Kid Rating: 3 out of 3 like it
Do Again? Yes
About 10 years ago, my friend Karrie introduced me to blanching. I was at a pot-luck where broccoli was being served with dip. I usually avoid raw broccoli, but these had a beautiful color, so I tried one. It was SO good!
"Who brought the broccoli?" I called out. It was my neighbor and friend, Karrie. By the end of the event, her broccoli was gone (by others, not just me).
I've been serving blanched broccoli since. My kids love it, and here's a video to prove it. Even neighbor kids like it. We had one little girl over for dinner. When her mom asked what she ate, I told her broccoli and whatever we had that night. Her mom was shocked. "She hates broccoli! But I always serve the frozen stuff and it's mush."
Enough chit-chat. You can also use this technique with green beans. I'd like to try it with cauliflower.
Get a pot of water boiling.
Rinse off broccoli.
Trim off the florets.
Trim the stems, too. (My daughter loves this part of the broccoli).
Put the broccoli in the boiling water for 2 minutes (longer for more tender).
Strain. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking process if you are serving it cold. (It's also good warm).
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| Top: before blanching Bottom: after blanching: brighter, easier to chew, sweeter |
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| Cheat method: If I'm short on time, I dip the broccoli in boiling water and hold it there for two minutes, then cut off the florets. |
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| "Poor man's asparagus," called by the French. The inside of the stem is good, too. Just trim off the tough outer edges. |
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| Trimmed florets and stems. |
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| Boiling for 2 minutes. |
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| Remove (I have to get strainer insert). I want to save the water; that's why I'm not just dumping it all through a sieve/strainer. |
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| I often use the same water for cooking pasta or rice. The water has nutrients that were cooked out of the broccoli, and the pasta/rice can soak some of that up. |
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| Look at that beautiful color. Not too bitter. Not too hard. Not too mushy. Just right. |
