The Blanching Highlights

Blanching is a two-step process in which foods are plunged into boiling water, usually for only a minute or two and then put into ice water to rapidly stop the cooking process.

You can also blanch in fat, but this technique is not often called for.

Reasons to blanch:

• to loosen thin skins from fruits and vegetables
• to brighten and fix color
• to achieve “crisp-tender” texture
• to parboil vegetables for mise en place
• to prepare fruits and vegetables for long-term freezer storage

How to blanch:

1. Prepare an ice bath: put water and ice into a large bowl or into a clean sink.
2. Heat a large pot of water to a rolling boil, about 1 gallon per pound of food to be blanched.
3. Add salt to the water; the water should be very salty.
4. Immerse the food into the boiling water for the specified amount of time.
5. Remove food to the ice bath to cool quickly.
6. Once cool, remove food from ice bath and pat dry.

For more information
http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/blanching.htm