Eat Your Vegetables -- Pureed Broccoli

My mother never had to make me eat my vegetables. Growing up we always had a myriad of vegetables fixed different ways. There is nothing as comforting as a vegetable puree. Mashed potatoes, after all, is really a puree of potatoes and there isn't anything else that rates as high as "comfort food" as mashed potatoes.

But we like lots of vegetables pureed. The creaminess of the dish goes well with grilled meat. It's a simple way to eat vegetables and a peasant way to eat vegetables.

Pureed Broccoli is a favorite and this recipe comes from a much used and loved cookbook, The Silver Palate Cookbook. When making it for the family, it's also a good way to use the stems that you've trimmed when fixing broccoli for a vegetable plate.

It's a good way to "eat your vegetables"!

Pureed Broccoli with Creme Fraiche
(adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook)

2 bunches of broccoli, about 5 pounds, trimmed and chopped, including peeled stems
1 cup Creme Fraiche
4 T. sour cream
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 t. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste
2 T. sweet butter

Chop broccoli, leaving 8 small flowerets whole, and drop chopped broccoli and whole flowerets into 4 quarts of boiling salted water. Cook, until just tender, about 8 minutes.

Transfer broccoli (reserving 8 flowerets) to a food processor. Add creme fraiche and puree thoroughly. Preheat oven to 350.

Scrape puree into a bowl and stir in sour cream, Parmesan, nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. Mix well.

Mound in an ovenproof servng dish, dot with butter and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until puree is steaming hot.

Garnish with reserved flowerets and serve immediately.