The word cook covers practically all the processes by which a food is cooked, but if we go to its definition, it says like this: “Make a raw food edible by subjecting it to boiling or the action of steam.” From here, we are going to touch the different cooking methods, firstly the most suitable for vegetables, because it is not the same to cook in a lot or in a little liquid, nor do you get the same result by cooking with a lid or without it, needless to say if it is steamed.
Whiten
Blanquear is a short-lasting cooking in abundant boiling water, ranging from a few seconds to two minutes, depending on the ingredient to be cooked. This technique then requires rapid cooling in ice water to stop food cooking . By blanching the vegetables, we prevent them from darkening, losing texture, aromas and vitamins, blocking the interior enzymes that are released when cutting or peeling the vegetables.
We can blanch a food to obtain cooking at its point, to prepare it for further processing or simply to loosen the skin of some vegetables more easily. With this treatment, between 10 and 40% of the nutritional values are lost, it will also depend on the degree of cut that has been used. Vitamins of group B and vitamin C are the ones that are lost the most in the water with cooking and cooling.
Utensils
The whitening utensils are: a large pot and a bowl of a similar size. In the pot we will have the water to bring to a boil , and it will be at the time when it boils in spurts when we introduce the vegetables to be blanched, since when introducing them, it will reduce the temperature of the water somewhat. This data is important especially when it comes to whitening foods that require a few seconds to cook, such as spinach , for example.
- In the bowl intended to cut the cooking of the vegetables, we will have very cold water with ice cubes. The water must be ice cold to cut the cooking process immediately, otherwise we will not get the desired results.
If you want to serve turned zucchini with all its nutrients, flavor and color, or shiny and smooth carrots or other vegetables that grace your dishes with health and flavor, this is an ideal cooking method
