Pomme purée is basically mashed potatoes given the classical French treatment, but that short description doesn't really do this side dish (made popular by the late great French chef Joël Robuchon) justice. Irresistibly silky and deeply decadent, it gains its smooth texture thanks to a generous amount of butter stirred into the flesh of the potatoes, which is then loosened with a little milk. While mashed potato is rough and ready, easy to knock up and good at absorbing other sauces, pomme purée is made in a gentler way, gradually beating and folding the butter into the potatoes until they become a single, smooth entity that should sit alongside something equally luxurious.

Pomme purée is a side reserved for decadent dinners. Often served as part of a meaty main course, this is not a dish for those watching their weight. The Galvin brothers serve pomme purée alongside rich boudin noir, with green grapes providing slight reprieve from all the fatty richness on the plate. In Pierre Koffmann’s legendary pig’s trotter recipe, he flavours his pomme purée with a healthy dose of duck fat in place of butter, creating a rather unforgettable result.

Although many prefer to keep their pomme purée simple, feel free to add a little flavouring in the form of mustard, if you wish.