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Apurée (ormash) is cooked food, usuallyvegetables,fruits orlegumes, that has been ground, pressed,blended orsieved to the consistency of a creamy paste or liquid.[1] Purées of specific foods are often known by specific names, e.g.,apple sauce orhummus. The term is ofFrench origin, where it meant inOld French (13th century)purified orrefined.[2]
Purées overlap with other dishes with similar consistency, such as thicksoups,creams (crèmes) andgravies—although these terms often imply more complex recipes and cooking processes.Coulis (French for "strained") is a similar but broader term, more commonly used for fruit purées. The term is not commonly used for paste-like foods prepared from cereal flours, such asgruel ormuesli; nor with oily nut pastes, such aspeanut butter. The term "paste" is often used for purées intended to be used as an ingredient, rather than eaten immediately.
Purées can be made in a blender, or with special implements such as apotato masher, or by forcing the food through a strainer, or simply by crushing the food in a pot. Purées generally must be cooked, either before or after grinding, in order to improve flavour and texture, remove toxic substances, and/or reduce their water content.
It is common to purée entire meals (without use ofsalt or other additives) to be served totoddlers,babies, and those unable to chew as sufficient, nutritious meals.Baby food is often a mash.
The wordpurée in English is aloanword borrowed from theFrenchpurée, descendant from theOld Frenchpuree, meaning "made pure". The word can further be traced to theLatinpūrō.[2]
Common purées include apples, plums, and other fruits smashed or mashed for their juice content.
These fruits and vegetables are often served as purées:
