When you use salt in the kitchen, yer a wizard (Harry)! š§
Salt of course makes vegetables more flavorful. But it also magically transforms them! You can use salt to have greater control over your ingredients. And when you have more control, you get the results you want. Itās like getting an 'Outstanding' on your O.W.L.s. š¦
Like salting meat ahead of time, salt draws moisture out of vegetables. How? The salt creates a higher ion concentration at the surface of the vegetable. Over time water travels from within the vegetables to the surface to create equilibrium. Itās a process called osmosis. The same thing happens in meat. But unlike meat, we donāt wait around for the water to get reabsorbed.
How do you salt vegetables in advance? Itās simple. Use about a teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of vegetables. Toss well and then let them sit for about 30-45 minutes. You can let them drain in a colander as they sit or press them with a towel to get rid of the water.
It is worth saying, that this happens for all vegetables. But youāll only notice the difference in watery veg: eggplant, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, etc. šš„ š
But salting veggies ahead of time doesnāt just remove liquid. It also affects texture. Which is important to remember for the less watery vegetables too.
With less water inside, the cells lose pressure and start to soften. And thatās not all. The sodium ions replace the calcium and magnesium ions in pectin. Why does that matter? Pectin is what makes cell walls strong. šŖRemoving the calcium and magnesium ions weakens them. This means veggies salted ahead of time are more tenderāalmost wiltedāwhich has its pros and cons.
Salting vegetables ahead of time is a tool in your toolkit. Itās not something you should always do. You have to consider the final result you want.
Iām always fascinated by salt. The more I learn, the more I feel like itās the most impactful ingredient in the kitchen. It does so much more than just flavor food. I hope youāre as enthralled with it as I am. š
Talk to you later!
Luciano šØāš³
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