Blanching, Chiffonade, Knife Skills

1 March 2011

Today we learned about how to do blanching on spinach. Blanching is a cooking method where you very briefly and partially cook food in boiling water for 2-5 minutes to remove undesired flavor. Then we chiffonade (a cutting method) the spinach leafs after it has been cooked.  Chiffonade is a technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and basil) are cut into long, thin strips. This is generally accomplished by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, and then cutting across the rolled leaves with a sharp knife, producing fine ribbons. We had to strain the spinach after cooking then rinse it and press out all the remaining liquid before cutting it.

We learned that spinach is categorizes as a leaf.

What types of spinach is there?  

There are four main types of spinach: savoy, semi-savoy, flat-leaf, and baby. Savoy spinach has crinkly, dark green curly leaves. Flatleaf or smooth-leaf spinach is unwrinkled and has spade-shaped leaves that are easier to clean than the curly types. The stalks are usually very narrow and tasty. Semi-savoy is a mix of the savoy and flat-leaf. Baby spinach leaves are of the flat-leaf variety.

We had to look at the characteristics of the spinach when buying. You have to think about in what season you are buying spinach. Always look at the market price at the time you are buying spinach. Always look at the quality of the leaves by touching and smelling it. Also look at the packaging and the date it was picked.

What enzyme in green vegetables gives a bitter taste?

It is due to the “oxalic acid” that causes its bitter taste and the formation of “calculus”. Oxalic acid grows independently and does not have a bitter taste. Only during the stimulation with the saliva will it produce a bitter taste.