How To Cook: Blanched Vegetables

How to Blanch Vegetables

If you’ve ever eaten at a restaurant and wondered why a simple bite of vegetable tasted so good. Why it had a soft buy crunch texture that you’ve never been able to achieve at home. Well it was probably blanched first. This simple, but space and time consuming process, bumps up the innate flavor and changes the texture of vegetables. The process works best for something small and crunchy. Think peas, asparagus, small/baby root vegetables, string beans, and the like, most often available in spring and early summer.

I learned the technique working in restaurant kitchens where we used it primarily on string and wax beans. Growing up I never really liked them, but blanching them makes them sooo much better! Not only does it give them an al dente like texture but the heavily salted water seasons them perfectly all the way through. Then they can be used cold in a salad or added into a hot dish as a quick saute. I won’t say I never eat string beans without blanching them, because it can be a pain in the ass, but I never serve them with the intention to impress without blanching them first.

Equipment:

Large Pot

Strainer or Spider

Large Bowl of Ice Water

Ingredients:

Water

More salt than you think

Vegetable cut to desired size

Process:

1. Pre-cut the vegetables into the desired size and shape you want. They should be uniform so they all cook the same.

2. Fill the largest pot you have with water and more salt than you think you’ll need, and bring it to a boil. Taste the water, does it taste like the ocean? If not add until it does, if it does, add another large handful of salt.

3. Next to the boiling pot of water fill another large pot, or large bowl, with cold water, lots of ice, and a generous helping of salt. The goal here is to cook the vegetables perfectly then immediately drop them into ice water to stop them cooking any further. (fun presentation note, this will also keep their color more of a vibrant green!)

4. Once the water is at a roaring boil add a handful of the vegetables. The water should still be boiling, if it stopped boiling you add too much which dropped the temperature of the water. Place a lid on the pot to speed up the water returning to a boil. 

5. I like to lightly swirl or mix the vegetables while they cook so any that float to the top get evenly cooked.

6. Now every one to two minutes remove one vegetable, drop it in the ice water and taste it. Once it tastes perfect remove all vegetables with a strainer and place in the ice bath. What is perfect you might ask? It should bite like al dente pasta. It should be soft but still have a slight crunch. With beans it should no longer squeak when you bite into it.

7. If you were paying attention to how long they cooked the first time you could just repeat the process with the rest of your vegetables (of the same kind and size) and set a timer. But I would still taste each batch.

8. If you’re doing a lot the water volume may drop, and you will also notice if you taste the water it will be less salty. Add more water if needed and add more salt to match the earlier amount. Return to a boil and continue.

9. Once you’ve cooked all your vegetables remove them from the ice bath, drain, and dry before refrigerating or using.