vegetable - puree, courgette, zucchini, cauliflower,
t=teaspoon T=tablespoon + - =more or less
These recipes are for your personal use only and may not be added in any form to archives other works.
Puree of Courgette, Cauliflower and Chives
I wanted a bed of creamed leeks for lovely fresh salmon steaks I had purchased but did not have the leek I thought I had. A small courgette (zucchini) and a handful of cauliflower and a good amount of chives tossed in made for a very repeatable puree. I recommend this as a bed for fish steaks - or for those who claim they cannot stand courgette. My husband never suspected and raved about this tricky way to get him to eat more vegetables.
serves 2
1 sm. courgette (zucchini)
1 handful cauliflower florets
1/2 sm. onion
a sm bunch of chives (about 2 generous tablespoons chopped)
a tablespoon of fresh chopped fennel tops (optional but worth looking for)
a little butter
a little vegetable broth
a few tablespoons cream
salt, white pepper
a good pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Chop the onion and add to the butter. Sauté several minutes until soft.
My courgette was fresh from my garden, so I do not peel it as some people prefer. Cut off the stem part, slice lengthways then cut into large pieces. Add to the softened onion with the cauliflower florets.
Add enough vegetable broth to come up to about a third of the pan. Lid and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. In the meantime, chop the chives and fennel greens finely. Reserve some for garnishing. Add the herbs when the vegetables are almost done (add any thicker stem of the fennel green as well).
Puree to desired consistency (I do not like mine too finely pureed). Return to the pan. If it seems too loose, allow to simmer to reduce the liquid. Add several spoons of cream, a little salt and white pepper and the nutmeg. Allow to warm thoroughly (but do not allow to bubble) before serving.
Arrange a 'bed' of puree on warmed plates and lay fish (or other pasta or vegetable) on top.
Note: the fennel tops I reserved from the sliced and crisply fried in butter fennel bulb I used as a garnish for another dish. However, for a vegetarian variation sliced and steamed or sautéed fennel is a good combination to top this puree with. Or toss pasta in the sauce and garnish with crisply fried fennel slices. Use small fennel bulbs for this.
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The Epicurean Table © 1999-2005 Patricia Conant