Guillaume Brahimi’s Paris mash - the recipe

Guillaume Brahimi has been making French-style mashed potato throughout his award-winning career. Here’s the recipe.

Guillaume Brahimi shares his Paris mash recipe, using desiree potatoes (pictured).

Winter offers hearty pleasures, such as black truffles, black olives and, a buried winter treasure: potatoes. (See below for award-winning chef Guillaume Brahimi’s classic French recipe for mashed potatoes.)

Potato hubs are Western Australia (HQ of seed potato-growing and certification) and Robertson, NSW, where Highlands Gourmet Potatoes grows dark heirloom varieties (up to 17 at a single market, Bowral, Camden, Eveleigh, Pyrmont). Albany and Willunga markets are rich WA sources. WA is also a focus for black truffles, especially Manjimup; their annual festival runs June 26 to 28 (truffle­kerfuffle.com.au).

Truffles are a luxury, but small quantities are potent; infuse cream overnight; then wash, dry and seal your truffle with whole eggs (airtight jar); next day, whip up fragrant omelette or pasta, your truffle finely shaved on top.

Every state and ACT has truffieres. Harvest Launceston expects truffles today until July 11. WA’s truffles fly to restaurant tables around the globe; Canberra’s stay close to home.

I pull on my wellies and follow chocolate brown labrador Nala through oak and hazelnut trees at French Black Truffles of Canberra. Nala heads straight for her target, truffle-fragrant earth flagging buried treasure (hunt bookings sell fast, canberratruffles.com.au).

Sherry McArdle (FBT; smallest sales about 15g, 50g costs $150) supplies Fyshwick Markets, local restaurants, Parliament House and the Arboretum (for chef Janet Jeffs).

Canberra’s Truffle Festival opens tomorrow (into August); seven growers, demonstrations, dinners, hunts, sales, truffle dishes at local cafes (trufflefestival.com.au). Truffles for the workers!

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How to use them, by Guillaume Brahimi

Potatoes. The potato has become something of a signature of mine. I use it in Paris mash (at all my restaurants), gratin (more bistro in style) and roasted kipflers (my children’s favourite at home). I have been making Paris mash since I was an apprentice in France. It is such a favourite, it has never left my menus.

Paris mash: Cover four large, unpeeled desiree potatoes (about 600g) with cold water, add fine sea salt, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 25 to 30 minutes (they are ready pierced with a sharp knife, blade comes out clean when they’re ready). Drain well. Peel while hot, using a tea towel for protection. Pass through a mouli, then drum sieve and into a saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon until all moisture is removed (you want it dry to the touch). Bring 200ml milk to the boil, reduce to a simmer. Dice 200g cold, unsalted butter. Place potato mash over low heat, add 50g butter, stir to combine. Add 50ml milk, stir until combined. Repeat until all butter and milk has been added and mash is creamy and light. Adjust salt. (For four.)

Olives. I keep black and green olives in the pantry at all times, green for an evening martini, which my wife Sanchia is an expert at making. Black olives make a quick, easy tapenade, great to have on hand. I love to use it to accompany a piece of tuna grilled or barbecued.

Tapenade: Simply place 100g pitted black Ligurian olives, 1 anchovy fillet, 1 garlic clove, ¼ seeded long red chilli and 100ml olive oil into a food processor and blend until almost smooth.

Truffles. We are so fortunate to have world-class truffles grown here in Australia. It means we can access them when they’re really fresh. I look forward to their season every year. They can be a little indulgent, but I think they’re worth it. In a risotto, you can use as much or as little as you want, depending on how extravagant you’re feeling and how strong you want the flavour.

Mushroom stock: In a large pot, heat one tablespoon olive oil, sweat five thinly sliced eschallots and a head of garlic cut in half. Add 200g roughly chopped field mushrooms, sweat. Cover with 500ml water, add bay leaf and ½ bunch of thyme. Bring to boil, simmer 1 hour. Strain, return to heat.

Truffle risotto: Heat separate pot over medium heat, add one tablespoon olive oil and two peeled, finely diced eschallots, cook until soft and translucent. Add 200g carnaroli rice, cook one minute, stirring; start adding stock one ladle at a time, stirring continuously (this brings out the starch, giving rice a creamier texture). When most stock is incorporated and rice is al dente, add 25g grated Reggiano parmesan, fold to combine, season. Serve with 100g fresh truffle shaved over. (For four.)