ARTICHOKE HEARTS
|
Select those with uniformly green color, compact globes and tightly adhering leaves. Remove all leaves and choke, or fuzzy portion. The portion that is left at the base is the heart. Wash hearts in cold water and drain. Water blanch. Cool, drain and pack, leaving no head space. Seal and freeze. |
7 minutes |
ASPARAGUS |
Wash thoroughly; sort by size. Cut into 2-inch lengths or leave in spears. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. |
Small stalks – 2 minutes; Medium stalks – 3 minutes; Large stalks – 4 minutes
|
BEANS, lima |
Select beans ready for table use with slightly rounded, bright green pods. Shell, wash and sort according to size. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
Small beans – 2 minutes; Medium beans – 3 minutes; Large beans – 4 minutes
|
BEANS, green or wax |
Select young, tender beans. Wash and remove ends. Leave whole, slice or cut into 1- to 1½-inch lengths. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
3 minutes |
BEETS
|
Wash and sort according to size. Trim tops, leaving ½-inch of stem. Cook in boiling water until tender. Cool, peel and cut into slices or cubes. Package, seal and freeze.
|
Small beets – 25 to 30 mins; Medium beets – 45 to 50 mins
|
BROCCOLI |
Wash and trim. If insects are present, soak ½ hour in a solution of 4 teaspoons salt to 1 gallon of cold water. Split lengthwise into pieces no more than 1½ inches across. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
In water – 3 minutes; In steam – 5 minutes
|
BRUSSELS SPROUTS |
Select green, firm, compact heads. Make sure no insects are present. Trim, removing coarse outer leaves. Wash and sort. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
Small – 3 minutes; Medium – 4 minutes; Large – 5 minutes
|
CABBAGE (for cooked dishes) |
Select fresh, compact heads. Remove coarse outer leaves. Cut into medium or coarse shreds, thin wedges or separate leaves. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
1½ minutes |
CARROTS
|
Select tender, mild-flavored carrots. Remove tops. Wash and peel. Leave small carrots whole.
Cut others into ¼-inch cubes, thin slices or lengthwise strips. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
Small, whole – 5 minutes
Diced, sliced or strips – 2 minutes
|
CAULIFLOWER
|
Choose tender, firm, snow-white heads. Break into pieces about 1 inch across. Wash. If insects are present, soak ½ hour in a solution of 4 teaspoons salt to 1 gallon of cold water. Drain. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
3 minutes |
CELERY
|
Select crisp, tender stalks free from coarse strings. Wash thoroughly, trim and cut stalks into 1-inch lengths. Water blanch. Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving no head space. Seal and freeze.
|
3 minutes |
CORN, sweet, whole kernel and creamed
.
|
Select ears with plump kernels and thin, sweet milk. Husk ears, remove silk and wash. Blanch, cool and drain. For whole-kernel corn, cut corn off cob about b the depth of kernels. For cream-style corn, cut at ½ the depth of kernels and scrape cob with back of knife to remove juice. Package, seal and freeze.
|
4 minutes
|
CORN, on the cob |
Select ears with plump kernels and thin, sweet milk. Husk ears, remove silk and wash. Sort ears according to size:
- small ears – 1¼ inches or less in diameter;
- medium ears – 1¼-1½ inches in diameter
- arge ears – more than 1½ inches in diameter.
Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
Medium ears – 9 minutes
Large ears – 11 minutes
|
EGGPLANT |
Wash, peel and slice into slices a-inch thick. Water blanch four minutes in 1 gallon of boiling water containing ½ cup lemon juice, then cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
|
4 minutes |
GREENS, beet greens, collards, chard, kale, mustard greens, spinach, turnip greens |
Select tender leaves. Wash and remove stems. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. |
Collards – 3 minutes
Other greens – 2 minutes
|
KOHLRABI
|
Select young, tender, mild-flavored kohlrabi. Remove tops and roots. Wash, peel and leave whole or dice into ½-inch cubes. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. |
Whole – 3 minutes
Cubes – 1 minute
|
MUSHROOMS |
Choose mushrooms free of spots. Sort by size; wash and trim ends. Blanch, cool and drain. Optional method: Sauté in butter or margarine in an open frying pan until almost tender. Cool in air or set pan in which mushrooms were cooked in cold water. Package, seal and freeze. Mushrooms to be steamed have better color if given anti-darkening treatment first. To do this, dip for five minutes in a solution containing 1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1½ teaspoons citric acid to a pint of water. Then steam, cool, drain and package. |
In steam: Whole – 5 minutes; Button or quarters –3½ minutes; Slices – 3 minutes |
OKRA |
Select young, tender pods and separate into small pods (4 inches or smaller) and large pods. Wash. Remove the stems at the end of the seed cells, being careful not to expose the seed cell. Water blanch. Cool promptly and drain. Leave whole or slice crosswise. Package, leaving ½-inch head space. Seal and freeze. For frying, wash and remove stems. Blanch. Cool promptly and drain. Slice crosswise and dredge with meal or flour. Spread in a single layer on shallow trays. Place in freezer just long enough to freeze firm. Package quickly, leaving ½-inch head space. Seal and freeze. |
Small pods – 3 minutes; Large pods – 4 minutes |
ONIONS |
Choose mature bulbs and clean as for eating. Water blanch until center is heated. Cool promptly, drain and package, leaving head space. Seal and freeze. Young green onions may be used without blanching, but they will not be crisp. Peel, wash and chop. Loosely pack and freeze in large freezer bags. Take out as needed. |
3-7 minutes or no heat treatment needed |
PARSNIPS |
Choose tender small to medium parsnips. Remove tops, wash, peel and cut into ½-inch cubes or slices. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. |
2 minutes |
PEAS, green, snow, sugar or Chinese |
Pick sweet and tender table-ready peas. Shell, blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. Choose table-ready, tender pods. Wash, remove blossom ends and strings. Leave whole. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. |
1½ minutes; Small pods – 1½ minutes; Medium pods – 2 minutes |
PEPPERS, green or hot. |
Select tender, crisp peppers. Wash, cut off stems, remove seeds. Water blanch. Cool promptly, drain and package. Leave ½-inch head space, seal and freeze. Unheated peppers are good for use in uncooked foods due to their crisper texture. Cut into rings or slices as desired. Package raw, leaving no head space. No heat treatment needed. Seal and freeze. |
Halves – 3 minutes; Strips or rings – 2 minutes |
POTATOES |
Wash, peel and cut into ½-inch cubes. Blanch and cool. Package, seal and freeze. For hash browns: cook in jackets until nearly done. Peel, grate and form into desired shape. Freeze. For french fries: select mature potatoes that have been stored 30 days. Peel and cut into strips. Rinse in cold water, then dry thoroughly. Fry in small amounts in deep, hot fat (360 F) for about five minutes or until light golden brown. Drain, cool. Package and freeze. To serve, heat in 475 F oven until golden brown. |
3-5 minutes, depending on size |
PUMPKIN and WINTER SQUASH |
Select mature squash or pumpkins. Wash, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. Cook until soft in boiling water, steam or 350 F oven. Remove pulp from rind. Mash cool, package and freeze. |
Cook until tender |
RUTABAGAS |
Select young, medium-sized rutabagas. Cut off tops, wash and peel. Cut into cubes and water blanch. Cool, drain and pack, leaving ½-inch head space. Seal and freeze. |
3 minutes |
SUMMER SQUASH (ZUCCHINI) |
Select young, tender squash. Wash and cut into ½-inch slices. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze. |
3 minutes |
ZUCCHINI, grated
|
Steam in small quantities until translucent. Pack in amounts used in recipes, allowing head space. Put containers in cold water to cool. Seal and freeze. Drain before using in baking. |
In steam – 1 to 2 minutes |
TOMATOES, juice |
Wash, sort and trim tomatoes. Cut in quarters or eighths. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes. Press through a sieve. Cool. Po9ur into freezer containers. Lave 1½ inch head space. Seal and freeze. |
|
TOMATOES, stewed |
Wash and dip in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen skin, core and peel. Cut into quarters. Cover and cook until tender (10 to 20 minutes). Place pan containing tomatoes in cold water to cool. Pack into freezer containers. Leave 1-inch head space. Seal and freeze. |
|
TOMATOES, raw |
Peel and core tomato as above. Cut into quarters or smaller. Put into freezer containers. Press down with wooden spoon to release juice to cover. Leave 1-inch head space. Seal and freeze. Use in cooking because tomatoes won’t be solid. |
|
TURNIPS |
2 minutes |