steam are excellent carriers of heat, these are
efficient methods as well, ideal for the rapid
cooking of green vegetables that minimizes
their loss of color (p. 280). One important
difference is that hot water dissolves and
extracts some pectin and calcium from cell
walls, while steaming leaves them in place: so
boiling will soften vegetables faster and more
thoroughly.
Boiling In the case of boiling green
vegetables, it’s good to know the pH and
dissolved mineral content of your cooking
water. Ideally it should be neutral or just
slightly alkaline (pH 7–8), and not too hard,
because acidity dulls chlorophyll, and acidity
and calcium both slow softening and so
prolong the cooking. A large volume of
rapidly boiling water will maintain a boil even
after the cold vegetables are added, cut into
pieces small enough to cook through in about
five minutes. Salt in the cooking water at