General Chat

......love sprouts, and swede......Dad used to say they were not good enough until they had a heavy frost on them.......something to do with making them sweeter.....

Yes, and mine is what I am used to.
I seem to remember a saying about not teaching your grandmother to suck eggs.
Good Night
Julia in Derbyshire

I would never put veg into the freezer unless blanched.

Bob, at least your sprouts saw the boiling water, which is better than not at all.
Julia in Derbyshire

basically all I did was have a big pot of slightly salted water boiling, drop a couple of handfuls in a quick stir and out onto a tray, to drain off and when there was a tray full i'd slip a plastic bag over the tray and pop it into the freezer.
(helps keep the aroma in.........LOL)
Bob

As someone who has blanched vegetables for the freezer for the past five decades, I would not advocate putting them in the freezer unblanched.
I experimented with this method a few years ago, and found the vegetables, when defrosted were nothing but a pile of 'mush'.
The purpose of blanching is to kill any bugs or impurities that may be inside the vegetables, and is part of the cleaning for the freezer process.
I only bring the vegetable in question, up to the boil, and give them one minute to boil. Then I strain them, and submerge in cold water. After a while I refresh with more cold water, before straining and allowing to dry out a little, before bagging up.
I have been cooking for many years and have had a large family to cater for,and I ain't killed no-one yet.
Old methods, are sometimes the best
Julia in Derbyshire

Baby cabbages thats what they are lol

When I was at work, some colleagues had allotments or smallholdings and invariably excess veg would find its way into the factory.

sprouts that have had a bit of frost on em......gain that extra bit of bite......and it is very hard when passing a sack of sprouts to avoid nicking one or two........RAW...........absolutely lovely......
this time of year is THE time.........I used to come home from nights, with a couple of stone of sprouts,trim and blanche a few pounds at a time. in the morning....and freeze them.....free flow.....
Bob

there is, on a cd called "Guide cats, for the blind"
a diity called

"Sprouts are not to be eaten!!"

Bob

I don't like veg overdone but neither do I like it too underdone, especially cauli and sprouts. I prefer baby sprouts and serve them (after steaming) with chopped bacon and a little bit of butter. Or sometimes with chopped walnuts.

Gives me wind just looking at this post lol

Give me 3 oranges any day !!!!!!!

Sprouts have Three times more vitamin C Weight for Weight than Oranges.

i love the butlers sprout burgers

i love veg, but it has to be soggy lol dnt do this al denta lolol xxx

Yes I agree Lady Cutie, all veggies taste better steamed, and in particular sprouts.
Julia in Derbyshire

I love sprouts lol
but i steam all my veg in my steamer
much better than boiling in a pan lol
Hazelx

Julia,My Mum boiled EVERYTHING for 40 mins....lol

It's always in the cooking of sprouts. I am sure that is what puts people off. Just simmer gently until aldente. It is the same with cabbage, which I am going to cook soon. Just put half an inch of water in the pan, add salt, a good sprinkling of pepper, and a small knob of butter. Bring the cabbage to the boil and turn down onto very low, put on lid,and allow to more or less steam. People are so used to boiling green vegetables to death, and there is no need.
Julia in Derbyshire

My mum (bless her ) used to boil the sprouts for that long they turned to a greyish pink colour and when she droped them on the plate they turned into mush,
youv'e never have had a christmas dinner until you had my mums,she would have done Kitty proud,
but it was the best day of the year when we all got together.