Should You Blanch Escarole?

Bitter greens, such as escarole, chicory and broccoli rabe

, remain high on the list of favorite vegetables for Italian soups. Blanching these bitter greens before adding them to soup not only prevents discoloring the soup, but also purges the greens of some of their bitter aftertaste.

How long do you blanch escarole?

1) Blanch the escarole in boiling water for 1 minute, drain and set aside.

How do you get the bitterness out of escarole?

Add a touch of lemon juice or vinegar to the dish. Acids, such as vinegar or vinegary sauces, counter the bitterness in escarole. Lemon juice counters the bitterness while brightening a dish's flavors. You can also use lime juice or tomatoes.