Recipe: Winter Vegetable Puree

WINTER VEGETABLE PUREE
Source: The Savory Way: 125 Great Recipes on an Easy-To-Use Easel by Deborah Madison
Makes about 2 1/2 cups, Servings: 4-6

The winter root vegetables - big leeks, turnips, and the gnarly celery root - make the most delicious sweet purees. Even without copious amounts of butter or cream, they are full of flavor. Usually vegetables are balanced in large amounts of water so that they will cook as quickly as possible, but here the vegetables are cooked in just enough water to keep them floating in the pot. By the time the vegetables are cooked, the water is thick and flavorful and used, in place of cream, to thin the pur e. Cream can, of course, he used if you prefer.

2 cups White Rose or red potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cups mixed winter vegetables, such as turnips, rutabagas, leeks, celery root, and fennel, diced into 1/2- inch pieces.
3 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 pinch of dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
salt
butter or cream (optional)
Champagne vinegar
freshly ground white pepper

Put the vegetables in a saucepan with the parsley, thyme, garlic, salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are completely soft, about 20 minutes. Pour them into a colander set over a bowl; reserve the liquid.

Pass the vegetables through a food mill or mash by hand. (The food processor will tend to make them too gummy and glutinous.) Use the cooking water to thin the puree to the proper consistency.

Stir in additional butter or cream to taste and season with salt, a dash of vinegar, and pepper.