Can you freeze Brussels Sprouts?
BRUSSELS SPROUTS are a controversial addition to the Christmas dinner table. But whether you love them or hate them, can you freeze Brussels sprouts?
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Brussels Sprouts are a Christmas classic. Not everyone likes them but they can be delicious when roasted with chestnuts or bacon lardons. With people’s Christmas plans forced to changed last minute this year, you may have food going to waste - so Express.co.uk has a handy guide on how to keep your vegetables fresh.
Can you freeze sprouts?
Yes you can - it’s very easy to freeze sprouts to save them for the Big Day.
However, you can’t just pop your Brussels Sprouts in the freezer without blanching them.
This is because blanching vegetables helps keep their colour and retains nutrients.
It also helps to keep the taste without the frozen sprouts tasting a little spoiled.
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What you’ll need:
Brussels Sprouts
pan of boiling water
Bowl of ice water
Instructions:
Boil the sprouts for four minutes.
Drain and then immediately pop them in an ice bath.
Pat them dry and allow them to dry completely.
Once they are dry, pop in a plastic bag and freeze.
How to cook frozen Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:
Frozen Brussels Sprouts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Baking paper
Method:
Line a baking tray with paper and place in the oven while it preheats to 200C.
Once hot, remove from the oven and spread out the sprouts in a single layer.
Return to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and drizzle over olive oil with some salt and pepper and any other spices or flavourings you wish.
Then return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes.
To make it even more festive, why not add crumbled bacon lardons over the sprouts just before serving.
Either bake the bacon with the sprouts in the oven, or cook separately and add when serving.
You could also add roasted chestnuts for any vegetarian guests.
Simply preheat your oven to 200C cut a long slit or cross in the shell - being careful not to cut through to the nut.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, then peel when cooled, chop up and add to your sprouts just before serving.