Maintaining vibrant green colors in cooked food can be tricky but following a few essential tips can help preserve the enticing green colors of spring.
This is such a useful guide and explanation! Thank you so much. I can't wait to incorporate them. I wonder if the green soups I have been making lately (on my Substack) would be more vibrant with these tips.
Thanks for the insights, Jack. Did not know about blanching v steaming. Also, the baking soda. I think I remember reading someone's pesto recipe years ago that called for citric acid as a way to prevent discoloration. I'm always worried about affecting the flavor, but those shades of green are glorious.
Super interesting! I'm not that good of a cook, and wanting to cook in the first place really depends on my mental state too (currently really into overboiling my broccoli to match my own miserable state). But I am a bit of a nerd and understanding some of the chemistry better makes food and cooking a lot more interesting to me!
So helpful, Jack! I never realized it was the plant's cell wall breaking down that changed the color. Love learning stuff like this. Thanks!
Yes I had no idea that acids fall down on top of the food when steaming!
This is such a useful guide and explanation! Thank you so much. I can't wait to incorporate them. I wonder if the green soups I have been making lately (on my Substack) would be more vibrant with these tips.
Thanks for all those tips to preserve the vibrancy of green food, it's very much appreciated!
Adding greens to soups is a great tip. My wife and I do that a lot. Adding acid later is also a great tip that I was aware of. Thanks Jack!
Damn, love them greens! 💚 Can't wait for the asparagus & beans season to start here in Pl
Thanks for the insights, Jack. Did not know about blanching v steaming. Also, the baking soda. I think I remember reading someone's pesto recipe years ago that called for citric acid as a way to prevent discoloration. I'm always worried about affecting the flavor, but those shades of green are glorious.
Super interesting! I'm not that good of a cook, and wanting to cook in the first place really depends on my mental state too (currently really into overboiling my broccoli to match my own miserable state). But I am a bit of a nerd and understanding some of the chemistry better makes food and cooking a lot more interesting to me!
Thanks for these supef useful tips. + Now I understand… 🙏