Pureeing is really just a fancy word for chopping something up finely or rubbing something to the point that it eventually becomes a kind of paste. This is often done with foods that make great toppings, like garlic, sun-dried tomatoes or olives. (And, of course, baby food is usually pureed to make it easier to eat.)
So if you want to try a recipe that requires pureeing, but you don’t have a food processor (or you just want to test your kitchen skills), grab a knife and follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Wash, peel and otherwise prepare whatever it is that you’re pureeing, and place it on your chopping block.
Step 2: With your chef’s knife, chop the food into small pieces, using a rocking motion.
Step 3: Take your knife and place it almost flat but on a slight angle, edge side down. Now with one hand on the handle and the other on the flat side of the knife, rock and drag the knife over the already-chopped food. Do this repeatedly until you wind up with a mush-like substance.
-- Samantha Leal
Dec 17, 2010
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