What's in my organic fruit & veg box today!

orchid-96

Hi all

My larger veg/fruit box has arrived this morning and I need to do something with some of it as I just know otherwise it will go off before I get to it..the fruit that has come is mostly soft fruits - all pretty ripe..

Ok can anyone give me any easy recipes that I can freeze for the following fruit

plums (small ones)
Blackcurrants
strawberries
apples

its mainly the plums and blackcurrants that I am concerned about as me and ds eat will get through the strawbs and apples..

then the veg

large cabbage (I think long leaves)
cauliflower (this I will probably use with the Sunday Roast)
raddishes
carrots
onions
spring onions
potatoes
peppers (actually will use these in tomorrows chicken fajitas)

I will have to rethink my menu plan in future as I should really have stuff planned for Friday and Saturday to use the veg (well the fajitas will help) but tonight I have curry from the freezer planned...

Thanks for any ideas on a freezable pud type thing and some freezable veg dishes......

Penelope_Penguin

For the fruit, how about a crumble? Just stone the plums, you don't need to cook them first, just sprinkle with a little cinnamon, top with crumble, and bake.

I'd use the cabbage in Gingham's Gallette au Chou (shout if you'd like me to find the recipe) and have a coleslaw of raduish, spring onion, and carrot.

The carrots will store in the fridge, and the potatoes in a cool dark place, for several days.

HTH, Pen ny. x

poodlehorse

You could always make the carrots into soup for the freezer, Carrot and Coriander is one of my fave soups, if you didn't have coriander in you could always just add that when you are going to use it so other than carrots you only need an onion and some stock.
Potato salad with the potatoes (obviously) and the spring onions (sorry not freezable forgot)
Plums - recipe below is from Recipezaar and untested but is in my plum folder as I have a plum tree and spent last week searching for plum recipes too.

Plum Sorbet
Recipe #830022 ratings
It will keep happily in the freezer for a week or more.
by Kookaburra
6-8 servings 40 min 30 min prep

1 (825 g) can plums in heavy syrup (approx) or equivalent of stewed fresh plums, in their syrup
3/4 cup marsala
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, juice of
3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar

Drain plums but reserve syrup.
Remove stones from plums.
Blend or process plums and syrup until smooth.
Place plum mixture in a saucepan and add marsala, sugar and lemon juice.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until sugar melts.
Pour into a suitable container (I use a 20cm round cake tin), cover tightly with foil (or similar) and place in the freezer.
Leave for several hours until mixture is slushy and partially set.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
Add sugar gradually, beating between each addition.
Gently fold beaten egg whites through partially frozen plum mixture.
Return to freezer, stirring occasionally (once or twice should do), until the mixture sets.
Serve in glass bowls with a little cream poured over (the cream hardens and makes a lovely topping!).

poodlehorse

actually this one looks easier

8 servings 4¼ hours 15 min prep

3/4 lb plums, rinsed,pitted,sliced,and unpeeled
1 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon orange zest


Combine plums, orange juice, sugar, and orange peel in a blender.
Use the puree button on your blender until it is smooth.
Pour the mixture into a freezer safe dish, and put in your freezer for about 4 hours.
About half an hour before you are ready to eat it, puree it one more time in your blender.
You should keep it in the freezer until you're ready to eat.

I also found a recipe on Zaar for Plum Butter which was a Martha Stewart Recipe, It says it is freezable for 6 mths and says it is nice on toast but I don't really understand what all these fruit butters are for that US sites talk about

Gingham_Ribbon

I mostly use my potatoes in soup. If you have a big pan with a heavy base, or a slow cooker, put in a cup of red lentils, a cup of split peas, a couple of onions, the carrots chopped, 3 or 4 potatoes chopped, veg stock and a dollop of brown sauce. Blend when cooked.

Gingham_Ribbon

The gallette recipe link is in this thread but it's worth reading through as it was adapted quite a lot, particularly by churchmouse, to make it really really delicious.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=399846&highlight=Gallette+au+Chou

orchid-96

Can I freeze plum crumble anyone? also only have utterly butterly at the moment in the fridge - is this ok in a crumble?

cuddlymarm

Hi
The apples , blackcuarrants and plums can all be stewed for later.
The blackcurrants could be stired into custard just before serving
The apples and plums could be used for crumbles or pies later on.

If you have long cabbage leaves you could use then to stuff a mixture of mince or veggie rice etc

If you're not going to use the potatoes anytime soon you could always make up a shepherds pie for using another time.

Have fun

Cuddles:rotfl: :rotfl:

orchid-96

great idea about stewing the fruit for later - could I then freeze it? and with stewing do you just cook it as it is (obviously stone the plums) with a little sugar?

sooooo many questions :huh:

squeaky

orchid-96 wrote: »

Can I freeze plum crumble anyone? also only have utterly butterly at the moment in the fridge - is this ok in a crumble?

Yep - crumble freezes well.

Utterly butterly should be fine


On a side note:- given the way that most margarines and butter substitutes are made - not to mention a similarity in prices - I only buy butter these days. Unsalted. That gives me the option of adding salt as needed in anything, and some things, such as the lemon curd in our recipe index (thank you Glad) must have unsalted butter in them. (so does the fake cream recipe I think).