On Parasites in Vegetables
Most vegetables such as eggplants, cauliflower, broccoli, even morel mushrooms have parasites in them—worms to be particular. In general, vegetables should be washed, rinsed and sanitized first before processing. They are always peeled unless otherwise stated in the recipe. Aside from washing, the best way to ensure vegetables are sanitized is by blanching them. Start with salted boiling water. Cook until al dente. Remove from the water and immediately shock them in ice water to stop the cooking process.
To make sure eggplants are free from worms, avoid serving them whole. If necessary, process them sliced already. When grilling whole, slice lengthwise from the bottom of the stem towards the round bottom of the eggplant and spread flat on the grill, one side with skin down and the other half with skin up. Flip around to cook the other half.
To make sure cauliflower and broccoli are free from worms, cut them into florets first then wash. Soak in cold, SALTED water for 10-15 minutes before cooking. These are usually blanched first before the finishing cooking method is done. Aside from pre-cooking the vegetables, blanching destroys enzymes and helps further sanitize them. It also improves their color.
To remove the worms in morel mushrooms, get a Ziplock and put the mushrooms in. Remove all air as possible before sealing it. Leave it like that for 15-20 minutes. The worms in the mushrooms will tend to find air causing them to crawl away from the morels.
