Pea Puree with Roast Garlic

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Creating a beautiful looking Puree is a fantastic way to ramp up the flavor of a dish, as well as adding an element of style and sophistication to it. So many fancy restaurants all over the world use Purees to elevate their dishes. The flavor you can concentrate into a Puree is phenomenal, and they look stunning on a plate. Perhaps the most vibrant looking of them all is a delicious Pea Puree. The little secret we’ll share with you in this recipe is that making a great Puree at home is so easy that anyone can do it!

What sets this Pea Puree Recipe above the rest

It may be a little bit of a giveaway from the title of this recipe, but what makes this Pea Puree so special is the addition of Roast Garlic. For those who know, know. Roast Garlic is one of the most delicious ingredients that can be added to cooking, and it works a treat in this dish

When you Roast Garlic it turns into a luscious, creamy consistency and the flavor is beautiful and rich. It’s quite spectacular the transformation of flavor that Garlic has once it is roasted. It is a more than welcome addition to Purees and Soups as that sweetness adds a beautiful depth of flavor to this style of food. It’s why our classic Butternut Squash Soup recipe is so good!

How to Roast Garlic

Roasting Garlic is a very simple process too. Slice the top of the Garlic off with a sharp knife to expose the flesh inside. Then, wrap the bulb completely in aluminum foil, but leave the top exposed. Then, add a little bit of Olive Oil and some Salt into the exposed part, which will ensure those flavors will seep into the Garlic. Seal it all up, then roast until the Garlic is cooked

Allow the Garlic to cool, then you can simply peel or squeeze the delicious flesh straight out of the Garlic. Discard the skin (which isn’t edible) and you’ve got the most concentrated flavor ready to be added to your Pea Puree

Shallots complete the Vegetable combination

Along with the Peas (obviously!), we also include Shallots in the vegetable ingredients for this dish. Like the Garlic, the Shallots are roasted to bring out their best flavor. Shallots are a staple ingredient in cooking, and Purees are no exception

Preparing the Shallots is so easy too. Simply peel them and slice them in half. Give them a bit of Olive Oil and Salt then add to the Pan for oven roasting along with the Garlic. They’ll take about the same time as the Garlic. Just remember to flip them halfway through to get an even cook and caramelization throughout

Preparing the Peas

Of course, the star of this dish is none other than the Peas! For this recipe you can use regular old Frozen Peas. They’re the best Peas you can get. It is almost a universally agreed statement from top chefs and home cooks alike that you should use Frozen Peas for your cooking needs

To prepare the Peas they will need a quick cook before they go into the blender along with the other ingredients. To infuse even more flavor into the Peas (and ultimately the Puree), cook them in Chicken Broth instead of regular water

The Chicken Broth adds a wonderful flavor to the Puree, further enhancing its complexity and sophistication. It also adds a thicker texture which will result in a much smoother, velvety quality of your Pea Puree. Simply add the Peas to a pot of boiling Chicken Broth and cook them for 2 – 3 minutes. Strain the Peas, but be sure to retain the Broth as it will go into the Blender too

We always advocate for making your own homemade Stocks and Broths here at Dinnertime Somewhere. They’re healthier for you, and taste so much better than the store-bought stuff. If you like you can replace the Chicken Broth with Vegetable Broth. Check out our Stocks and Broths page for the recipes

If you’re in a pinch for time, you can also replace the Stock with Water. The Puree will turn out great by using Water, so it’s up to you

Add all the ingredients into a blender or a food processor along with some Butter and Salt then give it a good blitz. Your amazing homemade Pea Puree with Roast Garlic will be ready!

To sieve or not to sieve

For the ultimate smooth, creamy finish it is recommended to run the Pea Puree through a fine sieve before serving. While blending the ingredients, there will still be some slightly chunkier bits, no matter how long you blend it for. If you are looking for that restaurant-quality finish then running the puree through a sieve will achieve this

To do so, you will need to use a spatula to help push the puree through the Sieve. This process will take a little bit more time than the recommended time we’ve listed in the recipe below. Honestly, unless you’re trying to be super fancy we’ve found this step is not necessary

All the photos we’ve got on this recipe are the result of just blending the Pea Puree, no sieve was used. The taste is the same regardless, and the Puree still comes out very smooth by just using the Blender. So, it’s up to you if you wish to run the Puree through a sieve once it’s blended

What dishes to pair with Pea Puree?

Traditionally Pea Puree is best served alongside a beautifully cooked piece of protein. Beef, Lamb, Chicken, Pork, or Fish are all great choices. Honestly, you really can’t go wrong with pairing proteins with this dish

Try pairing Pea Puree with a beautifully cooked piece of Steak for a restaurant quality dish

The classic English approach is of course Peas and Fish. They serve their Peas more mashed than Pureed (Mushy Peas anyone?), but a pureed version will work just as good with a nicely cooked Fish. Fried or Grilled, or even Steamed and Poached, it’ll work great. Check out our Seafood Dinner recipes here for some inspiration

Beef is another classic pairing, and one that is very common in fine dining restaurants. We’ve prepared a very simple Beef and Pea Puree dish you can check out here (recipe coming soon), which showcases the amazing flavor combination of Pea Puree and a Peppercorn Beef preparation

Pea Puree with Roast Garlic Recipe

Ingredients

• 250g Frozen Green Peas
• 1 Garlic Bulb
• 1 cup Chicken Broth (recipe here)
• 2 Shallots, Peeled and halved
• 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 20g Unsalted Butter
• Salt
  
  

Equipment Needed: Blender or Food Processor

Instructions

1. Slice off the top part of the Garlic Bulb to reveal the flesh inside. Wrap in Aluminum foil and pour half the Olive Oil and a pinch of Salt into the exposed flesh
2. Seal the Garlic with the Foil then place on a sheet pan along with the Shallots. Season the Shallots with the remaining Oil and Salt
3. Roast the Shallots and Garlic in the oven at 375F for 45 minutes, turning the Shallots halfway through. Remove from the Oven once the Shallots are caramelized and Garlic flesh is tender and allow to cool
4. Bring the Chicken Broth to a Boil in a Saucepan then add the Peas. Cook for 2 minutes then strain the Peas, reserving the Chicken Broth
5. Squeeze the flesh out of the Garlic and place in a blender / food processor along with the Shallots, Peas, Chicken Broth, and ½ tsp. of Salt
6. Blitz until smooth (about 1 minute on medium). Reheat in a saucepan over low heat and serve
   
   

Recipe Notes

• If you want a super-smooth textured Pea Puree you can strain it through a fine sieve once blended
• You can substitute the Chicken Broth for Vegetable Broth or even Water if you like
  
  

This recipe will guarantee to produce the most amazing Pea Puree with Roasted Garlic you have ever tasted. We highly recommend giving it a go to see for yourself. We just know you’ll love it, and it’ll become part of your regular rotation at home

If you enjoyed this recipe we recommend checking out the following dishes too:

• Oven Roasted Fennel
• Japanese Pickled Radishes
• The Best Mashed Potatoes Ever
• Cauliflower Puree
  
  

Happy Cooking!