Blanching
A short boil, then straight into ice, so colour and crunch stay.
What to do
- Boil well-salted water and set a bowl of ice water beside the pot.
- Cook the vegetables a minute or two, until the colour turns bright.
- Drain and drop them into the ice. Drain again once they are cold.
A common slip. Skip the ice and the vegetables keep cooking in their own heat.