Freezing kale allows you to store it for the future and allows you to benefit from its many properties at any time of the year. The correct way to freeze it is to clean and blanch it in advance to preserve its flavor for longer. Freezing it in small individual portions will also make it easier to defrost and use.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Clean and Blanch the Black Cabbage
Step 1. Prepare everything you need
Before you can freeze the black cabbage, you need to wash it, peel it, blanch it and cool it in water and ice so that it retains its flavor for a long time. Set up everything you need on your kitchen worktop, plus any cabbage you want to freeze, you'll need the following utensils:
- A knife;
- A large pot;
- A large bowl;
- A colander or colander;
- Four clean tea towels;
- A pair of kitchen tongs;
- A slotted spoon.
Step 2. Wash and clean the kale
Rinse the leaves under cold running water to remove any dirt, debris, or get rid of any small insects. Arrange the clean leaves on a kitchen towel to absorb excess water. Cut a small portion of the stems, then slice them into pieces about 2.5cm wide. Set them aside. As for the leaves, you can decide to leave them whole, cut them in half or slice them into strips.
- Black cabbage stalks contain many nutrients, but they can sometimes be tough and stringy. If you prefer, you can freeze only the leaves, which are soft instead.
- If you want to remove the stems, make a clean cut at the base of each leaf, then also remove the midrib if it is too hard or large.
- Cleaning the cabbage before freezing ensures that it is ready for use when needed.
Step 3. Prepare the water for cooking
To blanch the vegetables you must first boil them in boiling water for a few minutes and then immediately immerse them in ice water. Here's what you need to do specifically:
- Fill a large saucepan with water, then bring it to a boil using medium-high heat;
- Prepare the ice bath in a large bowl by filling it with cold water and ice in equal proportions;
- Place a colander or colander in the sink to drain the leaves from the cooking water.
Step 4. Blanch the stems
When the water boils, add the chopped stems, then cook for 3 minutes. Being the thickest and hardest part of the black cabbage, they require a longer cooking time than the leaves.
- Cooking the stems separately from the leaves prevents the risk that the first ones are too raw or the second ones too cooked;
- If you have decided to throw away the stems or prefer to use them in another way, you can blanch the leaves right away.
Step 5. Blanch the leaves
Dip them into boiling water with the help of kitchen tongs. Cook as many leaves as possible, but don't overfill the pot. Boil the leaves for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- If there are a lot of leaves, it is best to blanch them a little at a time. Make sure the water starts boiling again before moving on to the next ones.
- Blanching vegetables in this way kills enzymes and bacteria that can affect their color, taste and destroy nutrients. Eliminating these enzymes therefore allows you to keep the black cabbage longer.
Step 6. Stop the leaves from cooking
Remove them from the boiling water using a slotted spoon, then immediately dip them into the ice-cold water to stop cooking. Leave them to soak for 2 and a half minutes, which is the same amount of time you used for cooking.
- If you need to blanch several leaves over and over, add more ice cubes in between.
- Soaking the black cabbage leaves in ice water preserves their bright green color; moreover, it stops cooking, preventing them from being overcooked.
Step 7. Drain and dry the leaves
Remove them from the boiling water with the slotted spoon, then transfer them to the colander to let the excess water drain. Shake it several times to get rid of as much water as possible.
- Spread two clean tea towels on the kitchen counter. After draining the leaves from most of the water, arrange them neatly on the cloths.
- Use the other two tea towels to gently pat the cabbage in an attempt to dry it out as much as possible.
- Set the leaves aside to finish air drying. The drier they are, the fewer ice crystals that will naturally form during the freezing process, responsible for so-called "freezer burns".
- Drying the leaves is particularly important if you intend to freeze them whole, while it is not necessary if you first intend to blend them to turn them into a puree.
Method 2 of 3: Freeze the whole leaves
Step 1. Divide the kale leaves into portions
Decide the quantity according to your needs, thinking about the recipes you intend to prepare in the future. For example, if you are used to preparing vegetable smoothies, you can divide the leaves into small portions of about 70 g each.
If you already know how you will use the leaves after defrosting them, you can also cut them into suitable sized pieces
Step 2. Bag the cabbage
Each serving will be sealed in a freezer-safe food bag. Before closing them, remember to let out as much air as possible; to get a flawless result, you can vacuum it using a normal straw. Once the straw is removed, seal the bags quickly.
- Air and humidity are the two main causes of cold burns. Allowing the leaves to dry completely and removing all air from the bags will help prevent them from deteriorating
- Of course, you can also use a vacuum machine if you have one, so make sure you remove all the air.
Step 3. Label the bags
Use a permanent marker to specify the contents, quantity and today's date on the outside of each bag. At the time of use, you will know exactly how many portions to defrost and how long they have been in the freezer.
This step is very important because even if at this moment you know exactly how much black cabbage is in each bag, after a few months it is likely to be forgotten
Step 4. Return the bags to the freezer
Once sealed and labeled, you can finally put them in the freezer. Blanched, immersed in ice water, bagged and deprived of air, the black cabbage should last for up to 12 months.
Upon use, you can remove the exact amount of cabbage you need from the freezer and immediately add it to a recipe or let it defrost for an hour before cutting as desired
Method 3 of 3: Freeze the Kale in Puree Form
Step 1. Blend the kale
Cut it into four parts, then put a few handfuls of leaves in the blender. Measure 240ml of water and pour some on the leaves. Turn on the blender at short intervals to start chopping the leaves, then add a few more handfuls and a little more water. Continue until you have blended all the leaves. Remember that it is best not to add more than 240ml of water in total.
- You can blend the black cabbage raw or after blanching it, the important thing is to have it washed and cleaned.
- Black cabbage puree is a perfect ingredient for preparing soups, vegetable smoothies and dishes where the flavor of the cabbage doesn't have to be too strong or predominant.
- Kale puree is not suitable for recipes where it is better to use whole leaves, for example to make a salad or cabbage chips.
Step 2. Pour the puree into the molds
To make it even more convenient to use, you can pour it into an ice or muffin mold. Place the mold in the freezer, then let the puree freeze for about three hours.
If you want to divide it into portions of specific quantities, you can pour it into the mold using a special dispenser
Step 3. Take the frozen puree out of the mold
Once frozen, you can transfer it to a freezer-safe food bag. This way you can go back to using the mold for its original use and store the puree popsicles more easily.
- Before closing the bag, let out as much air as possible to protect the cabbage from cold burns.
- Place the bag in the freezer to store the cabbage for the next few months.
