_walnuts To Blanch Recipes

BLANCHED CRUDITES

Steps:

• Prepare a large pot of boiling salted water, and fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Remove the tough bottoms of the asparagus stalks. If they are thick, peel the stems half-way up the stalk.
• Add the carrots to the pot of boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove the carrots with a slotted spoon and plunge them in the bowl of ice water. Drain the carrots when fully cooled.
• Add the asparagus to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Immediately remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the reserved bowl of ice water. Drain the asparagus when fully cooled.
• Slice the radicchio into wedges.
• Arrange the carrots, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and radicchio on a platter and serve with the Herb Dip.
• Place the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, dill, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and blend. Serve at room temperature.

_VEGETABLES: TO BLANCH

Steps:

• Wash, peel and cut up vegetable. Then pour boiling water over, stir once or twice, and drain at once in a colander or sieve. Rinse the vegetable immediately with cold running water. (This will stop the cooking action.) Drain again.Or: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot and add the cut-up vegetable. Turn off the heat at once and let the vegetable stand a minute or two. Then drain rinse immediately with cold running water and drain again. NOTE: These techniques of blanching and parboiling are sometimes also used with meat, poultry and seafood as specified in certain recipes.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

_GINKGO NUTS: TO BLANCH

Steps:

• Shell with a nutcracker. Pour boiling water over nutmeats. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Drain. Remove and discard pinkish inner skin.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

_PEANUTS: TO TOAST

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons peanut oil in a skillet. Saute blanched peanuts in hot oil until golden. (Keep them moving or they'll burn.) Chop or sliver.Or: Bring several cups of peanut oil to a boil. Place the blanched peanuts in a sieve. Dip sieve in oil until nuts turn golden. Remove and drain. Or: Place the blanched peanuts in a dry pan with several tablespoons of salt. Stir constantly over very low heat until peanuts turn golden. The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

HOW TO BLANCH AND SHELL CHESTNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Place chestnuts in cold water; discard those that float.
• Dry and slit each shell 1/2 to 3/4 inch on each side.
• Place in a saucepan, add oil and shake pan over heat for five minutes.
• Roast in oven for another five minutes.
• When cool enough to handle, remove shells and brown skin underneath with a sharp paring knife.

_LOTUS SEEDS: TO BLANCH

Steps:

• Soak the seeds 5 minutes in hot water. Rub off the husks. Insert a toothpick in one end of each seed. Push out and discard the bitter-tasting green heart. Rinse. Boil 10 to 15 minutes. Drain.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.

_WALNUTS: TO BLANCH

Steps:

• Shell the walnuts with nutcracker. Cover nutmeats with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Drain at once. Dry on paper toweling.Or: Cover the nutmeats with boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain and dry.The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook. ©1994 by Gloria Bley Miller.