blanchis

Blanchis is a term with several related uses in French. It is a form of the verb blanchir, notably the present tense forms je blanchis and tu blanchis. It also functions as the masculine plural past participle of blanchir when used as an adjective, describing foods that have been blanched, for example légumes blanchis or amandes blanchies. Additionally, Blanchis is a surname of French origin.

In cooking, blanching is a technique in which food is briefly boiled or steamed and then quickly transferred to ice water to halt the cooking process. This method is used to loosen skins, brighten color, preserve nutrients, or ready foods for freezing or further cooking. Common applications include vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, and peas; fruits like tomatoes or peaches for easier peeling; and nuts such as almonds to remove skins. Typical steps involve bringing a pot of water to a boil, submerging the item for a short time, then shocking it in ice water.

Linguistically, blanchis is the present-tense form of blanchir for the second-person singular you blanch or the first-person singular I blanch, depending on the subject. The past participle blanchi is used in compound tenses, and when used as an adjective, the form agrees in gender and number (for example, légumes blanchis, amandes blanchies). The term thus sits at the intersection of grammar and culinary practice, reflecting both a verb form and a culinary technique.