We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how restaurants make everything from salads to garlic bread and burgers taste so much better than most of us can manage at home.
But how can they get their broccoli so perfectly tender and crisp? What am I doing wrong at home?
Thankfully, YouTuber and former sous chef, line cook, prep cook, and pastry chef (phew) @MishkaMakesFood recently shared a video called “How Restaurants Make Their Broccoli” ― and it simply requires one extra step.
Which is?
“If you want to make better broccoli at home, you have to blanch it before you sautee it,” the former chef said.
He does this by bringing a large pot of salted water to boil, cooking the broccoli for a minute or so, and then tossing the florets in an ice bath.
“After blotting them dry, you’ve got broccoli that is crisp (but cooked all the way through), will stay good all week, is vibrant green (because the chlorophyll that’s in the broccoli cells becomes more visible after a dip in a salty hot tub), and only needs to be heated through with some garlic and oil for… a healthy side dish,” he shared.
Not only is this tip great for straight-from-the-fridge recipes as well as same-day cooking, but the BBC says it’s a seriously effective freezing hack too.
“Like most vegetables, if frozen raw, the texture and taste of broccoli will deteriorate into a mushy, grey and unpleasant shadow of its former self, with the goodness leeching away,” BBC GoodFood reads.
“So, do make sure you blanch it [before freezing] to preserve its colour, flavour and nutrients.”
Anything else?
“Blanching stops enzyme actions which otherwise cause loss of flavour, colour, and texture. In addition, blanching removes some surface dirt and microorganisms, brightens colour and helps slow vitamin losses,” Clemson University writes.
They recommend the process for everything from Brussels sprouts to carrots and corn-on-the-cob, though blanching times differ for every vegetable. It’s important to stick to the right time for each food, as overcooking can leave them mushy, dull, and sapped of nutrients.
Who knew a bit of water and ice could be such a good sous chef, eh?
