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1
Place the potatoes, whole and unpeeled, in a large sauce pot.
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2
Add 2 tablespoons salt and fill the pot with cold water.
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3
Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, turn down the heat to low, and simmer about 45 minutes, until tender.
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4
One type of potato may be done before the other, so check doneness and remove one variety first, if necessary.
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5
When the potatoes are cooked through, strain them, and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes or so.
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6
Heat the cream and milk together in a small saucepan, then turn off the heat.
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7
When the potatoes have cooled, peel them and pass them through a food mill or potato ricer.
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8
Put the riced potatoes in a heavy-bottomed pan.
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9
Heat them over medium heat a few minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, to dry them out a little.
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10
Add the butter slowly, stirring constantly.
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11
Season with 2 1/2 teaspoons salt.
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12
When all the butter has been incorporated, slowly stir in the warm cream mixture until you have a smooth puree.
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13
Taste for seasoning.
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14
Pass the puree through a fine-mesh tamis twice if you like.
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15
At the restaurant, we pass the mixture through a fine-mesh tamis [twice] using a rubber spatula.
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16
This makes an extremely smooth puree.
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17
You can skip this step if you want a more rustic-style potato puree.
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18
If you are going to serve the puree immediately, you can hold it in a double boiler or in a warm oven.
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19
Otherwise, let the puree cool, then refrigerate it.
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20
Reheat the puree gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, and adding more cream if necessary.
