So
to the finer points in refined cooking… queue swipes, stripes… spots
and dots of pure banging flavours all made possible through the art of
puree or puréed ingredients. From the Sunday roast to an elaborate
dinner party this is the perfect technique to concentrate combined
flavours in a sophisticated “how’s your father method” that will surely
raise eyebrows and conjure questions…
*nature of questions: bewilderment, tainted with jealousy!*nature of eyebrow rising: bewilderment, tainted with jealousy! (…God damn it... I wish I had of thought of that for my party)
Also a pre warning once you delve into the murky world of puree’s you will want more, it’s highly addictive and you will be thinking of where and when to get your next fix… be warned!
If you’re not already familiar with the term Puree let me give you a crash course (that perhaps fine dining establishments might not like us average Joes to think) …the crash and the course being that the process is extremely simple (for the most part) providing you have a good blender and a good imagination. Take your time and think about your dish as a whole…
One
book I will recommend is the “Food Thesaurus”, and in particular for
this post its content is a must have. It gives the a to z of
ingredients, and what each ingredient should, or could, be paired with
and do not think it covers the obvious (sugar and spice all things nice
approach) …no this book goes way outside the box …my favourite example
goats cheese and chocolate. Yeah. Indeed. Initially… that’s exactly what
I thought too. Buy the book you shall see what i blabber incoherently
about and you shall, i gaurantee... laaaave it Darling. Bang!
The
little brother with the big personality is a bit of a Gandalf when it
comes to the old puree business and unfortunately I cannot give up his
own creations on underpressure. I can describe some of them in one word
however… the word being “Stunning”… Oh and boundary pushing, but that’s
two words… I can however give you mine (and simplified versions of his
just don’t tell him). The thing you will find though with a puree is
what you pair your creation with… needless to say If I give you an apple
puree, don’t present it on a plate with caramelised granny smith
segment!
Okay captain obvious get on with it I hear you say… Right so… To the puree mobile Robin
Carrot Puree
This
is original… a rather back patting epiphany I had whilst prepping soups
a couple of weeks. The soup being my own carrot soup recipe (I normally
would glance over carrot soup on a menu imaging bland and boring) …so
decided to go for underlying earthy tones. The type of flavours that
resonate on the roof of your mouth… giving what i consider
a dull soup… a new lease of life laced with butternut squash, peppers
and onion and various herbs invited along to the party… it ticked all
the boxes and I did indeed try to pat my own back and also made up a
batch in the puree’d form for garnish… It goes a little something like
this...
One cup finely diced carrot
¼ cup of butternut squash …finely diced
Tbspn of Onion… guess what? Yes finely diced
Pinch of thyme… finely dicedPinch of rosemary… finely diced
Butter… couple of knobs
Season to taste
How to
Sautee
off all ingredients until soft to the touch... I find a low heat over a
prolonged period works better than a rapid high heat. Prolonged
concentrates juices and flavours, as opposed to burnt flavour. So be
gentle. Take your time… put on the kettle. When ingredients gently
squash between two fingers you are nearly there. Okay time for the
puree mobile indeed Robin (the blender) All ingredients into the blender
and whack on full tilt. Done… If you want a silkier, smoother puree pass your mix through a chamois.Beetroot Puree
Now
I should mention before we proceed with Mr Beetroot here, that this is a
way simplified version. Last time I made this puree I pickled the beet
myself with lots of star anise, cloves, bay leaf and not to mention the
agar agar to set it… then blend it to get the most fabulous fluid gel
that absolutely bursts with bang factor. But for now, and at home, we
shall roll with a not so long winded, elaborate and expensive process.
Simple is as simple does…
Ingredients4 tbsp sherry vinegar
½ star anisee
1 clove
100 g natural yogurt
salt, to taste
Leave the star anisee and clove marinating in the vinegar overnight to give that extra edge. Bang all ingredients, minus your cloves and anisee in a blender and process until smooth and silky (add another teaspoon vinegar if need be or add more ogurt to get that flourescent glow from your puree)… Done….
Chilli puree
Ingredients
2 medium red chillies… de stemmed, de seeded 5 medium dried red chillies… de stemmed and de seeded
1 jalapeno chilli… de seeded… finely chopped
2 garlic cloves… minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 ½ tsp cumin… ground
Hot water
Okay
to re hydrate the chilli, soak in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes,
strain then bang into a blender and process with the rest of your
ingredients adding water little by little.. we do not want to lose that
thickness. This is hot and it
is adviseable to counteract with something contrasting whether that be a
cold meat or crème fraiche… Variety is the spice of life… Bang!
Chestnut puree
This,
for me, is like the Mona Lisa of puree. No disrespect to Mona. I am not
saying la joconde has a head like a chestnut. No indeed I am a big art
lover and Da Vinci admirer. What I am saying is that for me, this is a
puree that is elegant, sophisticated and spanks of class, sat beside
wild game, a rich jus and seasonal veg… Yes indeed… 
750 g chestnuts, peeled
200 ml double cream 5 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
In a bowl, cover the chestnuts with boiling water. Allow to stand until the skin can be peeled off easily with a small knife or even your fingernails
Into the cream and cook on a low heat until chestnuts are soft to touch (squish between the finger test)... Remove from the heat and bang into a blender.
In
a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the chestnut purée and sugar. Cook
over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. If too dry, add more milk, the purée
should be creamy. Season to taste with salt… Bang!
Dill and zucchini
Ingredients
1 medium zucchini
120 ml buttermilk 1 tbsp fresh dill
¼ tsp nutmeg… ground
1 ½ tbsp chicken or vegetable broth
Season to taste
Bang
boiled zucchini, buttermilk, dill and nutmeg in a blender and process
until smooth. Thin the sauce with enough broth to make it workable...
Nice swipe across plate with steamed fish or vegetables… Done
So Subject to the aforementioned
So
I suppose you are beginning to see a pattern in the puree recipes. The
pattern being the same, simple technique applied to puree any
ingredient. Boil it. Blend it… and it gives your plate that extra edge…
Imagine
the plate your canvass and you a culinary Picasso (maybe a bit carried
away there) but that is sometimes how I feel plating food, making
ingredients dance and jump and sit just perfect. Swipes, stripes are the
foundation of this art.
Simple
task… Arm yourself with a spoon (varying sizes) spatula and a piping
tube… blank plate and off you go practise dragging the back of your
spoon across the plate and through your ingredients… Put dots around the
plate. Pipe one large dot and swipe away quickly. Arc your miniature
spatula through a heap and you will see the effects I am talking about
even if you practice with regular ketchup… and do not be disheartened if
it does not work out at first it took me weeks of plating many dozen
plates a night to gain confidence and fluidity in my hand… If you do try
this you shall see just how addictive it is. Wiping. Retrying until you
get it just perfect. You will see what I mean.
I
hope to get feedback on some of your puree recipes and pretty much the
primary message of this is to experiment and try out in your kitchen
with the children, for a party or just for the fun of it and let me see
your culinary creations... Bang!
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