Carrot and Cauliflower Puree
At one of Ina Garten’s favorite restaurants in Paris, she was served a simple carrot puree that had an elusive flavor, so she asked the waiter for the secret. He whispered that it was browned butter—what the French call beurre noisette. It is such a simple ingredient that completely transforms this vegetable puree.
Ingredients:
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium head cauliflower, core removed, and cut into florets
- 1 1/2 pounds (750 g) carrots, unpeeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks (see note below)
- 4 ounces (1 stick/125 g) good salted butter, such as Président
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 2 Tbs. of salt and the cauliflower and boil for 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is very tender. Remove the cauliflower to a bowl, using a slotted spoon or strainer. Add the carrots to the boiling water and cook for another 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain the carrots and add them to the cauliflower. (Do them separately, light-colored vegetables first, since they might not cook in the same amount of time.) Place a food mill fitted with the medium disk over a large saucepan and process the vegetables into the pan.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small (8-inch/20-cm) sauté pan over medium-low heat and cook until the milk solids in the pan turn golden brown. Watch the butter carefully because it will turn black very quickly! Whisk the browned butter plus 2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper into the vegetable puree. Taste for seasonings, reheat over low heat, and serve hot. Serves 5 to 6.
Note: Ina Garten prefers “topped” carrots that are sold with the greens attached because they’re fresher and sweeter.
Make It Ahead: Prepare completely and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat over low heat on top of the stove.
Recipe from Ina Garten, Make It Ahead (Clarkson Potter, 2014)
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