for freezing—For vegetables, use meal-size plastic freezer containers and freezer bags. Pack items tightly to reduce the air in the package, but leave a ½-inch gap at the top to allow for expansion. This provision for headroom is not necessary for foods such as broccoli, asparagus and Brussels sprouts, which do not pack tightly in containers.
A Guide to Preparing Vegetables for Freezing
ARTICHOKES Wash and remove the outer leaves. Cut off the bottom end of the stem and trim the top. Water-blanch for 8 to 10 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and then dry-pack in freezer bags.
ASPARAGUS Wash the spears and trim the ends. Use a vegetable peeler to remove tough parts. Water-blanch for 2 to 4 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Pat dry and pack in freezer containers.
BEETS Scrub the beets and trim the tops. Beets must be cooked before freezing. Preheat oven to 400°F and place the beets in an ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour or until beets are tender. Cool the baked beets, skin them and pack in freezer containers.
BROCCOLI Trim away all leaves and wash away any insects or debris. Cut the stalks to a uniform size. Water-blanch for 3 to 4 minutes or steam-blanch for 6 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and pack in freezer containers.
BRUSSELS SPROUTS Wash and trim the outer leaves. Water-blanch for 3 to 5 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Pat dry and pack in freezer bags.
CABBAGE Wash the head and discard outer leaves. To remove whole leaves for freezing, cut around the core of the cabbage to loosen them. You can also cut it into wedges. Water-blanch until the outer layer is translucent. Cool for 5 minutes and blanch again. If you are using cabbage wedges, blanch and cool 2 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and pack leaves flat with wax paper separating the layers. Or transfer wedges to freezer containers.
CARROTS Wash and peel if desired. Water-blanch for 5 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and pack in freezer containers.
CAULIFLOWER Discard the leaves and stems and wash the head carefully. Break into florets. Water-blanch for 4 to 6 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and pack in freezer bags.
CELERY Wash, peel and cut into cubes or rounds. Water-blanch for 4 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and pack in freezer bags.
CORN Remove husks and silk from ears. Leave cobs whole, or just retain kernels. Water-blanch for 5 to 8 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Pat dry and pack in freezer bags.
EGGPLANT Wash, peel and cut into ½-inch (1.25-cm) thick slices or cubes. Squeeze lemon juice over them to prevent discoloration. Water-blanch for 3 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and freeze on a tray with wax paper for easy removal. Pack in freezer containers or bags.
GREEN BEANS Trim off the ends with a knife and remove any that are wrinkled, damaged or discolored. Water-blanch for 4 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Pat dry and freeze on a tray; then pack in freezer bags.
LEEKS Trim, wash thoroughly, and cut into chunks. Water-blanch for 1 minute; follow with ice-water plunge. Let dry and pack in freezer bags.
LIMA BEANS Discard any beans that are not perfect. Water-blanch for 2 to 4 minutes; follow with ice-water plunge. Pat dry and freeze on a tray; then pack in freezer bags.
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