One of the things that makes me crazy (and I don’t think I’m alone) is buying onions, celery, and carrots only to find that before you know it, the carrots and celery are like rubber, and the onions are growing more of their own. That’s why freezing soup is a great idea.
And just like you, I was wondering what these veggies will taste like, after I defrost them. So I did a little experiment.
Do these vegetables freeze well?
Absolutely! But I do have some Chefs Tips for you. If you want to build the flavor first, then freeze that’s a much smarter idea. If you’re using these items to create a soup for example, and you know that the carrots and celery are gonna get slightly softer, you might as well build in the flavor first.
And what do we mean by building the flavor?
Building the flavor has to do with seasoning and cooking ever so slightly. So with the onions, for example we’re not looking for them to get brown. Let me qualify: if we’re not doing French Onion Soup, we don’t need them to get Brown.
And if you’re using Stainless steel always remember to heat the pan first.
How do you know when the pan is hot enough?
Simply put your fingers in water and drip a little bit into the pan and you’ll see the water will pop and circle in the pan. Of course you’re going to do that before you put any Ghee (clarified butter) or oil into the pan. And the purpose of heating the pan is all the pores in the stainless steel swell a little and come together and that’s why nothing sticks to it.
Aaah … you say you did not know that stainless steel is nonstick? Well, there are two ways that we know it is nonstick. The first is by heating it and the second is: just before it’s almost done add a half a teaspoon of water. That will quickly steam an egg, for example, and loosen anything that’s stuck to the bottom. For these veggies, it makes what little bits stick become part of the flavor.
Getting back to building flavor …
So you’re putting the onions in with a little bit of fat, preferably clarified
butter, avocado, oil, or coconut oil. Those are the ones your body can process.
Lightly season with a little bit of salt and pepper on medium heat. It’s also fun to add spices. So when you see carrots, you should think cinnamon. When you see onions, you should think parsley or cilantro if you prefer that. And there’s no reason why you can’t take some celery, salt or celery powder or garlic powder for that matter and sprinkle it gently over the mixture.
Do we freeze the broth as well?
Absolutely! But you’re only gonna put a little bit of broth in with all those vegetables. The nutrients may leach a little into the broth, but hey, you’re gonna be eating the whole thing right?
Now I will say there are special silicone soup rectangles that are bigger than just ice cubes and will give you a real portion of soup. That’s what I use. But if you want a sauce or stew, these flavor profiles will work in any cuisine. That’s how you build more flavor into your soups, sauces, and stews.
The Chef Marian Kitchen Confident rule is to ‘save time save money and eat healthier.’
I think I’ve done that for you today. I hope it’s something you’ve never thought of and you’re scratching your head and saying, “Wow. That’s a good idea.”
With garlic, gusto and gratitude,
Chef Marian🥂
📧 ChefMarianKitchenConfident@gmail.com
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