WHAT DOES BLANCH MEAN?

Blanching is partially cooking fruit and vegetables to ensure they retain bite, prepare them for further cooking (such as roasting), or make removing the skin easier. To blanch,

drop the fruit or vegetables into boiling water. After 20 30 seconds, lift out with a slotted spoon and drop straight into ice-cold water. Blanching helps retain colour and nutrients, and at home it’s a good way to prepare veggies for the freezer. Almost all vegetables can be blanched, then flat-frozen on a tray before being tipped into a container or bag for storage. Try storing root veg, beans and potatoes in this way, then they can be roasted or boiled straight from the freezer. (For more tips on cooking from the freezer, turn to page 53.)

Blanching retains colour and nutrients, and it’s a good way to prepare veg for the freezer