Blanching entails briefly immersing greens in boiling water, adopted by a right away switch to ice water to halt the cooking course of. This system is a standard observe used to organize produce for freezing or additional cooking, and helps to protect colour, texture, and vitamins. For instance, one would possibly topic a batch of garden-fresh greens to this course of earlier than freezing them for later use.
The observe extends the shelf lifetime of greens by deactivating enzymes that trigger deterioration. It additionally brightens their colour and softens their texture, enhancing their visible attraction and making them simpler to include into varied dishes. Traditionally, this preservation technique has been employed to take care of meals high quality over prolonged intervals, particularly earlier than widespread refrigeration.