Butternut Purée

Name: Butternut Purée
Yield: Made from 1 medium butternut, about 500 g
Ingredients: 1 each Butternut squash, medium, about 500 g, peeled, seeded and diced; 50 g Butter, for richness and sheen; 50 ml Heavy cream or full-fat milk; 0.5 tsp Salt; 0.25 tsp White pepper, optional, for subtle heat; 0.5 tsp Agar-agar powder, optional, for a firmer plating consistency; 0.13 tsp Xanthan gum, the alternative to agar, for stability without gelling

Butternut steamed or roasted, blended with butter and cream.

A plating purée, steamed for a clean flavour or roasted for a deeper one. Two stabilisers are offered and neither is compulsory: the choice depends on whether you want it to hold a shape or simply to stay put.

Made from 1 medium butternut, about 500 g

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Ingredients

Butternut squash, medium, about 500 g, peeled, seeded and diced1 each
Butter, for richness and sheen50 g
Heavy cream or full-fat milk50 ml
Salt0.5 tsp
White pepper, optional, for subtle heat0.25 tsp
Agar-agar powder, optional, for a firmer plating consistency0.5 tsp
Xanthan gum, the alternative to agar, for stability without gelling0.13 tsp

Method

Steam the butternut until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes, or roast it at 180°C for 30 to 40 minutes for a deeper flavour.
Blend it with the butter, cream, salt and white pepper.
If you are using agar, dissolve it in a small amount of warm cream first, blend it in while warm, and let it cool slightly: it will set gently. If you are using xanthan, blend it in at the end in small pinches until it is as thick as you want it.
For extra silkiness, pass it through a fine sieve or chinois.
Let it cool slightly before plating, and warm it slightly before use if it needs it.

Chef’s notes

The two stabilisers are alternatives and the source treats both as optional. Agar gives a firmer purée that holds a shape on the plate. Xanthan stabilises without gelling. Neither is required to make the purée.
For plating, pipe it from a squeeze bottle or a piping bag for dots. For quenelles, let it chill slightly before shaping. A touch of olive oil or melted butter on top gives it a gloss.

Keeping

DUKAI storage guidance

Cool it quickly rather than leaving it out: to below 21°C within about two hours, and to 5°C or below within a further four. At 5°C or below, use within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it in service portions. If it was set with agar it will be firmer from the fridge and needs warming and a short blend to come back.

Allergens and diet

Milk.

Used in

Burrata d’InvernoWinter Butternut with Burrata

Also in the Recipe Book

Last refined · September 2026