Chestnut And Potato Purée Food

CHESTNUT-POTATO PUREE

Steps:

• Place the chestnuts in a large saucepot and fill with water. Season generously with salt and bring the pot to a boil. Add the potatoes and continue to boil until the potatoes are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Drain the cooked potato-chestnut mixture and return to the pot. Add the hot cream and cold butter and stir vigorously until combined. Check the seasoning; add salt, if needed. If the mixture is a little stiff, add more cream and butter until it reaches the desired consistency. Place in a serving bowl and cover with foil until ready to serve.

FRENCH POTATO PUREE

Steps:

• Put the potatoes, whole, in a pot and cover with cold water. Salt the water. Bring to a boil, and simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes, depending on size.
• Meanwhile, drop the garlic, bay leaf, and thyme in a saucepan with the milk, bring to a boil, turn off the heat, cover, and set aside to infuse 10 minutes. Pull out the garlic and herbs, and discard.
• When the potatoes are done, drain them and peel while hot. Put them through a food mill set on the smallest setting over a large pot. Beat in the butter a piece at a time. Bring the milk to a boil and beat it in, splash by splash, until completely absorbed. You are looking for a very soft, fine puree, not unlike baby food! Check the seasonings, and serve.

REALLY CREAMY POTATO PURéE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• On a parchment-lined sheet pan, arrange the potatoes in an even layer. Bake the potatoes until tender, about 45 minutes. Let the potatoes cool slightly until able to be handled but still hot. Peel the potatoes.
• Add one potato at a time to a ricer and rice the potatoes into a pot. Add the warm cream to the potatoes and some pieces of butter. Whisk until smooth. Continue to add most of the remaining butter, whisking piece by piece, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons to finish. Season the potatoes with salt.
• Fill a small Dutch oven with hot water to warm it up. Dump the water and transfer the potatoes to the pot. Top with the remaining butter and garnish with chives.

POTATO, CHESTNUT, AND CELERY ROOT PURéE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan cook the onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons of the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is softened, add the celery root, the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the chestnuts, the broth, and enough of the water to just cover the mixture, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Drain the mixture, reserving the cooking liquid, force it through a food mill fitted with the medium disk or a ricer into a bowl, and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste, and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to achieve the desired consistency. The purée may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated. Transfer the purée to a serving dish and garnish it with the celery leaves.

PURéE DE CHâTAIGNES (CHESTNUT PURéE)

Steps:

• Tip the chestnuts into a saucepan with the milk and thyme. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 10-15 mins. The chestnuts are ready when they start to fall apart slightly when pricked with a fork.
• Meanwhile, heat the butter in a small pan and fry the shallots over a medium heat until softened.
• Remove the thyme from the chestnuts and discard. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chestnuts to a food processor, then pour in 100ml of the poaching milk, reserving the rest. Add the fried shallots and crème fraîche, then blitz to a thick purée, adding more of the reserved poaching milk to loosen if needed. Season with salt and some white pepper to taste. To freeze, leave to cool fully, then seal in an airtight container and freeze for three weeks.
• Tip the purée back into the saucepan and cover to keep warm until you're ready to serve. If the purée needs reheating, add a splash of the reserved poaching milk and warm through over a low heat.

SWEETENED CHESTNUT PURéE

Steps:

• Chop the chestnuts roughly and put in pot with sugar and water. Bring to boil, covered. Simmer 25-35 minutes, until softened and liquid turned to syrup. Remove from heat.
• Stain the chestnuts, reserving the syrup.
• Pure the chestnuts in a blender, adding syrup as you go, until desired consistency achieved.
• Add the vanilla.