blanch

verb

ˈblanch

blanched; blanching; blanches

Synonyms of blanch next

transitive verb

: to take the color out of

Age had blanched his hair.

: such as

cooking : to scald or parboil in water or steam in order to remove the skin from, whiten, or stop enzymatic action in (such as food for freezing)

blanch the asparagus in salted boiling water

: to bleach by excluding light

blanch the leaves of a plant

: to make ashen or pale

fear blanches the cheek

intransitive verb

: to become white or pale (as from shock or fear)

His face blanched with horror.

—often used figuratively to describe a reaction of shock or dismay that makes someone unwilling or reluctant to proceed

Civilians also saw benefits to the system but blanched when talk then included references to $300-plus user fees.—

Dan Fales… the managers of the companies blanched at the expenditures necessary to retool factories.—

Charles C. Mann

blancher noun

Example Sentences

Blanch the potatoes before slicing them. a cup of blanched almonds She blanched and remained silent when the store owner accused her of taking the money.

Recent Examples on the Web How to Make Homemade Hash Browns Next, those strips are blanched in hot water for a few minutes, then dried and cut into the hash brown-sized pieces that make up the restaurant's signature patties. —

Andrea Beck, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 May 2023 This step allows for expansion when the peaches get blanched. —

Wini Moranville, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 May 2023 In boiling water, blanch the snap peas until tender. —

Karla Alindahao, Forbes, 24 Jan. 2023 Continue to cook, covered, and asparagus will blanch perfectly by the time freekeh is ready. —

Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 5 May 2023 They may be frozen but require specific steps beforehand, such as blanching or packing in water, fruit juice, or syrup. —

Sheena Chihak, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Apr. 2023 The recipe calls for blanching the peels once to remove some‚ but not all, of the bitterness and adds more lemon juice than the typical recipe calls for to keep things bright and light. —

Ben Mimscooking Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2023 While pasta is boiling, place shrimp in a large kitchen spider or small sieve and dip in boiling water, keeping shrimp in sieve, and allow to blanch about 1 to 2 minutes. —

Kim Sunée, Anchorage Daily News, 27 Apr. 2023 It’s quickly blanched in oil that becomes infused with its aromatic flavor before the prawns are added. —

Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blanch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.