Tips on cleaning and freezing vegetables

We all know how important it is to eat our veggies, since they are packed with important vitamins and minerals. Here are some tips on how to thoroughly clean and freeze these nutritional powerhouses.

Vegetables should be cleaned before they're eaten, especially when the skin will be consumed. Some, such as potatoes, mushrooms and spinach, hold on to the dirt they were grown in and require more careful cleaning than others.

Leafy greens: Soak them in a sink filled with cold water, swirling the leaves around a few times to be sure all grit and sand is removed. Remove the greens from the water and inspect them for signs of dirt and grit. If still dirty, wash them again in clean water. Greens that come straight from the farm may need washing several times.

Mushrooms: Wipe them with a dry paper towel or use a soft-bristled brush designed for the purpose to remove surface dirt. Avoid cleaning mushrooms with water as they will become soggy.

Root vegetables: Potatoes, carrots and sweet potatoes require a good scrubbing with a ­vegetable brush to remove all pockets of dirt. Cut out any soft, mouldy or soggy parts with a knife. You should not have to peel carrots unless the skin has dried out or is unusually dirty.

Smooth-skinned ­vegetables: Zucchini, tomatoes, ­eggplant and peppers should be held under cool water and gently rubbed to remove residual dirt and chemicals.

Vegetables that are to be frozen must always be thoroughly cleaned and trimmed. Most need to be precooked by blanching in boiling water. Not all vegetables freeze successfully.

• Asparagus, for instance, breaks down and becomes limp and watery when thawed.
• Other vegetables that freeze poorly include beets, whole or cut-up carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, fennel, salad greens, leeks, potatoes, radishes, zucchini and other summer squash.

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