At negative temperatures, the action of various factors, under the influence of which spoilage and oxidation of products occurs, ceases.
Most vitamins, especially C and A, are destroyed under the influence of air and light, so when vegetables are stored for a long time and wither, their vitamin content gradually decreases. When properly and quickly frozen, the fruits retain their beneficial properties and vitamin composition.
A big plus is that before the freezing process, the fruits are washed, peeled and crushed. Before preparing culinary dishes, all that remains is to remove some of the frozen vegetables (greens) and subject them to the necessary heat treatment.
Rules for freezing vegetables:
- Wash the selected fruits, remove damaged parts, cut off the stalks.
- chop the vegetables into the kind of slices that you will need during the winter season when preparing vegetable stews, sauces and frying for first courses.
- Moisture is released from chopped vegetables (greens), which turns into ice in the freezer. It is necessary to first dry the chopped mass by placing it on a towel or tray. Vegetables are ideally dried in special electric dryers.
- To prevent the pieces from sticking together in the freezer, set the trays with dried vegetables to the fast freezing mode and leave for 1-1.5 hours. Then pack in plastic bags or molds and put them back in the freezer.
- When you load new foods into the freezer, the temperature in the freezer rises slightly, so freeze prepared vegetables in small batches.
- vegetables and mixtures for cooking and stewing should be placed in a saucepan or frying pan, without defrosting, directly into boiling broth or fat.
- If possible, do not refreeze the preparations, otherwise they will lose their taste and benefits.
Freezing greens
1. Any spicy herbs, onions, young shoots of garlic, as well as sorrel and spinach are suitable for freezing.
2. To thoroughly rinse the greens from sand and soil, place the bunches in a deep container and rinse in several waters.
3. Chop the prepared twigs finely, place them on a towel and let the excess moisture evaporate.
4. Spread the green mixture into an even ball on the tray and freeze on the fast setting.
5. Pack the greens into small trays (plastic bags). Release the air from the container, pack it tightly, and place it in a storage chamber for further storage.
6. Use frozen greens in the same way as fresh. Sprinkle all kinds of salads, canned food, add a couple of minutes before the hot dish is ready.
Freezing bell peppers
1. Sweet peppers can be frozen whole (for stuffing) or cut into slices (for stewing and frying).
2. Cut off the stem of whole washed fruits and remove the seeds, rinse again, and dry on a towel. Freeze at a temperature of -23°C...-26°C, then arrange the peppers one on one. Wrap the fruits in cling film or pack them in plastic bags and place them in the freezer.
3. To season first courses, chop the pepper into strips or cubes. Dry before freezing. Distribute the pieces into a thin ball on a flat dish and place in the freezer for 2 hours. Then pack them into bags, tie them tightly and put them back in the freezer.
Freezing carrots
1. Carrots often spoil when stored outdoors. Freezing in grated form will help preserve valuable fruits without loss.
2. Wash and peel the carrots, grate using a grater with large holes or chop into thin strips.
3. Dry the crushed mass, freeze it in fast mode, placing it on a tray. Once the carrots have hardened, fill small portions of plastic containers, pack tightly, cover with lids and place in the freezer.
Freezing mixed vegetables
1. To prepare healthy meals during the winter, freeze an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables.
2. Mix the prepared fruits to your liking. Take, for example, equal parts of eggplant and lettuce slices, add grated carrots. Freeze in the same way as bell peppers.
3. Healthy and flavorful dishes are made from frozen cauliflower. For a kilogram of cabbage, take 200 g of carrots, onions and peppers. Disassemble the cabbage into small inflorescences and chop the remaining vegetables. Freeze each cut individually, then mix and pack into bags or containers.
4. To prepare dishes from frozen vegetables, dip the mixture, without defrosting, into boiling broth or tomato sauce.Simmer until cooked, add seasonings, salt, and finally sprinkle with herbs.
