Purees

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A smooth, creamy substance made by mashing or grinding food until it reaches a liquid-like consistency
2. A preparation often used in cooking to create sauces, soups, or baby food by blending ingredients into a fine texture
3. A culinary technique resulting in a uniform mixture that enhances the flavor and presentation of dishes

Etymology: "Purees" is the plural of "puree", a noun that also serves as a verb. The word was borrowed from French "purée", which in turn descends from the old French verb "purer", meaning to purify or strain. The idea behind the term was straining: cooked food was pressed through a sieve to remove its coarse parts, leaving a smooth, thick mass behind. Because the earliest purées were made by forcing softened food through a fine mesh, the word was tied to the act of purifying and clarifying rather than to blending, which came much later with mechanical tools. Over time the sense shifted from the sieved result to any food made smooth by this kind of processing.

Synonyms: sauce, mash, blend