Lesson 12

Blanching may not be the most common cooking method in home kitchens, but it’s a simple and powerful principle to understand. It’s all about precision — cooking vegetables just long enough to bring out their colour, flavour, and sweetness while keeping that perfect al dente bite (as the Italians would say).

This technique is especially great for summer vegetables like asparagus, green beans, courgettes, and sugar snaps — though you can use it year-round to add brightness and freshness to your meals. Blanching is also a fantastic way to prep vegetables for salads, grain bowls, or dishes where you want lightness and vibrancy.

In this lesson, Jens walks you through how to blanch like a pro — from timing and temperature to how to “shock” your veggies to lock in colour and texture. Together, you’ll make a colourful salad featuring a mix of blanched vegetables tossed with a simple, versatile vinaigrette that you’ll come back to again and again.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll know exactly how to get that perfect tender-crisp bite on your veggies — and you’ll have another quick, confidence-building tool in your cooking repertoire.

So grab a saucepan, get your water boiling, and let’s bring some vibrant greens to life!