Pureeing vegetables is the basis for many delicious soups, such as butternut squash soup. Purees can also be a nutrient-rich base for pasta sauces. Vegetable puree is also a staple food for those who want to make their own baby food. To produce a soft and smooth puree, it is very important to cook the vegetables well before processing them.
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Method 1 of 4: Selecting and Preparing Vegetables
Step 1. Choose fresh and ripe vegetables
The most flavorful and nutritious purees come from the freshest and most fully ripened vegetables. Choose vegetables with a firm texture and bright colors. Avoid vegetables that are bruised or mottled.
- While frozen or canned vegetables can be used to make purees, they are not as nutritious and taste as puree made from fresh vegetables.
- Any type of vegetable can be pureed (though it is difficult to make a smooth puree from stringy greens). Try carrots, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, green beans, broccoli squash, and other vegetables with meat that becomes tender when cooked.
Step 2. Wash the vegetables
Be sure to remove any adhering dirt by rinsing the vegetables under cold running water. You may also need to use a vegetable cleaner if you are pureeing vegetables that have been treated with pesticides.
Step 3. Peel the vegetables if needed
Cut both the top and bottom ends of the vegetables with a knife, and remove any bruises. Use a knife or vegetable peeler to remove the tough skin on sweet potatoes, white potatoes, carrots, squash, and other vegetables with skin on them.
Step 4. Cut the vegetables into thin slices
Cutting vegetables into thin slices means faster cooking times, and smoother purees.
Method 2 of 4: Cooking Vegetables
Step 1. Boil a few ml of water in a large saucepan
No need to fill the pot to the brim; You only need a few ml of water to steam the vegetables. Two to four cups of water will suffice, depending on the size of the pot you're using.
Steaming vegetables is the best way to retain their nutritional content. Boiling vegetables is another way to soften them, but boiling vegetables is known to strip away some of the nutrients
Step 2. Steam the vegetables for 15 to 20 minutes
Fill the steamer basket with sliced vegetables and then place the basket in the pot. Cover the pot to start steaming the vegetables. Don't overfill the steamer with too many vegetables; You may have to put it down a little at a time. After 15 to 20 minutes, the vegetables should be soft.
If you don't have a steamer, put the sliced vegetables in boiling water. Simmer for 15 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Be careful not to put too many vegetables in the pot
Step 3. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a large bowl
Remove the vegetables from the steamer or pot using a slotted spoon or stainless steel strainer and place them in a bowl. Continue steaming the remaining vegetables until all the vegetables are soft and ready to be mashed.
Method 3 of 4: Puree Vegetables
Step 1. Use a food processor or blender
Scoop approximately 1 cup of cooked vegetables from a large bowl and place in a blender or food processor. Puree the vegetables little by little, adding as little water as needed to get a smooth texture.
- For best results, try not to puree more than 1 cup of vegetables at a time.
- Scrape the puree from a food processor or blender and place it in a separate container. Save the puree for later use or use in recipes according to directions.
Step 2. Using a food mill
A food mill is a large hollow metal bowl equipped with a knife. If you turn the handle, the soft vegetables will be crushed and pushed through a sieve, then out as a puree. This way you don't have to peel the skin, as the food mill will separate the vegetables from the skin right away. You can remove the skin and seeds afterwards.
- Put a large bowl on the kitchen table. You'll need the bowl to hold the puree that comes out of the food mill.
- Put 1 cup of soft vegetables in a food mill.
- Turn the handle clockwise with your dominant hand while holding on to the tool with your non-dominant hand. The vegetable puree will be pushed through a sieve into a bowl.
Step 3. Use an immersion blender with a little water
Immersion blenders, or hand blenders, can be used to puree vegetables directly in a bowl or pan while cooking them by adding a little water. Place the blender in the bowl with the vegetables, until the blade is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the surface of the vegetables. Turn on the blender and move it between the vegetables in a circular motion. Continue to crush the vegetables until they are all soft and smooth.
- If you lift the knife a little higher than the surface of the vegetables, the knife will scatter the vegetable pieces and contaminate the cooking area. Turn off the blender, while it is still below the puree surface to prevent splattering of the vegetables.
- Once the blades have stopped turning, remove from the puree and set aside.
Method 4 of 4: Using and Storing Pure
Step 1. Season the puree to taste
If the puree is used for baby food, you may not need to season it. For children and adults, pureed vegetables will taste delicious with the addition of spices. Try a pinch of salt and pepper, as well as butter or a few tablespoons of cream. This will enrich the flavor of the vegetables and add a smooth texture to the puree.
Step 2. Store pureed vegetables in the refrigerator for no more than a week
Spoon the puree into an airtight container (such as a sterilized glass jar) and refrigerate until needed, about a week. You may need to label the bottle with the food type and date.
Step 3. Freeze the vegetable puree for a few months
Spoon the pulp into a freezer-resistant container, making sure to remove as much air as possible. Freeze the puree for several months. You may need to label the bottle with the food type and date.
Step 4.
Tips
Do not put potatoes or vegetables that are high in starch in a food processor or blender. The texture of mashed potatoes will tend to be sticky and sticky. Mash the potatoes using a hand masher or mixer
Warning
- Hot vegetables will release a lot of steam when crushed in a blender. If you use a blender to puree vegetables, be sure to cool them down first. The pressure of the steam can pop the blender lid.
- When preparing vegetable purees for baby food, use organic vegetables that are treated without pesticides, if possible. In addition, keep your hands and cooking area as clean as possible to avoid foodborne diseases.
