Green veggies ask for a light hand when exposed to heat. Here’s how to do it right… bright green, al dente and delicious.| WHAT YOU NEED | WHAT TO DO | WHY |
| 1 1/2-quart ice bath (3 cups ice to 3 cups cool tap water) | Prepare ice bath in a 3-quart bowl. Position near stove. | An ice bath is for “shocking” (stopping cooking precisely). |
| 3 quarts water 2 teaspoons fine sea salt |
In a 5-quart tri-ply stockpot bring water and salt to a rolling boil over high heat (6-8 minutes). Meanwhile, prepare broccoli. | Preheated water quickly cooks vegetables. |
| Up to 8 ounces broccoli florets divided into bite-sized pieces
OR Up to 8 ounces broccoli stems, cubed to 1/2 inch |
Load 1 cup into a blanching basket (a inexpensive mesh strainer with the handle bent upward works well). Plunge into boiling water just until broccoli turns bright green, 10-15 seconds for florets, 20-30 seconds for stems. Tip: Cut broccoli florets from stems where they become multi-branched; divide florets into bite-sized pieces. Cut off and discard damaged/tough stem parts; cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices (as for French fries). Cut across slices to cube. |
Overloading drops water below the boiling point, extending the cooking time, resulting in reduced vegetable firmness. |
| Promptly lift and shake to promote straining. Quickly drop into ice bath. Repeat with remaining broccoli. After adding final batch to bath, wait 1-2 minutes; pour off any ice cubes. Strain broccoli thoroughly. If not serving directly, refrigerate in a tightly sealed container for a convenient snack or side dish. | Pouring off ice is an efficient separation method. Otherwise, any ice cubes remaining has to be picked out. |