Fall is definitely my favorite season. I love everything about it-
sweaters, leaves, cider and pumpkins- with one glaring exception: the demise of
the beautiful produce at the farmers’ markets.
I love walking past the weekly farmstands spilling over with rainbow
tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, herbs, greens, and gorgeous bright flowers. The
produce is spectacularly more delicious, and more colorful, than anything you
can buy during the year at the grocery store. I get so bummed when I start to see everything
disappearing slowly, until the stands close up shop for cold weather.
So I’m always looking for ways to preserve my farm-fresh goodies and
enjoy them year round. I’m too nervous I’ll poison myself if I try canning or
preserving, but the freezer is my friend and I wanted to share a few tips to
extend your summer bounty into the winter.
Green Beans
Green beans and other similar vegetables freeze really well using the
blanching method:
1.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling
boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water
and set aside.
2.
Add your green beans and boil for about 2
minutes, just until that raw vegetal taste is gone.
3.
Drain green beans and drop immediately into ice
water to shock, which will set the color and stop the cooking. Submerge for
five minutes.
4.
Drain, dry, and pack in a Ziploc bag to freeze.
Stays good in freezer for up to one year.
Corn
There is nothing like the
taste of fresh summer corn.
1.
Blanch, as in above method.
2.
Once the corn is cool enough to handle, slice
the kernels off the cob.
3.
Lay them out on a baking sheet and slide sheet
into the freezer.
4.
Once frozen, you can pile them into a Ziploc bag
or freezer container.
It’s important to freeze the kernels on the baking sheet first,
otherwise they will freeze together in one huge lump and then you have to use
everything at once. Freezing individually first allows you to just take what
you need from a big stockpile.
Stays good in freezer for up to one year.
Bell Peppers
Bell peppers freeze ridiculously well, and are the easiest to handle.
Simply slice up your peppers and place them in a freezer bag or other storage
container. They’ll keep for up to 8 months.
Berries
Lay berries out on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, pile into a
container to keep for 10-12 months.
Make Soup!
I love making big batches of summer minestrone and freezing individual
portions for cold winter nights. Soup will keep for 4-6 months in the freezer.
Other Tips:
-
Don’t forget to date everything, so you know exactly when you stored it and how long you can use it for.
- Hardy greens like kale freeze well raw, softer ones like lettuce cannot be frozen, and spinach and swiss chard freeze better if cooked first.
- Herbs are not the same after freezing. Most wilt; basil will even turn black. But while they’re not visually appealing but the flavor is still there, so you can use them for stock.
- You can’t freeze a tomato, but you can make sauce and freeze that for a few months. Or try making passata, a version of tomato paste: slow-roast plum tomatoes until they are falling apart, then remove skins and run through a blender. Freeze in small batches and add to soups, braises, and stews for a flavor hit throughout the year.
Resources:
StillTasty.com: a great website
(and iPhone app!) that tells you how long both fresh and cooked food remains
safe for in the fridge and the freezer.
National Center for Home Food Preservation: how to freeze a
large variety of fruits and vegetables
My
Thirty Spot: tips for better short term storage of produce
