. Push the potatoes through a sieve into a bowl. Alternatively push through a potato ricer. You can also use an electric hand held beater for this stage of the recipe. However, you cannot use a food processor as it will make the potatoes too sticky and glutinous. Strain the milk into another pan, add the butter, return to the heat and slowly bring to the boil. Next, vigorously whisk the hot milk and butter into the potatoes to create a mixture with a fairly runny consistency. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk or butter if required. Taste, season, and either serve immediately, or if preparing ahead allow to cool and gently re-heat by stirring in a saucepan over a low heat. Just before serving, place the peas into a saucepan add a little salt and pour over enough boiling water to cover. Leave to stand for about two minutes before draining thoroughly and then carefully stir into the hot mashed potatoes mixing thoroughly. While the potatoes are cooking make the beetroot foam Heat a saucepan over a medium heat, add the rapeseed oil and then the sliced onion and sweat off till the onion is soft but not coloured. Add the chopped beetroot and enough vegetable stock or water to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer gently till the beetroot is just soft. Pour into a liquidizer add the cream and a good knob of butter. Blitz in the liquidizer and pass through a sieve into a clean saucepan and check the seasoning. When you are ready to serve the mashed potatoes gently re-heat the beetroot foam and either pour into a thermo whip or whisk vigorously by hand and foam over the mashed potato at the last minute as you serve it.