Broccoli becomes a particularly stunning green after blanching
Even soaking in a cold salt water rinse before cooking will make broccoli a nice bright green.
I wasnāt aware of that either. The WoL site had me blanch broccoli (and shrimp, surprisingly) for a stir-fry recipe. I thought it was rather universal, but Iām certainly not familiar with all the cuisines everywhere.
This is interesting. Have you done this A-B? If itās pretty much the same result, the soakād be simplerā¦
Not sure what A-B means.
We salt the water in a stainless steel bowl in which we rinse cauliflower or broccoli. Let the begin the salted water for 10 or 15 minutes, drain it, then boil the broccoli/cauliflower in unsalted water or steam it.
I donāt usually roast or sautĆ© broccoli. itās boiled (then dressed with olive oil and lemon at the table), steamed or occasionally added to a red thai curry. Thatās about itā¦
Oh, I meant in asking whether youāve ever done it both ways (soak and blanch side-by-side) to compare the color of the finished vegetable.
Someone should ask Jenjii to pronounce on itā¦
Oh, nope, havenāt tried that. I only usually blanch before freezing.
Maybe I will do this another time.
We didnāt have guys in our home ec class. Yeah, Iām that old. I would have loved to have been able to take a shop class.
Interesting, thanks. Did I miss him comparing with just soaking? Maybe we should ask Dave Arnold instead?
I seem to remember McGee writing that itās the heat and salt together that best āfixesā the green color. No?
Also, the small pot conclusion is not something I necessarily agree with. I think not losing the boil is the most dependable/predictable state, and how you accomplish that matters little. I donāt want to have to wait to regain the boil. Likewise with the salinityāunless you measure and weigh, itās a guesstimate. Iām habituated to 1C kosher in 10L water. If itās a bigger batch, out comes the Buffalo iron.
I typically blanch green vegetables in very salty water then shock in cold water when I want to keep the vibrant green color. Iāve done this as long as I can remember. Historically there were specialty blanching pots made of unlined copper similar to a jam pan but deeper. Copper ions supposedly fix the color and prevent the chlorophyll from degrading under heat but I havenāt personally tried it since I am not sure if its considered safe anymore.
Very Interesting. Entirely possible. If you have any citations for this, Iād be grateful.
I donāt think thereās a safety issue, unless thereās verdigris. Most Americans are deficient in copper anyway.
Guys were taking Home Ec when I was in Grade 9 and 10 in the late 80s. It was sort of seen as a bird course.
I never took Home Ec, which was an elective. I couldnāt even fit the art, music and drama classes I wanted to take in with my science, maths and languages, and I was already cooking at home.
I bought a sewing machine and took a sewing class when I was 43.
Yes to blanching but typically in unsalted water. Mainly because I recycle cooled cooking water to water plants. Also because I feel as though the veg in question isnāt spending enough time in the water to make a difference. Also, I have PTSD from growing up in droughty CA with a water conserving maniac father.
I do use salt when cooking pasta.
Never thought of using cooking water for plants!
I wonder if my kids think I am a maniac? I think recycling food waste was the last (latest?) straw.
Probably yes. I think it one of the stages of identity formation. I know my grown kids think Iām a maniac about certain things
IMO, everybodyās a maniac about something. If youāre not, whatās the point of existing? The sooner each of us owns our individual weirdness, the better off we all are!
Iām just a maniac. Period.
I just steam my vegetables. No salt, nothing added.