How to Properly Salt Vegetables
Salt is not just a flavor enhancer; it is a tool for changing the texture and water content of a vegetable. Understanding when to reach for the salt cellar determines whether your greens turn out crisp or sodden.
Distinguish between seasoning and sweating.
If you want a vegetable to stay crunchy, salt at the very last second. If you want it to soften or release excess water, salt well in advance.
- colander
- mixing bowl
- paper towels
What goes in.
- 1 lbvegetables of choice
- 1 tspcoarse sea salt
Mastering the sweat
Salt draws water out of cellular walls. By letting salt sit on a sliced vegetable, you pull out the moisture that would otherwise steam the vegetable and make it mushy in the pan.
The method.
Prepare your vegetables
Slice, dice, or peel your vegetables into uniform sizes to ensure they respond to the salt at the same rate.
Apply the salt
Place the vegetables in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle the salt over the pieces and toss them with your hands to coat every surface.
Rest
Let the vegetables stand for twenty to thirty minutes. You will see liquid pooling in the bottom bowl; this is the excess water that would have compromised your final cook.
Dry and cook
Pat the vegetables dry with paper towels to remove any residual surface salt. Proceed to roast, sauté, or fry as usual, using less additional salt than you normally would.
Other turns to take.
Quick Sauté
Skip the rest time and salt only the moment the vegetables hit the hot oil in the pan to maintain maximum snap.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use coarse salt when salting for moisture removal; it is easier to distribute and less likely to over-salt than fine table salt.
Rinse the vegetables if you are worried about salt content, then pat extremely dry before putting them in hot fat.
Root vegetables benefit less from pre-salting than watery vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, or cucumber.
The ones that keep coming up.
Will my food taste too salty if I do this?
If you pat the vegetables dry after the rest period, the salt that remains is minimal. Adjust your final seasoning only after tasting.
Can I use this on frozen vegetables?
No. Frozen vegetables have already had their cell walls broken by ice crystals; salting them will only accelerate the collapse of their structure.
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