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Winter is a period when vegetables in stores tend to be expensive and often do not have as good and pronounced a flavor as in the summer or autumn months.
So if you have a refrigerator equipped with a freezer compartment or drawers, or alternatively you have a separate freezer, you can use part of their capacity to store a prepared vegetable mix that will often come in handy during the winter months.
Preparing frozen vegetables does require some effort and time, but we are sure that in winter you will be glad that you prepared the vegetables for the colder period.
Tips for properly freezing vegetables
For preparing vegetables for freezing and long-term storage there are several basic rules that are good to know:
- it is recommended to freeze vegetables in such portions that suit you and that will no longer need to be divided (which is difficult when frozen)
- always wash the vegetables thoroughly and then dry them properly to prevent excessive accumulation of ice crystals after freezing
- you can freeze vegetables by type or create a colorful and flavorful mix from smaller cubes
- for storing vegetables, for both space and hygiene reasons it is best to use bags intended specifically for use in freezers
- if you have the option, it is ideal to remove the air from the bags.
Freezing mushrooms
Some people avoid freezing mushrooms at home because they are not sure of the correct procedure.
It is important to clean mushrooms thoroughly before freezing, using a knife, or alternatively a scraper and paper towels. It is recommended to avoid using water when cleaning them.
As for the shapes suitable for cutting mushrooms, depending on their size you can leave them whole or cut them into halves or quarters.
When it comes to the use of frozen mushrooms, it is very broad; you can put them on homemade pizza, into a mushroom sauce, or serve them with meat, most often beef or pork.
Another possible way to freeze mushrooms is to slice the cleaned mushrooms thinly, sauté them briefly in oil and then add an appropriate amount of water and braise them until tender. Let the braised mushrooms cool and then divide the mixture into individual portions into bags and freeze. Mushrooms prepared this way can be used as a base for scrambled eggs or also with meat, with the great advantage being that the mushrooms are already cooked and their preparation will therefore be easier.
