Broccoli is a nutrient-rich vegetable that belongs to the cabbage family. Nutritionists advise not to boil them for too long because this type of cooking deprives them of most of their anticangerogenic properties. You can boil them until soft or blanch them to preserve their nutrients and texture. Thanks to this second method, you can make them less bitter and keep the crunchy texture of raw vegetables.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Clean and Cut the Broccoli
Step 1. Buy them fresh
Look for broccoli that has a uniform green color, with no yellow or brown spots. Feel the stem and crown to make sure they are firm and not wilted; also check that the inflorescences are well compacted together.
You can keep raw vegetables in the refrigerator, inside the vegetable drawer, for at least a week; however, the nutritional properties begin to fade after three days
Step 2. Clean the broccoli with water and vinegar
Fill a spray bottle with three parts water and one part vinegar and spray the mixture on the vegetable. Alternatively, soak it in the solution before cooking it to eliminate all the insects that may have remained among the inflorescences; when finished, rinse the vegetable with cold running water.
- You can also wash the vegetables with simple water, but the presence of vinegar allows you to remove up to 98% of surface bacteria.
- To make rinsing easier, place the vegetable in a colander inside the sink and sprinkle it with tap water.
Step 3. Remove the stems
Use a sharp knife to cut the main stem about 5 cm from the "head" of the broccoli; then roughly separates the larger inflorescences and slices the stem into pieces as large as bites.
- Remove wilted or damaged leaves.
- If you like, you can add the stems to stews, salads, or stir-fry dishes.
- You can also use the stems in the recipe you have chosen, if this includes them; just peel them with a sharp knife or potato peeler to remove the outermost layer that is hard to chew.
Method 2 of 3: Thoroughly Boil the Broccoli
Step 1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan
Pour in just enough to completely submerge the vegetables, add a pinch of salt and set the heat to high.
- You can use whole sea salt or regular table salt.
- If you are concerned that the water is not enough to cover all the vegetables, place the vegetables in the pot and add the water before taking out the broccoli again.
Step 2. Cook the stems first
Wait for the water to boil; if you want to consume the stems too, add them to the pot first, boiling them for a couple of minutes.
This part of broccoli takes longer to cook than inflorescences
Step 3. Add the inflorescences
Put them gently in boiling water using a slotted spoon; if possible, boil them together with the stems for five minutes, avoiding overcooking them, otherwise they lose flavor and consistency.
Broccoli is ready when it is tender enough to be skewered with the tip of a knife
Step 4. Let them cool
Remove them from the water with kitchen tongs or pour the contents of the pot into a heat-resistant colander; distribute them on a baking tray and wait for them to reach room temperature.
If you're worried about overcooking, you can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process
Method 3 of 3: Blanch the Broccoli
Step 1. Boil some water
Put a large pot full of water on the stove over high heat; if you wish, add a little salt (no more than a tablespoon and wait for the water to boil.
Salt is an optional ingredient, it enhances the flavor of the vegetable but over time the sodium makes it soggy
Step 2. Prepare an ice bath
Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Choose a container with a minimum capacity of 5 liters; alternatively, you can use the clean sink, taking care to close the drain.
If you ignore this step, you alter the texture and color of the vegetables
Step 3. Cook them in boiling water
Put them in the pot using a slotted spoon and blanch them for about three minutes.
Step 4. Check for doneness with the tip of a sharp knife
If the blade gets stuck in the broccoli, it means they are not ready; if it goes in and out without difficulty, they are cooked.
Step 5. Immediately transfer them to the ice bath
Remove them from the pot with tongs or a skimmer and immediately stop the cooking process by placing them on ice.
This process allows for moderate cooking and rapid cooling, so that the broccoli remains crunchy
Step 6. Leave them on ice to cool
Wait about five minutes and do not remove them until they are completely cold, otherwise the cooking process continues from the inside.
