FOOD: Broccoli stems in broccoli sauce. David Moyle
Cooked and seasoned vegetables left to cool to room temperature are so pleasing to eat. I find the flavour and complexity comes through more than when the vegetables are eaten raw, and it is much easier to tell the differences in how the produce is grown – that is, whether it is grown in good, fertile soil versus sandy soil or even water. Much like Goldilocks’ porridge, temperature plays a big role. As soon as a cooked vegetable hits the refrigerator the flavour gets clammed up; conversely, when served hot, they are also not at their best. Served at ambient temperature they are just right.
The critical part of this recipe is the point at which you season. Salt becomes much more integrated with the vegetable once the cell structure has opened from cooking. It draws the salt in and heightens any sweetness that exists within. Adding the salt at the start of the process produces a different result. The water becomes
“hard” and the vegetable tends to taste saltier, even with the same quantity added. This preparation is also key when dealing with dried pulses and beans. It’s effectively a reverse brine.
Brining is more commonly used in preparing meat, especially for grilling. My rule of thumb is to replicate sea water that generally has a salt content of about 3.5 to 4 per cent (or 35-40 grams of salt per litre of water), add some spices or hard herbs and kombu, bring to the boil until the salt is dissolved, then submerge chicken or meat cuts into this brine once cool and leave refrigerated overnight. The salt will permeate the protein and firm up the structure of the meat, which then retains its juices when cooking. When you add salt is as important as how much salt you add. Experimenting within these parameters and observing the results will help in cooking foods to your own preferences.