Recipes

How to Save Summer Flavors – 2004

To preserve summer produce, start with just picked farm stand vegetables.  Wash and trim and prep produce as if you were cooking it now.  Remove all stems; core tomatoes, strawberries; string snap peas and green beans, and remove tips; shuck silk corn.

*Blanch most vegetables.  Boil in unsalted water, microwave or steam for about half the usual cooking time; plunge into ice water.  Freeze corn on the cob without blanching and use within 3months. Veggies skin and seed easily when thawed for quick sauces and salsas.

*Tray freeze berries and sliced fruit: Spread berries, peeled sliced peaches, unpeeled sliced nectarines on cookie sheets. Toss fruit with half sugar half water syrup mixture to prevent browning. Pop in freezer for a couple hours, then package tightly.  Use when needed.