Fresh herbs to egg whites to bread – follow my guide
Nothing keeps indefinitely. Rather than see food go to waste, the best cook will find ways of using it up or storing it. One of the safest ways to preserve food, whether raw or cooked, is to freeze it.
The problem is that some people treat their freezer like a time capsule, something to come back to in ten years’ time. Food doesn’t keep indefinitely and does deteriorate over time, even in the freezer. Nothing beats fresh food after all. Here are some ground rules on what and what not to freeze, and how long to store it for.
Remember to keep all produce well wrapped to protect it from ‘freezer burn’ caused by prolonged exposure to freezing cold air.
Fresh herbs
Hard herbs like sage, rosemary and thyme freeze best. Keep for up to three months. Soft herbs lose colour and structure.
Eggs
Whole eggs and separated yolks can’t be frozen, but egg whites will keep for up to six months. They are best thawed in the fridge. Save for meringues and baking.
Bread
Best used within the month. Pastries and cakes freeze well, but not if they’re filled with icing, custard or cream.
Vegetables
Veg with a high water content, e.g. salads and tomatoes, don’t freeze well. Cooked tomatoes, however, do. Freezing damages the structure of vegetables, so best results are obtained by blanching (plunging in boiling water for a minute or two). Pureed vegetables freeze very well.
Meat
Never refreeze thawed meat. Cook it, then refreeze if you must. Raw meat will keep for six months, even up to a year. Use cooked and cured meats (e.g. bacon) within a month if possible.
Berries
Keep a glut of summer fruits in the freezer to use year round. Frozen in layers, they won’t clump together. Most other fruits discolour when frozen. You can freeze strawberries, but they will go slightly mushy – not great for strawberries and cream, but ok for jams, smoothies or baking.
Cheese
Hard cheeses can be frozen, but only use them in cooked dishes after thawing. Freeze any leftover Stilton for up to three months, thaw it slowly overnight in the fridge, and use it in soups, such as broccoli and Stilton soup, or pasta sauces.
Fish
Freeze as soon as possible after it’s caught. Keep for up to three months.
Milk
Surprisingly, milk can be frozen. Its colour, when frozen, is off-putting but it returns to normal on defrosting.
Wine
Rather than waste your leftover wine, do remember that it can be frozen. The simplest and handiest way to store it in the freezer is in an ice cube tray. Use the frozen wine for cooking, adding it to sauces and stews as needed.
