The all new using what you have from your Freezer, Cupboard or Shed (Barn)

Happy_Sloth

hey all...

I've just got a veg box with the largest portions of veg I've ever seen! I'm super pleased because veg boxes arn't always great value but i well and truly got my moneys worth! 

I suspect someone let the new guy pack my veg and he got carried away haha.  

However I'm going to struggle to eat it all before it starts looking sad   Any ideas on how to store? or what to make? 

Can anyone help me do something with the following items so it can be stored. This is my Veg for the whole month,  i don't want to  waste it.  

• Tomato's : Various variety's (The advertised QTY is 500g ... the actual weight according to my scales is 1.3kg!) 
• 10kg Dirty Spuds.. I know people just say to keep these cold/dark but i've never had much luck storing this way they always go slimy or sprout super quick) 
• 10kg New potatos (Pre-washed .. boo) 
• 14 Sweet Bell Peppers (Red/Yellow)
• 1 Green Pepper
• 1 swead 
• 8 HUGE beetroot. 
• 4kg White Onions 
• 4kg Red Onions 
• 4kg Carrots 
• 2 Leeks 
• 1 Cucumber 
• 4 kg Mushrooms... (the bag is huge and taking up almost an entire draw of the fridge) 
• 1 savoy cabbage 
• 2 courgettes 
• 1 KG Rainbow chard. 
• 2 KG Parsnips.  
• 6kg sweet potato
• 1 MASSIVE Cauliflower
• 3 Broccoli. 
• Spinach 
• Mixed Leaves 
• Cucumber. 

carinjo

Oh wow. I will start with a few suggestions, allof which i done myself. For the tomatoes: halved, slow roasted. Can flash freeze and put in tub to be added to stews etc. Or blitz them afterwards and make tomato sauce, can also be frozen (i like adding black olives/rehydrated mushrooms, anchovies to the sauce for extra flavour).
The beets can be blanched, then sliced/cubed and then frozen. Defrosting is a breeze and looks great on a plate. Have also made a beetroot and tahini dip, leftovers stirred through pasta. Very purple, but very tasty.
I guess the most important thing is to make your list according to what needs using first (like the mixed leaves). Btw, tired leaves go great stirfried with a bit of onion, garlic as an omelette filling or toast topper.

joedenise

Fantasic veg box - even if there is more than expected!  Hope you've got plenty of freezer space!


Tomatoes - make sauce with the excess and freeze
Dirty potatoes - dry them off properly - preferably in the sun and then store in a cool, dark place in a paper sack (when they go slimy it's because they've been put away slightly damp)
Peppers - I like to halve them, take out the seeds and then open freeze; to use I take them out, cook closed side up for about 10 minutes, drain off the water, turn over and stuff with minced beef, rice, couscous etc, top with grated cheese and cook again until cheese melted.  You could also slice finely to use in stir fry, chop to add to stews or roast and make soups to freeze
Swede and some carrots - boil and mash and then freeze in usable portions.  Can be used as a side dish or to top shepherds pie
Onions - store in a cool place in a net bag or can hang in legs of tights in a cool airy place like a shed or garage
Leeks - slice and open freeze; use as required in stews etc or use with some of the potatoes to make leek and potato soup and freeze
Mushrooms - slice and freeze or make soup to freeze
Cabbage - will keep in fridge for at least a couple of weeks.  I just cut off a piece to use and put back in fridge until I need it again
Courgettes - these don't freeze so you'll need to use these fairly quickly; perhaps fry off and add to a quiche
Chard - slice and freeze
Parsnips - peel and prepare for roasting and then open freeze before bagging up
Sweet Potatoes - store in same way as potatoes or boil, mash and freeze in portions.  Also make good jacket potatoes, again can be frozen once cooked
Cauliflower - I would make a cauliflower cheese with some of it and the rest I'd open freeze to use either as a side or to make another cauliflower cheese at a later date
Broccoli - as cauiflower
Spinach - again can be frozen; add to quiches, curries
Mixed leaves/cucumber - will need to be used as they are as they won't freeze

Hope that's of some use!

Cherryfudge

Fantastic veg box @Happy_Sloth, and some very good ideas of what to do with things.

I seem to be doing better at buying than at using up. We saw yellow-stickered salmon today so had a hurried change of plans and made that our tea with potatoes and veg and a tin of fruit. I've also bought y/s liver which I must remember to divvie into portions and freeze this evening, and a couple more tins of tomatoes as we were running low and I can still get them for 28p. DH has bought some crisp breads to stave off the nibbles and we've got fresh fruit too.

My planned meal at work turned out to require oven cooking instead of microwave, so I've put it back in the freezer for a day when there's plenty of time, and I finished off a tin of soup from my locker, and later an instant pasta as I was getting a bit hungry again. Now I need to replenish my locker stock. Some boxes of low-calorie cereal bars are turning out to be a good idea though as I can eat them quickly and they put me on till meal times without being heavy in calories.

Floss

Washed potatoes will keep several weeks in the salad drawer - the ones I boiled last night were use by 7th March.
Earthy potatoes keep best in a paper bag / sack or basket in the dark (under the stairs?)
Tomatoes keep better at room temperature, mine live in the kitchen.
Red onions can be roasted to eat hot or cold (fab recipe in Nigellisima), as can bell peppers.
Mushrooms keep well sliced or chopped in mini-chopper then frozen in bags for soup, risotto, pies, bulking mince - press air out & make bag flat so it takes up less space.

carinjo

Spain was lovely! Spend the first few days back having platters of paté, cheese, crackers etc we brought back incl amazing pickled small aubergines we got from the market.
The shed freezer still not empty, but almost! Been using up pasta, stir through sauces, frozen veg, hm ham. Had a steak (to share) yesterday.
I'll get back into proper tracking of everything this week. 
@Floss i did not know one could freeze mushrooms like that! Now i can get a big pack of cheaper wonky mushrooms next time and freeze half. Buying bulk is cheaper, but things don't always remain fresh with just 2 of us.

bargainbetty

carinjo said:

@Floss i did not know one could freeze mushrooms like that! Now i can get a big pack of cheaper wonky mushrooms next time and freeze half. Buying bulk is cheaper, but things don't always remain fresh with just 2 of us.

I did it with a box of portabellas in a TGTG box from Morrisons. The texture changes a bit, but if you are cooking them in a sauce, you will barely notice a difference. 

carinjo

Thanks @bargainbetty!

Cherryfudge

I haven't finished up much in the last few days though I'm slowly using the winter veg from the freezer. I discovered that 'posh' packages of yellow-stickered sprouts, frozen without blanching, became incredibly tough when cooked from frozen but are okay if defrosted overnight in the fridge. I think that is due them retaining moisture this way.

In: cooked chicken, defrosted sausage meat, baking potatoes.

joedenise

Have taken some smoked haddock out of the freezer to make kedgeree for breakfast tomorrow morning.  Nothing gone in as haven't been shopping yet!