Making a Vegetable Purée

The food processor is now the favorite tool for puréeing most vegetables; the texture it produces is excellent for many purées, terrines and timbales. However, it must not be used for starchy vegetables, notably potato, as they quickly turn to a gluey pulp. A blender produces a fine purée, good for vegetable fruits like eggplant, but it will not break down firmer vegetables. Neither machine will cut fiber, so stringy vegetables like celery must be sieved after puréeing.