Food Mills

A food mill (also known as a mouli-légumes) purées and sieves cooked or soft foods, removing unwanted pips, peel and cores. Although an electric food processor can do the same job, a mouli can give the cook more control over the texture, allowing them to produce a range of purées, from a delicate sauce to a robust soup.

The mill itself looks somewhat like a saucepan with a perforated base and a crank handle. Interchangeable metal discs with different-sized holes fit into the base to produce purées with a variety of different textures. The food is placed into the pan, then as the handle is turned the blade forces it through the holes, taking out any skin, pips or fibres.

Some mills may be fitted securely to a container to collect the purée, whilst others are fitted with a trivet so that they may simply be stood over a bowl.

To prevent the mouli from rusting or reacting with acidic food, choose one in stainless steel or in durable plastic with stainless steel blades.