CNN Food Central - How To Make Vegetable Purée Sauces

One of the more versatile preparations we know of is a fresh vegetable purée referred to by professional chefs as coulis (koo-lee). A fresh vegetable coulis is nothing more than a vegetable which has been thoroughly cooked, typically with the addition of flavorings such as onions, garlic, herbs and seasonings, and then very finely puréed. It's a great way to utilize leftover vegetables and because it's naturally low in fat, coulis is an excellent building block for making low-fat dishes in a hurry.

While coulis is often served as a sauce with grilled meats and fish, it also lends itself to other uses in your kitchen. Starting with a red pepper coulis, you can add proscuitto and chevre to create your own signature pasta dish. Or, stir yogurt and orange juice into a carrot coulis to create a cool and refreshing summer soup.

A blender, a medium-mesh strainer and a good quality sauté pan are all you need to make a smooth purée.

Tools of the Trade

A powerful blender is a necessity for making coulis. Food processors will not purée the vegetables or fruits as thoroughly as a blender.

A medium-mesh strainer is essential for straining out seeds and cooked skins from your coulis. (A fine-mesh strainer will extract the pulp from your coulis, and thus, adversely affect its body.) If the medium-mesh strainer seems to get clogged, tap the edge with the base of your palm and the purée should flow through easily.

Since coulis is made from cooked and seasoned vegetables, a large sauté pan with a tight-fitting lid is also a must have. For moist vegetables, such as tomatoes, the large surface area of the pan promotes quick evaporation of excess moisture to produce a sauce consistency. For firm, dense vegetables, such as carrots, a tight-fitting lid traps the steam which promotes even cooking.

From basic cooking techniques to methods adapted from professional kitchens, this channel shows you how to save time, explains why things are done, and introduces you to tools that make cooking easier and fun.

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