Freezing food
AVOCADO: Avocados can be frozen successfully and used in guacamole, dressings and spreads. Just remove the skin and stone, then mash with one tablespoon of lemon juice per avocado and freeze for up to two months.
EGGS: Raw eggs in their shells will expand and crack if frozen. Instead, beat lightly and add a pinch of salt or sugar per egg (depending on whether you’re using them for savoury or sweet dishes), which will help to stop the egg splitting once defrosted.
You can store them in muffin trays or in batches in freezer bags, which can be stored flat. Frozen in this way, eggs will keep well for a month. Egg yolks tend to go unappetisingly rubbery if frozen separately, but whites freeze well and can be used for meringues, etc.
HERBS: Finely chop soft herbs such as mint and parsley and place in ice-cube trays, top up with water or a little olive oil and freeze.
Woody herbs such as rosemary can be frozen whole in plastic food bags. Use from frozen.
WINE: Leftover red and white wine can be kept frozen - although it’s best for cooking rather than drinking, as freezing can cause potassium tartrate crystals to form in the wine. Sometimes called ‘wine diamonds’, these are harmless but don’t look great in a glass.
As with milk, never store wine in the freezer in a glass bottle, as it will probably shatter. Because of its alcohol content, wine will not freeze completely but remain a little soft, so make sure that the container is sealed properly.
EGGS: Raw eggs in their shells will expand and crack if frozen. Instead, beat lightly and add a pinch of salt or sugar per egg (depending on whether you’re using them for savoury or sweet dishes), which will help to stop the egg splitting once defrosted.
You can store them in muffin trays or in batches in freezer bags, which can be stored flat. Frozen in this way, eggs will keep well for a month. Egg yolks tend to go unappetisingly rubbery if frozen separately, but whites freeze well and can be used for meringues, etc.
HERBS: Finely chop soft herbs such as mint and parsley and place in ice-cube trays, top up with water or a little olive oil and freeze.
Woody herbs such as rosemary can be frozen whole in plastic food bags. Use from frozen.
WINE: Leftover red and white wine can be kept frozen - although it’s best for cooking rather than drinking, as freezing can cause potassium tartrate crystals to form in the wine. Sometimes called ‘wine diamonds’, these are harmless but don’t look great in a glass.
As with milk, never store wine in the freezer in a glass bottle, as it will probably shatter. Because of its alcohol content, wine will not freeze completely but remain a little soft, so make sure that the container is sealed properly.