17 Jan 2017
If you try to use fresh produce as much as possible, you may squirm at the idea of frozen vegetables, but don't dismiss frozen peas. They're flash-frozen at the peak of their ripeness, halting the sugar-starch conversion process and can be surprisingly good in quality.
This is the third and current iteration of pea puree I use. Unsatisfied with the texture and color of previous attempts, this version uses less than half the water of the previous version (20% by weight, compared to 50%), as well as adding increasing the proportion of xanthan gum (0.25%, compared to 0.1%) and adding sodium bisulfite and ice to preserve the bright green color.
Click for larger image
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
200g frozen peas
0.5g xanthan gum (0.25% pea weight)
0.2g sodium bisulfite (0.1% pea weight)
1 ice cube
Salt
Rice vinegar
(This is an old version kept for posterity; for best results try Pea Puree 3)
This version of the puree eschews fat such as creme fraiche, butter, or oil to add body and richness, and instead uses xanthan gum as a thickener and stabilizer, leaving the pea flavor as pure as possible.
Click for larger image
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
207g frozen peas
0.21g xanthan gum (0.25% pea weight)
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper
(This is an old version kept for posterity; for best results try Pea Puree 3)
This is the very first version I made for Blini, Scallops, Salmon. It uses creme fraiche to add some richness, and uses cornstarch as a thickener. Make sure to dissolve cornstarch in water before adding to dishes, as otherwise it will form clumps.
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tsp creme fraiche
1 tsp lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch