Puree of Potatoes

Peel and wash two pounds of medium sized potatoes, put them into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover, and a little salt, let them boil till soft, then drain off the water and cover them with a wet cloth, set the lid on the saucepan and put them into a slack oven for twelve minutes to steam. (They may be cooked by steam for half an hour. which is always preferable to boiling in water.) Rub them either through a sieve or pass them through the machine (Fig. 99a), and put this puree back into the saucepan; season, add a little sugar, then heat it up without boiling, stirring in half a pint of cream and two ounces of fine butter.