Asparagus, or asparagus beans, ripens for use by the end of spring - the beginning of summer. Thin green pods taste good and have a large amount of nutrients in the composition. Therefore, it is not surprising that many housewives try to extend the asparagus season on the table, even in autumn and winter. And freezing comes to the rescue in this matter.
Useful Asparagus
In the preparation of soups, salads, main dishes, it is green beans that are used, because it tastes softer, and there are more vitamins in it.
Did you know? Asparagus must be included in the menu of a pregnant woman or woman planning a pregnancy, since it contains a large amount of folic acid.
Nutritionists recommend this vegetable to almost everyone, because it is rich in such substances:
- proteins;
- cellulose;
- amino acids (tyrosine, lysine, methionine, etc.);
- gluconin, a positive effect on the metabolism of sugar in the body;
- B vitamins;
- calcium;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- phosphorus and others
Due to the presence of gluconin, asparagus beans are useful for diabetics. And given that the calorie content of this product is only 25 kcal per 100 g, then those who want to lose weight should also pay attention to it.
Is it possible to freeze asparagus
Asparagus is actively frozen both at home and on an industrial scale. Many people prefer to buy ready-made products, but if you can freeze the vegetable yourself, then it is worth using it.
Preparation for freezing
To find out whether it is possible to freeze the selected pods, just pierce them slightly with a fingernail. In case of asparagus suitable for these purposes, the flaps will be soft, easy to open, and if this is not possible, then the specimens are overripe. Any varieties of this product, including the popular Peruvian asparagus, are suitable for freezing.
In general, the process of preparing vegetables is as follows:Important! Drying vegetables should be required. If wet beans are in a bag in the freezer, then, having frozen, it will turn into a solid lump.
- Selected pods should be sorted out, eliminating deformed and overripe.
- After they are washed under running cold water.
- Then, with scissors, the ends of the blades are removed from both sides.
- Prepared copies are laid out on a dry towel or clean paper to dry. At this stage of preparation, asparagus can be cut into pieces for easy storage and future use.
It is worth preparing not only asparagus, but also containers for its storage. It is most convenient to use plastic bagswhere you can immediately pack the vegetables in portions so that if necessary you can cook the entire contents of the bag at a time. Small trays are also suitable for these purposes, but they take up more space in the freezer during storage.
How to freeze green asparagus for the winter
There is no one right recipe for freezing beans. Each hostess makes this the most convenient method for herself. The easiest way is to prepare fresh asparagus. To do this, it is enough, after drying, to spread it on a board or paper and send it to the freezer. As soon as the pods are frozen, they are placed in a bag for further storage at low temperatures.
If there is time and desire, then you can pre-blanch the vegetables:Did you know? Fresh asparagus beans are odorless, therefore, choosing it in the market, you can safely smell the product. If there is even the slightest aroma, then the vegetables are already starting to deteriorate.
- Put a pot of water on the fire and bring it to a boil.
- Prepared beans are thrown into boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- After it is removed from the stove and cooled. To speed up the process, it is advisable to add ice to the liquid.
- Another 10 minutes, the pods are kept in water, after which they are laid out to dry, and then frozen.
The combination of asparagus with other products
Frozen green beans practically do not differ in taste and useful properties from fresh ones, so it can be safely added to the same dishes.
You can use it as:
- garnish for meat, fish, poultry, offal;
- a full dish along with other vegetables in the stew;
- ingredient for meat and vegetable salads;
- independent snack between the main meals.
Frozen Asparagus Tips
Many lovers of homemade freezer blanks often forget that the product must not only be properly frozen and stored, but also thawed in accordance with the technology. Otherwise, he will lose his taste.
The same goes for asparagus. When planning to use it in any dish, and especially in a salad, you need to first get a portion of the pods from the freezer and leave them to thaw in the refrigerator. If you try to speed up this process and defrost beans in room conditions, then such shock therapy will still negatively affect its taste.
In winter, the human body is severely short of summer greens and a variety of vitamins, therefore, do not miss the opportunity to stock up for future use with the freezer. Moreover, asparagus beans are a product recommended by adults and children and very rarely have contraindications.
