Very helpful reply thanks. I plan to purchase your latest publication “Healthy French Cuisine for Less” soon. In the meantime I’ll apply the advice you advised – brilliant!!

Cheers for now,
Frank

Thank you for your question.

Different chefs, different ways to handle salting. When blanching, professional chef never salt their water. It is seen as a waste of money. Why waste a whole bunch of salt in the water when you can use – and control – a pinch of salt on your cooked veggies, right?

On the other hand, I and the vast majority of chefs I know will salt the pasta cooking water lightly as it allows the starches in the pasta to absorb the salt flavors.

If you need to control salt for dietary reasons, I would suggest you control your salt at the pinch level, not pot-full.

Another thing to be aware of is that there is salt and there is salt. I NEVER use commercial salt as it is overheated during its processing and potentially dangerous to your health.

I always use sea salt and if at all possible sea salt from a mine where there is no chance for it to be polluted from whatever toxins might be present in sea water.

If you are interested, I have a whole chapter written on salt in my newest book: Healthy French Cuisine for Less Than $10/Day or you can do your online research on sea salt vs commercial salt.

Sincerely, Chef Alain Braux.