Blanching is the process of short-term processing of vegetables, fruits, meat and other products by steam or boiling water. Blanching has is known to come from France and the word blanchir itself means pouring over boiling water. For example, it is done so the skin of fresh tomatoes peels..
Blanching removes the specific smell of different types of meat or the bitter juice of some products. Blanching preserves all the healthy properties and vitamins in the products. After blanching, green vegetables do not turn brown.
Blanching may seem an easy technique to perform, but like any technique it has its own specifics. There are three ways to blanch and in the following paragraphs we will explain a little more about them.
Blanching by immersion in boiling water
Boil some salted water. During this time, the vegetables are cleaned, washed and diced. In a large bowl, add water and ice. When the water boils on the stove, add the vegetables. They should boil for no less than 2 minutes.
When ready, remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and immediately place them into the bowl of ice water. They need to be left in the icy water as long as they have been in the boiling water. It is practical to use a colander (instead of a slotted spoon) - this way all of the vegetables are immersed in the ice water at once.
Pouring boiling water over vegetables
Not all vegetables need to be blanched in boiling water. For some it is only necessary to pour boiling water over them. For example, diced or sliced onions lose their unpleasant smell and spiciness, once this technique is used on them, but remain hard and can be easily added to salads.
Steam blanching
Suitable for all vegetables, but takes longer. It is necessary to put the products in a basket over the water once it boils. The water should not touch them. Cover the dish with a lid and leave for 4-8 minutes, then cool it again in ice water. The vegetables must be in one layer so that the steam can reach them evenly.
Blanching time
It depends on the size of the products as well as their texture. It is advisable to stick to the following time frames:
- 2 minutes - diced zucchini, sliced carrots, green peas;
- 3 minutes - chopped broccoli, pieces of Brussels sprouts, coarsely chopped white and Chinese cabbage, chopped cauliflower, celery, whole alabaster, halves of peppers;
- 5 minutes - large pieces of Brussels sprouts, eggplant, whole small carrots, medium-sized mushrooms (but steamed).
And some more about blanching!
It is important to stick to the set time and they need to be taken out before the process turns into cooking. If baking soda or salt is added to the water beforehand, the green color turns into emerald.
The cooling process of blanched products must be done extremely quickly. It is best to immediately cover them in ice water. The water must be plenty! If it is not enough, the heating process will not stop and the blanching will not happen.
