What is a Coulis?

Meet Chef Student Meredith Stone

Favorite Inspirational Quote: “Food is medicine, consciousness is everything, and a clean body makes a happy existence.” Gwyneth Paltrow

Reason for becoming a chef? Most of my childhood meals consisted of meat with a side of canned peas and corn. It wasn’t until I was 25 when I moved to California and learned what eating seasonally meant. A diet based on fresh whole foods was a new concept to me and I wanted to learn how to use that food to nourish my family and myself. I became interested in cooking and quickly realized I had a lot to learn about basic knife skills and balancing flavors. That’s when I found Bauman College!

What is a Coulis?

A coulis is a reduced sauce made of fruits or vegetables that adds color, flavor, and visual appeal to dishes. Fruit coulis are often paired with desserts, and vegetable coulis are usually paired with meat or vegetable dishes. Coulis are easy to make and super delicious; they make even the most ordinary dishes extraordinary.

Here are the steps to make a fruit coulis

	STEP1: Select seasonal fruit* and prepare it by washing and removing any stems, seeds, etc.*Organic and locally grown is best. Berries are a great seasonal ingredient in the  summertime (frozen berries work at other times of the year).
	STEP2: Add fruit, honey or maple syrup, and a squirt of lemon to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and thick. Add more water (or a small  amount of fruit juice if preferred) if needed to blend.
	STEP3: Once blended, the fruit is transferred to a saucepan or double boiler*.*A double boiler adds an insulated buffer to the cooking process and allows the heat to evenly distribute through the sauce.
	STEP4: Cook at a simmer until it thickens.
	STEP5: Press sauce through a fine-mesh strainer to get a smooth consistency.
	STEP6: Voila! You have coulis.
	STEP7: Drizzle coulis over your favorite dessert. This is coconut mint pudding with strawberry coulis.

Note:
The coconut pudding featured above is a smooth and rich dessert made from nutrition-rich coconut milk and topped with a fresh strawberry coulis. Traditional puddings rely heavily on cow’s milk, so this one is especially perfect for those avoiding dairy. Mint leaves are steeped in the simmering coconut milk giving it a subtle brightness.

The strawberry coulis topping gives this pudding a little extra zip. Any type of berry can be used in a coulis; it’s an easy way to dress up any dessert.