Help: how do you prepare vegetables in advance

lolly5648

I was told that you could could partly cook vegetables in advance and then just heat them up again.

How do you do this - do you just half cook them and does it work with all veggies including boiled new potatoes?

whatatwit

I sometimes do this when I am either cooking for larger numbers, or really busy.
I don't know how it affects the nutritional values, but veg can be cooked until just done, or slightly underdone, then cooled very quickly in cold water and stored in the fridge until wanted.

You could always blanch the veg and then freeze.

scubaleopard

I agree totally -- only do this when in a mad rush or have lots of people to cater for as I believe I have read that it does affect nutritional value. It works particularly well with parsnips--- I mash them when they are cooked adding a little nutmeg and single cream. Cool them refrigerate and then reheat in the microwave, also works really well with leeks in white sauce. Otherwise just undercook a little, cool tehn refridgerate and reheat You would not know you have cheated. Restaurants do it all the time !!!

dolly_day_dream

I do it with my roast pots and parsnips at Christmas. Cook halfway on Christmas Eve then I just have to finish them off on the day. I do it cos I have soo many to cook for on the day and it saves room in my oven.