Put
summer on ice
Fruit
STOCK UP ON I berries, tomatoes, and stone
fruits like peaches, plums, and nectarines
TO PRESERVE Wash and pat dry with paper
towels. Hull strawberries and cherries and quarter tomatoes, peel, slice, and
toss stone fruits with lemon juice and simple syrup to prevent browning. Place
fruit in a single layer on a baking sheet (to keep it from sticking together)
and freeze; transfer to zip-top bags.
Use Within 3 to 6 months; toss if you
notice crystallization
Veggies
STOCK UP ON zucchini, green beans, peas,
and spinach (avoid produce with a high water content, such as cucumbers)
TO PRESERVE Blanch first: Drop vegetables
in a pot of salted boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes, then plunge into ice water
to halt cooking. After they’ve cooled. dry with paper towels, spread on a
baking sheet, and freeze: transfer to zip-top bags.
Use Within 3 to 6 months
Herbs
Stock
up on dill, rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, basil, parsley, and cilantro
STOCK UP ON dill, rosemary, thyme, sage,
oregano, basil. parsley and cilantro
TO PRESERVE Separate leaves from stems,
then wash and pat dry. Chop, add 1 tablespoon of herbs to each well of a
flexible ice cube tray, and fill with water Once frozen, remove cubes and store
in a zip-top bag. The next time a soup, sauce, or stew recipe calls for fresh
herbs, simply pop in a cube.
Use Within 12 months
Tip: when freezing produce in bags, leave a
bit of space at the top for expansion.