A purée is a thick, soft dish that's made by pressing cooked foods through a sieve, or mixing them in a blender or food processor.
Vegetable purées are either used as a base for soup -- thinned with water or stock -- or eaten as a side dish. Tomato purée, used for sauces and soups, is made by removing seeds from lightly cooked tomatoes and straining the pulp. Fruit purées are used to make sauces, mousses, soufflés and other preparations. Purées can also be made from anchovies, chicken livers, shrimp or salmon, and used as a filling for canapés.
Recipe: Butternut Squash And Banana Puree With Whiskey And Pecans (Cookthink)
Recipe: Parsnip And Orange Puree (Cookthink)
Reference: Tomato paste vs. tomato puree vs. tomato sauce (Cookthink)
Meaning "fresh water" in Spanish, agua fresca is a water-based drink infused with fruit, seeds or flowers that is from Mexico but is also popular in Central America and the Caribbean.
The fruit is mixed in a food processor or food mill until smooth. It is then strained through a wide wire mesh and combined with simple syrup, water and often citrus juice.
Agua fresca is flavored with a number of natural ingredients, including papaya, cucumbers, hibiscus flowers, tamarind pods or barley seeds. We love simple agua frescas of fruit and fresh herbs. Watermelon and basil or mint make a refreshing combination.
Recipe: Watermelon Basil Agua Fresca (Coconut & Lime)
Recipe: Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca (Simply Recipes)
(Image courtesy of Coconut & Lime.)
