Wow! The harvest is exploding. Let's see whether I can remember the quantities!
1 head of cabbage (I took an extra head from the donation bin)
Asian Greens
Field Greens
6 sprigs of parsley
Kale
Swiss Chard
1 bunch of beets
1 head of cauliflower
1 head of red leaf lettuce
2 oz. ! of Broccoli (one tiny tree!)
The fruits of my research on storing veggies: I only researched freezing them, as I am not yet set up to can. I've wondered why veggies need to be blanched, as opposed to just chopped & frozen or even frozen whole.
From the 1984 edition of Putting Food By, Chapter 13, Freezing Vegetables:
"Blanching" - "Even after vegetables are picked, the enzymes in them make them lose flavor and color & sometimes make them tough, even at freezer temperatures. Therefore the enzymes must be stopped in their tracks by being heated for a few minutes (how many minutes depends on the size and texture of the vegetable) before the vegetables are cooled quickly and packed. This preheating is necessary for virtually all vegetables: Green (sweet) peppers are the notable exception."
The book continues, stating that steaming for blanching is an option.
I'm going to sample some of my frozen chard & see how tough it is. Personally, we may not notice any of the traits in the above paragraph, and it would cut down on my energy use and time if I didn't have to blanch, cool, then put into the 'fridge, then transfer to the freezer.
Unfortunately, it lists cabbage as a vegetable that doesn't freeze well because of its water content. I will plan to use it only in cooked dishes if I freeze it.
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1 comment:
I think freezing most vegetables is much better than canning in terms of taste and nutrition. The only things I can are fruit jams and tomatoes. Freezing is much easier than canning but it does take up room in the freezer which can be at a premium if you only have the one that goes with the fridge. Thanks for the info about blanching, I was wondering myself.
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