Blanching is the process of cooking foods for only a few minutes and it is ideal for the preparation of vegetables. The vegetables are added to water, meat juice or stock that has been brought to the boil in a pan, cooked for up to five minutes and then plunged into cold water. The advantage of blanching is that the vegetables stay firm and their natural colour is preserved. They taste absolutely fantastic if you toss them in hot melted butter with herbs before serving.