# Freezing cauliflower



## Northerner (Dec 5, 2011)

OK, I know you can freeze cauli, but my question is do you cook or par-boil  first and let it cool, or do you freeze it as it is - au naturel? 

I've got a big cauli and after my cauli cheese tonight I probably won't want any for a couple of weeks and don't want to waste it


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## Steff (Dec 5, 2011)

here you go........


http://www.ehow.com/how_2241655_freeze-cauliflower.html


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## Pumper_Sue (Dec 5, 2011)

Hi Alan, blanch it and then open freeze then bag it up after


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## Northerner (Dec 5, 2011)

Thank you ladies!


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## Vicsetter (Dec 5, 2011)

Suggest you invest in a vacuum bag machine - this will avoid problems with freezer burn on your veg (and your meat) and you can keep it longer in the freezer as well.


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## Vicsetter (Dec 5, 2011)

Sorry had to laugh at the instructions that Steff pointed you to:

UK translation follows:

_Remove any leaves from the head of cauliflower by peeling them off with your hands. _
remove leaves from cauliflower using whatever means you prefer

_Cut the head of cauliflower into 1-inch florets using a sharp knife._
cut into florets (size of your choice, 1-inch is a bit small I feel)

_Rinse off the cauliflower florets with warm running water to remove any lingering dirt._
Rinse to get rid of non-lingering dirt as well as the lingering variety and the odd wildlife insect

_Fill a large pot with water and place the pot on the stove top. Add 4 tsp. of salt to the water for every *gallon* of water you use._
Gallon, Gallon! everything is bigger in the US (except a gallon which is smaller than in the UK), how big is this cauliflower?.

_Bring the water to a boil over high heat on the stove top._
You may find it hard to bring to the boil when it's not on the stove top.

(Fill a pot with water and bring to the boil, add a little salt.)

_Add the cauliflower florets to the boiling water and put the lid on the pot.

Boil the cauliflower for 3 minutes._
Boil for 3 minutes

_Use a slotted spoon and gently remove the cauliflower florets from the boiling water. Alternatively, you could pour the florets into a colander._
_Put the hot cauliflower florets in a bowl of ice water immediately to cool them off and stop the cooking process. _

Remove pan from stove and carefully remove florets from water and put into bowl of ice water.

_Thoroughly drain the cauliflower florets using a colander._
If you didn't have a colander to remove them from the boiling water you will have to use a slotted spoon.
Drain the florets when cool on kitchen roll to remove moisture.

_Place the cauliflower florets in a single layer in zippered freezer bags. Lay the bags flat in the freezer to freeze the cauliflower._

Place florets on metal tray in a single layer in the freezer.  This will stop them sticking together into one big cauliflower bhaji.
Put florets in freezer bags, label with date and place in freezer.


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## Copepod (Dec 5, 2011)

Basically, advice for freezing any veg is the same - blanch, dry and freeze in portion sized batches, seal bag to avoid freezer burn.


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## Steff (Dec 5, 2011)

Vicsetter said:


> Sorry had to laugh at the instructions that Steff pointed you to:
> 
> UK translation follows:
> 
> ...



Im laughing my head off while the tears stream down my face


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## Vicsetter (Dec 5, 2011)

Sounds like you need some cheering up, Steff, glad it hit the spot, I'm afraid I have a strange sense of humour.


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## trophywench (Dec 5, 2011)

Made me laugh Vic.  However it never said 'light gas' or 'turn cooker on' did it?

If I have a giant cauli, we have a giant cauli cheese, and today is day 2, which is excellent cos the cheese sauce (hand crafted from a roux and best mature cheddar, with a dollop of mustard and plenty of white pepper LOL) will go really crispy!  Scrummy.


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## Steff (Dec 5, 2011)

Vicsetter said:


> Sounds like you need some cheering up, Steff, glad it hit the spot, I'm afraid I have a strange sense of humour.



Strange but funny x  ty


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## Northerner (Dec 5, 2011)

Pumper_Sue said:


> Hi Alan, blanch it and then open freeze then bag it up after



Vic/Steff - I think I will go for Sue's one-liner!


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