Orange Puree Recipes

Steps:

• Cook 2 cups sugar with 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. For peach puree: Thaw a 16-ounce bag of frozen peaches, then puree in a blender with 1 teaspoon grated orange zest and 1/2 cup of the sugar syrup. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and transfer to a bottle or jar. For strawberry or blueberry puree: Thaw a 16-ounce bag of frozen berries, then puree in a blender with 1/3 cup of the sugar syrup. Strain and store in a bottle or jar. Refrigerate purees until ready to use.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Wash and dry potatoes, and prick skins with a fork in several places. Bake until potatoes are tender, about 1 hour.
• Peel potatoes, and discard skin; transfer flesh to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove, and discard any stringy fibers from paddle. Scrape sides with rubber spatula.
• Combine butter and brown sugar; mix about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients; mix until combined. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Cook carrots and 3 tablespoons sugar in large pot of boiling salted water until carrots are very tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Return carrots to same pot; stir over medium heat until any excess moisture evaporates.
• Meanwhile, bring orange juice to simmer in heavy, small saucepan over medium heat. Add butter, ginger and orange peel; whisk until butter melts. Whisk in lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
• Purée half of carrots and half of juice mixture in processor until smooth. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat with remaining carrots and juice mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm carrots in microwave oven on high about 4 minutes or rewarm in saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently.)

Steps:

• Place the sliced veggies into a medium pot and cover with water. Boil for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Do not rush this! If the carrots aren't tender, the puree texture will not be smooth enough to go undetected.
• Drain the carrots and sweet potatoes, saving the cooking liquid.
• Use your food processor or blender and puree the vegetables into a smooth puree. Use some of the cooking water (3-4 tablespoons) to help get things moving in your food processor.
• I used the remaining cooking water as part of the pasta water to make macaroni and cheese from the blue box. I added 4 tablespoons of the orange puree to the finished dish. I also added some extra cheese. The dish was creamier than normal, but my kids didn't notice the vegetable.
• Freeze the orange puree in 1-2 tablespoon size portions (ice cube tray works well). The add 2 to 4 tablespoons into your cooking.
• Another idea is to add 2 to 4 tablespoons to spaghettios or other canned pasta. Or add up to 1/2 a cup to canned baked beans (the sweet kind). Or add up to 1/4 cup to canned tomato soup made with milk. The author suggests adding some to chile con queso (not tried). Another use is 2 to 4 tablespoons into any storebought tomato based pasta sauce.

Steps:

• For streusel:
• Place all ingredients in processor in order listed. Using on/off turns, blend until small moist clumps form. Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• For sweet-potato puree:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Pierce potatoes in several places with fork. Place directly on oven rack and bake until very tender, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack and cool. Peel potatoes; place flesh in large bowl and mash. Mix in orange juice, sugar, butter, and orange peel. Season with salt and pepper. Butter 13x9-inch oval gratin dish. Spread puree in dish; smooth top. (Puree can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Scatter streusel over potatoes. Bake until puree is hot and streusel is crisp, about 40 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then serve.