"Blanching seasons the spears and also gives them a kick-start in the cooking process. "Whenever you grill, sear, or roast, you're using a really high temperature. Without blanching, you'd char the outside but the inside would still be raw." To blanch, bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and salt the hell out of it. "It should be brine-level salty," he says. "Even saltier than pasta water." Drop the prepped spears in the water and let them cook for 1-3 minutes, depending on the size of the stalk. Any longer, and you're just boiling them. Boiled vegges = soggy and slimy veggies. But don't stop there. There's another step after blanching that's just as important.
"Shocking veggies stops the cooking process and keeps their color vibrant and bright. Immediately after blanching the spears, use tongs or a spider strainer to transfer them to a large bowl of ice water. Swirl them around in the cold water until their temperature drops, then remove and drain." -- Rochelle Bilow
