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The Purees
Appears in
Published 2021
I love purees because they reduce a vegetable to its essence, concentrating its flavor, while also giving the vegetable an elegant texture. While they are often white, a puree can also add a colorful dimension, the vivid orange of butternut squash or a green cabbage puree (yes, my love of cabbage endures here as well).
I often use them to link various elements in a dish, to harmonize disparate components. In the Halibut with Celery Root Puree, Hen of the Woods, and Riesling Cockle Sauce, I mix chopped hen of the woods into the puree to bring in a touch of earthiness that harmonizes with the larger roasted piece of mushroom—it brings the whole dish together.