Sara Lewis - Freeze & Easy: Fabulous food and new ideas for making the most of your freezer

First published in the United Kingdom by
PAVILION BOOKS
10 Southcombe Street
London W14 ORA

An imprint of Anova Books Company Ltd

Text Sara Lewis
Design and layout Anova Books 2013
Photography Karen Thomas 2013

The moral right of the author has been asserted

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced, or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the prior permission of the publishers.

First eBook publication 2013
ISBN: 978-1-909108-89-9
Also available in hardback
ISBN: 978-1-909108-02-8

Senior commissioning editor: Becca Spry
Art director and cover: Georgina Hewitt
Design: Maru Studio
Photographer: Karen Thomas
Food styling: Sara Lewis
Food styling assistant: Andrew Lewis
Stylist: Wei Tang
Editor: Maggie Ramsay
Production: Laura Brodie
Digital Editor: Giney Sapera

Paper swatches used throughout PIE Books

Notes

Medium eggs are used.

Some dishes contain nuts or nut derivatives. It is advisable for those with known allergic reactions or who may be potentially vulnerable pregnant and nursing mothers, invalids, the elderly, babies and children to avoid these recipes.

If using a fan-assisted oven, reduce the temperature by 10 or 20C; see your manufacturers handbook for details.

Microwave timings have been tested in a 750 watt oven: if your machine is more powerful, reduce the timings slightly; increase timings for a lower wattage machine.

How many of us really make the most of our freezer? Many of us buy things that are on special offer, freeze them and then forget about them, or make a dish for another day but neglect to label it before we freeze it. Most people store a loaf of bread, a pack of frozen peas and the all-important tub of ice-cream in the freezer. But it can do so much more. In this book youll find recipes and tips to make your freezer really work for you, saving you time and money.

COOK TWO, FREEZE ONE

Having a big cook-up can really save time in the kitchen. You may need to allow an extra 15 minutes or so to chop veggies and prepare meat or fish, but the cooking time will be the same whether you are making one meal or two. Freeze in portion sizes that will be most useful to you: for four, two, or individual servings if your family eats at different times.

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK

During the week, take out as many portions as you need and leave in the fridge to thaw overnight. Next day youve got a healthy ready meal freeing you up to help to get on with your life.

BRILLIANT FOR BABY FOOD

Freeze smooth baby dinners in an ice-cube tray, then pop the frozen cubes into a plastic bag, and microwave when needed them. As your babys appetite grows, simply thaw more ice-cubes at once. When he or she moves on to more roughly chopped food, pack mini-dinners in plastic containers. A word of warning: some microwaves heat unevenly, so stir the food once during reheating and once again before serving.

FAB FOR FADDY KIDS

Batch-cook and freeze your childrens favourites and youll always have a healthy supper at the ready.

GET AHEAD

If you have invited friends over, prepare some or all of the meal in advance and freeze it, so you can enjoy their company rather than being tied to the kitchen. The freezer really comes into its own at Christmas and on other special occasions, when there are so many things to prepare.

A freezer needs to run at -18C/0F or lower. Some freezers have a digital indicator for easy checking; if yours doesnt, its worth buying a small freezer thermometer.

Dont site the freezer next to the cooker or a sunny window. Freestanding models need a little space at the back for air to circulate so that they work efficiently. Once a month or, in real life, every three months remove fluff and dust from the coils at the back to improve the efficiency of the freezer and reduce energy consumption.

Wrap and label food before you freeze it.

Never put warm or hot foods in the freezer. Cool cooked foods quickly by putting the container into a bowl of cold water with a large ice block.

Sort through the freezer from time to time to check whats in there. You can freeze most cooked food for up to 2 months. Use up older items before newer ones that may be at the front or on top.

Add no more than 10 per cent of the freezer capacity of previously unfrozen food at one time. If you are planning on adding lots of veggies from the garden or cooking for a party, think about doing it in a couple of batches. Set the freezer to fast-freeze so that it is extra-cold. Allow a little space between packages so that cold air can circulate freely. When the food is frozen, restack items close together.

Most homegrown vegetables must be blanched before freezing (see ). Freeze as soon as possible after picking them.

Freezers run more efficiently when full. If yours looks a bit empty, fill the gaps with a few loaves of bread, tubs of ice-cream or frozen veg.

Open the door for as short a time as possible. It takes 30 minutes for the temperature to chill down again each time you open it. If there are young children in the house you might want to use a plastic freezer lock so the door doesnt get left open accidentally.

Thaw the freezer every 6 months, or as soon as there is a build-up of ice.

MAKE THE MOST OF SUPERMARKET OFFERS

Buy-one-get-one-free offers can be a genuine money-saver if you put the free one straight into the freezer (assuming it is freezable). But check on the pack that the item hasnt been previously frozen.

BENEFIT FROM VEGETABLES AND FRUIT IN SEASON

A bumper crop in your garden or a visit to a pick-your-own farm can result in healthy and thrifty meals. Blanch vegetables and freeze in portions, make into soups and sauces, or use in casseroles and baked dishes. Even lettuce makes a delicious soup that can be frozen. Open-freeze berries (see ) before packing and labelling, or pure them with sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice to make a sauce for ice-creams and desserts, or to drizzle over yogurt for breakfast. Cook large batches of fruit with sugar and a little water or wine and flavour with finely grated lemon or orange zest, cinnamon or ginger to make a compote, pie filling or crumble base.

SAVE TIME AND MONEY WITH READY-FROZEN VEGETABLES

Frozen veg can be cheaper than their fresh counterparts, especially in winter, and are just as high in vitamins and minerals in fact they often have a higher vitamin content because they havent been hanging around in storage. Better to use some frozen veg than to buy fresh ones and not have time to use them so they go to waste.

FREEZE LEFTOVERS FROM A ROAST

Popping something into a freezer bag can save both money and time. But dont be tempted to freeze a pack of chicken breasts or minced (ground) beef that has been lurking in the fridge for a few days because you didnt get round to cooking it by the time its thawed it will be past its best.

Freeze a leftover roast chicken carcass to make stock when you have time.

If you have made too much gravy when cooking a roast, freeze the leftovers in a plastic bag; great for serving with sausages, or to use as the base for a savoury sauce.