Everyone has heard that leafy vegetables are among the most healthy, with spinach taking the lead. It is widely used in both healthy eating and dietary cuisine. However, if you want to store it for a longer time, it is good to freeze it. And before that you have to blanch it.
Here's how it works:
- First inspect the spinach leaves carefully, so that there are no spoiled ones. It is good to remove their stalks before you start washing the leafy vegetables. This way you will largely avoid getting dirt in the water in which you will wash it;
- Once you have selected the spinach leaves, it is good to immerse them briefly in a deep bowl of cold water. That way the soil and other debris stuck to the leaves will fall to the bottom of the bowl and washing will be easier and faster;
- To make sure that the spinach is well cleaned, it is good to wash each leaf separately under running cold water. Then let it drain for a while. It is best to use a strainer for salads, if you have one;
- Then put water on the stove to boil, in which you will put the spinach for no more than 30 seconds to blanch. Keep in mind that you will have to take it out very quickly, so it is good to put it in portions. Estimate how big they are, depending on what slotted spoon you will take them out with;
- Remember that each portion of spinach is put in boiling water and after 30 seconds, it is removed. If it stays in the water for a long time, it will lose most of its useful substances and will become mushy;
- As soon as you remove the portion of spinach, you should briefly immerse it in ice cold water to stop the heat treatment process. It is best to have a colander and a large bowl so that when the spinach has cooled, you can let it drain. Do not keep it in the water for too long;
- If you've done everything right so far, you can use the blanched spinach for both immediate consumption and freezing. It is worth mentioning that if you want to eat this healthy vegetable straight away, there is no need to blanch it at all. In the fresh state it is most healthy and is especially suitable for the preparation of fresh salads;
- If you have blanched the spinach in order to freeze it, after you have left it to drain well, you should pack it with plastic bags, press them well with your hands, so that the air escapes and arrange them in your freezer.
If you love spinach, we recommend that you check out these delicious recipes for:
- spinach soup;
- stewed spinach;
- and why not lamb with spinach!
