Freeze fresh fruit/veg?

Chris25

LoL - how come you got away with typing it? perhaps I left a break between the k and the t ???
Or else this software doesn't like my posts - I tried to type about the equivalent of a dog lifting his leg (on another thread) and the software had changed it to thingied his leg ;D

16011996

you need to put 2 spaces before it. read it somewhere else earlier today, thats couldn't work out what thingytail sausages were. made me laugh when i realised it'd been censored.

Chris25

Oh, thanks, let's give it a go then cocktail sausages

Chris25

;D ;D ;D

16011996

;D ;D ;Ddon't know if it works with others, daren't try.

Curry_Queen

I was just looking up some info on freezing veggies as I got my organic box yesterday and there's so much in it I'm never gonna get to use it all whilst it's still at it's best, so thought maybe I could freeze some of it until I decide what to use it in.

Anyway, I came across this website which has some very useful advice, and I know this subject has cropped up a couple of times before so thought I'd post it here for anyone else wanting to freeze veggies

Just one question though, after blanching in boiling water it says to put them straight into iced water to cool. Does this mean water which actually contains ice, or just very cold water? I don't have any ice so wondered if just cold water from the tap would suffice?

bargainqueen_2

Thanks hun, have added to favourite websites. I reckon iced water does mean a couple of ice cubes in the water but don't think it'll make too big a difference between that and plain old cold water!

Curry_Queen

I suppose the idea is to cool it quickly so maybe if I had two bowls of cold water ready and dunk it in one then the other it should work

I'm going to roast some of the softer veg - aubergine, courgettes, tomatoes etc - and have some with pasta for dinner and any leftovers can be made into a ratatouille for the freezer. Half the cauli, broccoli and carrots will be fine for tomorrow's roast and any leftovers can be eaten the following day, but could do with freezing the other half.

Which leaves me with a mountain of leeks, a swede, chard, landcress, corn cobs, squash, parsnips, pak choi and salad stuff, some of which will have to be eaten soon rather than frozen.

The squash, parsnips and some of the leeks are ear-marked for soups which I'm hoping will keep for a few days until I get around to making them as I don't feel up to cooking a mountain of different dishes today

Any suggestions of what to do with any of this stuff would be good too ... apart from not ordering so much veg in one go next time :rotfl:

squeaky

I cook all sorts of stews and soups to freeze extras of rather than trying to freeze the vegetables on their own. My freezer is filling up! Or rather - it's full already. I can't seem to empty it any faster than I find new stuff to put in.

Curry_Queen

I know what you mean Squeaky and I'm going to be hard pushed to find space to freeze the veggies and any soups I make as it is :rolleyes:

It doesn't help that I had a frozen rodent delivery too this week, which takes up the whole bottom drawer of my freezer, so I really should try to plan these things better :doh:

One of the first things I'm going to do when I move is get my big chest freezer out of storage (don't have room for it here) and just hope and pray it still works after almost 4 years of non-use!

The idea behind freezing the raw veggies is that they'll take up less room than cooking up the meals I want to use them in and freezing them, if you know what I mean.

I've got as far as washing and trimming them so far LOL! Awwww you wanna see some of the diddy baby carrots that were hanging off the bottom of the green fronds, all covered in mud LOL! I'm going to steam those whole for dinner tomorrow

I've washed and trimmed the cauli, broccoli, leeks and spring onions, so they now take up less room in the fridge, and taken off the big leaves and hairy bits from the corn cobs - they arrived cut straight from the field by the looks of it! Am I right in thinking they will last a week or so still wrapped in their sheaths? Although I do know the sugars can turn to starch if you store them too long