Using a Food Mill

• Because a food mill removes the skin and seeds from tomatoes, it's traditionally used to make tomato sauces. It also makes silky-smooth pureed root vegetables, including mashed potatoes. Generally, anything that is soft enough to be mashed or pressed by hand can go through a food mill.

Food Processor and Sieve

• The food mill is sometimes touted as an alternative to using the combination of a food processor and a sieve. But it's more likely you have the other two pieces of equipment. If you don't have a food mill, process the soft foods until mostly smooth, and then press the food through a fine-mesh strainer or sieve. The food that comes through will have the same smooth, even consistency as food that has been pressed through a food mill.

Potato Ricer

• For smaller jobs, a potato ricer can do the job of a food mill. Ricers work by the principle of extrusion. Food is pressed through one end and forced through small holes the size of a grain of rice. The process removes any skin and seeds from fruits or vegetables and makes a smooth puree. As its name suggests, it works particularly well for making mashed potatoes.

Cheese Grater and Hand Mixer

• A cheese grater can sometimes take the place of a ricer or food mill, particularly for preparing potatoes. To make perfect mashed potatoes without a ricer or food mill, grate cooked potatoes with a box grater and puree them using an electric hand mixer or a hand whisk. This method can also be used to easily remove the skins from cooked tomatoes.