The chefs' secret for a perfect green: The vegetable blanching technique

The technique that transforms vegetables

Blanching is a short process but with a great result. It consists of submerging vegetables in boiling water for a few seconds and then quickly transferring them to an ice water bath. A full-fledged thermal shock. With this practice, in addition to enhancing the color of our vegetables, we will achieve another series of advantages in the kitchen:

• Facilitates freezing: By inactivating enzymes that can deteriorate vegetables over time, blanching allows them to be frozen without losing quality.
• It softens the texture: Some vegetables are too fibrous if cooked directly. Blanching them beforehand makes them more palatable.
• Removes impurities: It helps to clean vegetables and remove microorganisms from the surface.

Bleaching step by step

• Boiling water: Fill a large pot with plenty of water and bring to a boil. In this step you can add salt as it will help to enhance the natural flavor of the vegetables.
• Immerse the vegetables: Introduce the vegetables into the boiling water and let them cook for a few seconds or minutes, depending on their hardness.
• Cool quickly: Remove the vegetables with a skimmer and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice water. This step cuts the cooking all at once and fixes the color.
• Drain and dry: Once cooled, drain the vegetables well and dry them with a cloth or paper towel before using them in the recipe.

Blanching time varies according to the texture of each vegetable. Firmer vegetables require more time (even a few minutes) in hot water, while more tender vegetables need only a few seconds. The key is to find the right point to preserve their color and texture without overcooking them.

The science behind vibrant color

The intense green of vegetables is due to chlorophyll, a heat-sensitive photosynthetic pigment. When immersed in boiling water, the cell walls soften and the chlorophyll becomes more visible. However, if the heat persists too long, the chlorophyll loses its central magnesium atom, transforming into the dull brown pheophytin.

This is where ice water comes into play: by stopping the cooking immediately, pigment degradation is prevented and the bright color is maintained. This is the difference between vibrant spinach and dull, wilted and unappetizing spinach.

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