The hearts and the other Chinese cabbage I'm hoping will just store in the fridge for July's greens. But the bok choy and the outer leaves of the Michihili don't keep as well. And I had tens of pounds of these. So last Friday I finally got to chopping it up and blanching it all. Well not all. But I did four batches that day which is probably enough for now. It made 30 little baggies full of blanched choy. Each one had about 3/4 of a cup, which is about how much I'd want in one of my stir fries. It will also be used in soups.
I've never blanched and frozen either broccoli or any of the choys. I'm a really picky eater sometimes. I don't like limp veggies. But in stir fries and soups they ought to be fine. And I'm praying the broccoli works out. I would so love broccoli in the winter.
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I've frozen Asian veggies and they turn out just fine. I usually cook the frozen ones in the juice when I braise some type of meat. It tastes wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThe frozen broccoli will be just fine as long as you only cook it for a few more minutes. Then it won't be mussy. I hate mussy veggies too.
Too bad about your vacuum sealer. Keep an eye open they are always having really good sales on them on-line.
Looks great. I thought my broccoli would be limp too when it came out of the freezer. However it is nice and crisp like I just picked it. I just take it out of the freezer remove the bag and plop it into my steamer on the stove top. Once it starts to steam and all the ice is gone(usually 5 mins or less) I serve them.
ReplyDeleteI think you're going to be very glad you froze them. Broccoli puree soup is another great way to freeze broccoli. It has the added bonus of being prepared ahead of time.
ReplyDeleteWe try to avoid blanching when we can as well. Your right it makes for soggy veggies.
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the choy, but I have always had good luck freezing broccoli after a fast blanching process. I did not get enough extra broccoli this year to freeze any (at least not from the spring planted crop).
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome to have enough broccoli to freeze! I need to plant more broccoli in the fall or perhaps in the spring I should set-up an air conditioner tunnel for my broccoli ;)
ReplyDeleteI freeze broccoli, I'm lazy, just steam in microwave until they green up and soften slightly then into ziplock and straight into freezer, steam again when wanted or add to stir fries
ReplyDeleteIf your broccoli is too mushy for anything else I really like it pureed in a pesto - garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan and with or without the basil. Then tossed through pasta.
ReplyDeleteOur sealer doesn't seal well either. It's an every-other-time kind of deal.... and it's fairly new and hardly used. Frustrating, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteNice haul on the plants. I've been making spinach pesto, radish pickles and bread & butter pickles. With all the work I have to do in the yard and all my kids, I can't keep up!!