FREEZING AUTUMN VEGETABLES

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31330, 29 March 1967, Page 2

FREEZING AUTUMN VEGETABLES

Freezing has many advantages over the traditional method of food preservation especially for vegetables which are hard to preserve by bottling. The low temperatures in a freezer reduce enzyme activity and inactivate the organisms that spoil food. It remains in a state of arrested development until it is needed and emerges from the freezer in garden-fresh condition.

Preparing, packaging and freezing are the three simple steps to storing vegetables for out-of-sea-son use. The Department of University Extension at the University of Otago recommends blanching as an essential step in the preparation of vegetables for the freezer. It scalds the surface and destroys contaminating organisms which might cause spoilage. This short pre-cook also slows down the action of enzymes which bring about deterioration in colour, flavour and texture during storage. It is important to cool the vegetables as rapidly as possible after blanching and to package and freeze them without delay. This reduces the risk of spoilage organisms developing and ensures that the vegetables are in first-class condition for eating. TOMATOES Whole tomatoes can be frozen, but the results are not satisfactory. When thawed, the tomatoes collapse and become mushy. It is therefore recommended that tomatoes be made into pulp or juice before freezing. Tomato Juice Choose sound, well-ripened tomatoes. Wash well to remove dust or sprays then cut into pieces, removing the core and any green parts. Place in large pan, crush slightly and bring just to the boil. Simmer till skins loosen. Strain through a sieve, pressing out the juice with a wooden spoon. Add a teaspoon of salt to each quart of juice. Cool and pack in leak-proof containers leaving half-an-inch headspace. Seal tightly and freeze immediately. Tomato Pulp Choose sound ripe fruit. Wash and skin if to be used for stews and casseroles. Cut into quarters or eighths according to size. Simmer gently in large pan for five to 10 minutes, or until tender. Cool quickly, add a teaspoon of salt to each quart of tomatoes and pack skinned tomatoes in leakproof containers, allowing half an inch for expansion. Freeze. Tomatoes intended for soups and sauces need not be skinned before cooking. Press the cooked pulp through a sieve or food mill, add salt (a teaspoon to a quart). Cool. Pack and freeze in leakproof containers, allowing half an inch head space. CORN Corn-on-the-cob Choose evenly filled cobs of uniform size. Yellow varieties freeze best The milky juice should spurt from a kernel when it is pressed with a finger nail. Husk the cobs and

remove the silk. Wash, sort, and trim the ends. Blanch in boiling water or steam. Use plenty of water and allow six minutes for small cobs, eight minutes for medium sizes, and 10 minutes for large cobs. For steam blanching increase times by one minute. Drain and chill cobs quickly. Wrap in aluminium foil or moisturevapour proof paper, and freeze immediately. Once frozen, cobs may be packed in bags or cartons.

Cream-style Corn Cobs may be slightly riper than for corn-on-thecob, but the juice should be creamy, and not starchy. Prepare the cobs as above, and blanch four minutes in water or five minutes in steam. Work in small quantities so that the kernels are scalded quickly. Cool speedily, and slice the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. Cut through the centre of the kernels and then scrape the remaining pulp from the cob with the back of a knife. Pack into leak-proof containers leaving half-an-inch headspace. Freeze immediately.

Whole Kernel Cohn Choose cobs in which the milk is thin and sweet. Proceed as for cream style corn, but cut off the kernels as dose as possible to the cob, so that they remain whole. MUSHROOMS Select fresh young mushrooms for freezing. Wash them if dusty or soiled, but wiping with a damp cloth is preferable. Sort them into groups according to quality. Small perfect mushrooms are left whole, larger ones are cut into quarters, and broken or blemished specimens are sliced.

A good though expensive way of blanching is to saute the mushrooms in a little melted butter for about four minutes, or until they are limp but not brown. Cool quickly in single layers in flat dishes, over cracked ice if this can be arranged. Otherwise steam blanching gives better results than water blanching, although this method may be used. Allow five minutes blanching time for whole mushrooms, four minutes for button mushrooms or quarters, and three minutes for sliced mushrooms. For water blanching, reduce the times by one minute. Cool quickly, using ice water where possible. If darkening of the mushrooms is noted when blanching the first batch; soak succeeding matches for five minutes in water containing lemon juice or citric acid (a teaspoon to a pint) before blanching. Pack in moisture vapour-proof containers and freeze quickly.