Blanching is a technique where you scald vegetables in boiling water for a very short amount of time. The quick hot water cook is followed by a dip into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process immediately. Blanching the collard green leaves is necessary for some recipes we have like dolmas (stuffed grape leaves).
You will need:
Collard green leaves (as many as required)
Large boiling pot of water
Large bowl of ice water
Tongs (recommended)
1. Set up the ice water bath next to the boiling water
2. Once water is at a rolling boil use tongs to submerge leaf under water for 15-20 seconds. The leaf should change color to a brighter green.
2. Remove the leaf from the boiling water and immediately dunk and swirl it into the ice water bath. Remove leaf from ice water and place on cutting board.
3. After all of your leaves are blanched you will need to remove the stem/backbone of the collard green. Place the collard green on a cutting board with the spine facing you and use a sharp knife to cut along both sides of the center rib. At the end you should have two leaves and the rib which may be disposed of.
Effect of Blanching
The fast and short cooking time of blanching both makes the collard greens a more vibrant green and makes them more flexible so that they can be used to make dolmas.
