Freshly made vegetable purees serve as a versatile base for hundreds of dishes. For vegetable soup, for instance, combine vegetable puree with enough chicken or beef stock to make a soupy mixture. Gently heat in saucepan until warmed through.
(Recipe by the California Culinary Academy)
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh vegetables, trimmed
1 tbsp. butter or margarine
½ cup half and half
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Cut vegetables into pieces of even size.
2. Steam until tender in a small amount of water. Drain, reserving any liquid for soups, if desired.
3. Place vegetables and butter in Hamilton Beach Commercial culinary blender. Process until smooth.
4. With machine running, slowly add half-and-half to make a smooth, creamy puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Note:
Herbs and spices add another dimension to vegetable purees. Here are a few suggestions.
- Carrots: Add dried dill weed to taste.
- Cauliflower: Add curry powder or 1⁄2 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese. Dust with paprika or serve with a puree of contrasting color.
- Broccoli: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Parsnips: Add ground allspice or ground nutmeg to taste.
- Spinach: Add ground nutmeg to taste.
- Zucchini, pattypan, or crookneck squash: Add a few sprigs of dill weed.
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