Foodie Friday: pommes purées

So I'm an old-fashioned girl when it comes to my plates--five hundred years of beautiful tradition from Platina to Julia Child and all that--and I like a starch base beside or beneath my, ahem, meat.  Here is a recipe for a very simple and very elegant potato purée.

4-5 medium Russet (or other starchy) potatoes, peeled, rinsed, and diced
1 medium yellow onion, grated
1 quart whole milk
1 pint heavy cream
1 whole clove
freshly grated white pepper
sea salt

Combine the milk with an equal volume of water in a heavy pot.  Lightly salt and pepper.  Bring to just below a boil, slowly, over medium heat.  Add the clove, the potatoes, the onion, and a bit more salt and pepper.  Cook for 5-10 minutes until the potato is almost falling apart.  Strain out the liquid through a fine sieve.  Put into a blender.  Begin to blend on the purée setting, very slowly adding cream.  You will not need the whole pint--you will add just enough liquid to allow the blender to do its work.  Initially, you'll want an ever-so-slightly wet consistency.  Remove to a warmed, shallow bowl and let rest, unconvered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any skin from forming.  The starches will naturally stiffen slightly, thickening the purée to its desired, silky texture.  Makes a lovely base for a little rare filet or duck breast.