Cook Like This: Blanching
Posted on Sep 1st 2008 7:30AM by Jacki DonaldsonFiled Under: Nutrition & Supplements
Got a cooking technique for you. It's called blanching and it's intended for your fruits and veggies.
Blanching refers to the technique of plunging a food into boiling water until its color has set or the food has softened. Ten seconds is usually all it takes to brighten color and bring out flavor. To stop the cooking process, the food is transferred to a bowl of ice water.
Why use blanching? Besides perfecting color and flavor, it makes it easier to peel the skin of fruits like tomatoes and peaches. Blanching is also recommended for vegetables you wish to freeze -- blanching inactivates the enzymes that promote spoilage.
For more on blanching -- and a similar process, called parboiling, click here.








