|
Asparagus |
Wash
and remove woody portions and scales of spears. Cut into 6 inch
lengths and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Cool in iced
water for 3 minutes. Drain. Place on trays in a single layer and
freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into suitable containers, seal and
label. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Beans, Broad |
Shell and wash. Blanch
in boiling water for 1˝ minutes. Cool in iced water for 1-2
minutes. Place on tray in a single layer and freeze for 30
minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps
up to 6 months. |
|
Beetroot |
Only
freeze young tender beets, not more than 2-3 inches across. Cook
until tender and slice. Cool and transfer to plastic containers.
Label. Freeze up to 6 months. |
|
Broccoli |
Choose tender young
heads with no flowers and tender stalks. Wash well and divide into
sprigs. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Cool in iced water for
3 minutes. Drain. Spread on tray in single layer. Cover with
plastic wrap to prevent the smell from permeating the freezer.
Freeze 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, seal and
label. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Brussels Sprouts |
Remove outer leaves and cut a cross at the stem end of sprout.
Wash thoroughly and blanch for 3 minutes. Cool in iced water for 3
minutes. Drain and spread on tray in a single layer. Cover with
plastic wrap to prevent the smell from permeating the freezer.
Freeze 30 minutes, remove from tray and pack into plastic bags.
Remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Cabbage |
Remove outer leaves
and wash the remainder. Cut into thin wedges or shred. Blanch 1˝
minutes if shredded or 2 minutes if cut into wedges. Chill in iced
water 1-2 minutes. Drain well. Pack in freezer bags, label and
seal. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Carrots |
Wash
and scrub carrots and cut large carrots into pieces. Blanch 3
minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water 3 minutes. Drain.
Spread on a tray in a single layer and freeze 30 minutes. Pack in
freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Cauliflower |
Divide into florets
and wash. Blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced
water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on a tray in a single layer.
Cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to
freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Celery |
Use
young, tender stalks. Wash and cut into 1 inch pieces. Blanch for
2 minutes in boiling water. Chill in iced water for 2 minutes.
Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6
months. |
|
Chillies |
Remove seeds, wash and dry. Drain and place on tray in a single
layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove
air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Cucumber |
Peel
and chop in food processor. Pack into plastic containers with
tight fitting lids. Label and freeze. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Eggplant |
Cut into slices,
sprinkle with salt and allow to stand 30 minutes. Drain off excess
liquid and fry gently in butter or margarine until just tender.
Cool and pack into plastic containers. Seal and label. Keeps up to
3 months. |
|
Fennel |
Use
fresh young stalks. Wash thoroughly. Blanch 3 minutes. Chill in
iced water 3 minutes. Drain, pack in freezer bags and remove air.
Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Garlic |
Place separated bulbs
in freezer bags. Remove excess air from bags, seal and label.
Keeps up to 3 months. |
|
Ginger |
Separate ginger into convenient sized knobs. Place in freezer
bags. Remove excess air from bags, seal and label. Freeze up to 6
months. |
|
Leek |
Remove tough outer leaves, wash remainder. Cut away green part of
stem, slice white flesh or cut in half lengthwise. Blanch 2
minutes if sliced and 3 minutes if cut lengthwise. Chill in iced
water 2-3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer.
Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label
and seal. Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Mushrooms |
Cultivated mushrooms need no preparation. Pack clean mushrooms in
freezer bags. Remove air, seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months. |
|
Okra |
Wash and trim off
stems. Blanch in boiling water 3-4 minutes. Cool in iced water 3-4
minutes. Drain and pack in freezer bags. Remove air from bags,
seal and label. Freeze up to 6 months. |
|
Onion |
Peel, chop or cut into rings. Wrap in layers of plastic wrap,
place in a plastic container. Label and freeze up to 3 months. |
|
Parsnip |
Peel and dice. Blanch
2 minutes, chill in iced water for 2 minutes, spread on a tray and
freeze for 30 minutes. Pack into freezer bags, remove air, label
and seal. Keeps up to 6 months. |
|
Peas |
Shell, wash and blanch 1 minute. Chill in iced water 1 minute.
Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.
Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6
months. |
|
Pepper (Capsicum) |
Wash, remove seeds and
cut into slices or leave whole. Place on a tray in a single layer.
Freeze for 30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and
seal. Freeze up to 6 months. |
|
Potato |
Scrub new potatoes. Cook in boiling water until almost done.
Drain, cool, pack in freezer bags. Seal, label and freeze for up
to 6 months. Slice and deep
fry 4 minutes. They should be tender but not browned. Drain and
cool on paper towels. Place on a tray in a single layer and freeze
30 minutes. Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal.
Freeze up to 3 months.
Prepare mashed potatoes and freeze
up to 3 months. |
|
Pumpkin |
Peel and cook in
boiling salted water until tender. Mash, cool and pack into
plastic containers leaving headspace. Freeze up to 3 months.
Alternatively, peel and cut into pieces. Bake until almost done.
Pack into freezer bags when cool, remove the air, seal and label.
Keeps up to 3 months. |
|
Snow Peas |
Use
tender leaves. Wash and trim. Blanch 30 seconds. Chill in iced
water 30 seconds. Drain and place on tray in a single layer.
Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label
and seal. Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Spinach |
Wash well and trim
leaves from stalks. Blanch in small quantities of boiling water
for 1 minute. Chill in iced water for 1 minute. Drain and place on
tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer
bags, remove air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Squash |
Peel
and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Mash, cool and pack
into freezer containers leaving room for expansion. Seal and
label. Freeze up to 3 months. |
|
Sugar Snap Pea |
Remove pods, wash and
blanch for 1 minute. Chill, drain and spread on a tray. Freeze of
30 minutes, pack in plastic bags, remove air, seal and label. Will
keep up to 6 months. |
|
Sweet Corn |
Clean well and remove all silk. Cut off top of cob. Wash, blanch a
few cobs at a time for 5-7 minutes, depending on size. Chill in
iced water 5-7 minutes. Drain and wrap each cob in plastic wrap.
Pack in freezer bags, remove air, label and seal. Freeze up to 6
months. |
|
Sweet Potato (Kumara) |
Peel and cut into
pieces. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water, chill in iced water 3
minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single layer. Freeze for 30
minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove air, label and seal.
Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Tomatoes |
Wash, remove stems, cut into halves or quarters or leave whole.
Dry and pack into freezer bags. Remove air, label and seal. Keeps
6 months. Dip into boiling
water 1 minute. Remove and peel. Place on a tray and freeze for 30
minutes. Place in plastic bags, remove air, seal and label. Keeps
up to 6 months.
Simmer chopped tomatoes in a pan
for 5 minutes or until soft. Push through a sieve or food mill to
remove skins and seeds. Cool and pack in plastic containers,
leaving headspace. Keeps 6 months. |
|
Turnip |
Peel and trim young,
tender turnips. Cut to required size and blanch 3 minutes. Chill
in iced water for 3 minutes. Drain and place on tray in a single
layer. Freeze for 30 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, remove
air, label and seal. Keeps for 6 months. |
|
Zucchini |
Slice into 1 inch pieces without peeling. Sauté gently in a little
melted butter until barely tender. Cool, pack into plastic
containers leaving headspace at the top. Freeze up to 3 months. |
