Tuesday’s Tip a.k.a. Culinary 101: Blanching Broccoli

I’m starting a new section in the blog to be named either Tuesday’s Tip or Culinary 101.  

It’s not in permanent marker yet, so I’d love your opinions or any other suggestions for names.  In this section, I will provide weekly cooking tips to make things a bit simpler for you in the kitchen at home.  

Here’s today’s lesson:

 We’ve been lucky to have a flourishing garden at Putzel Kitchen this summer.

Growing broccoli in the backyard is amazing.

Did you know that it takes an entire bush just to grow a few stalks?

However, interestingly enough, they do grow back after being cut from the stem.

Try this technique of blanching and shocking the broccoli so that it is cooked and ready to eat without being mushy.  Follow these steps:

1) Bring 2 quarts or 1/2 gallon of water to a boil and add 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to preserve the chlorophyll (green color) of the broccoli.

2) Add broccoli florets to boiling water for 2 minutes = blanching (NOTE: Do NOT add acid such as lemon or vinegar and never cover the pot.)

3) Remove with a slotted spoon and drop into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking process = shocking.  Do not soak for more than a few minutes.  Remove & drain broccoli.