Smoking Purees

Charlie used a striking technique for his butternut squash puree: pumping smoke directly into the blender as the puree was being processed. This infuses the entire mixture with a deep, woodsy smokiness that you cannot achieve by simply adding liquid smoke or smoked seasoning. At home, you can replicate this using a handheld smoking gun, which allows you to direct smoke into a covered bowl or blender jug. Alternatively, roast your squash over charcoal or wood chips before pureeing. Matt praised the result, calling it 'really good' with 'a lot of punch.' The key is balancing the smoke intensity so it enhances rather than overwhelms the natural sweetness of the squash.