SWEETCORN

(use instead of shop bought cobs and tins of corn niblets)   

Fresh cobs – cook as soon as possible after you pick them to maximise sweetness

Whole cobs – blanch 3 mins, cool in iced water, freeze separately,  then pack in vacuum bags

Niblets – remove from cobs by slicing down the cobs with a sharp knife, blanch first, freeze on trays, pack into bags and vacuum seal,  use for fritters, stews, corn fritters

TOMATOES

(use instead of store bought fresh tomatoes and cans of tomatoes, pasta sauces, passata, tomato sauce and tomato paste)

Fresh – home grown and sun ripened tomatoes are sweet and tasty

Sundried – dried in dehydrator, dip in vinegar and bottle in oil – but don’t add garlic or herbs until ready to serve 

Tomato paste – remove innards of the tomatoes and roast to remove as much moisture as possible before cooking, freeze in ice cubes, defrost and use on pizzas, in stews etc

Sauce or ketchup – remove seeds and roast the tomatoes, remove skins and add other flavourings and bottle 

Passata, pasta sauce, cooking tomatoes, soup – remove seeds and skins and cook and puree.

Tomato flakes – crushed up brittle sundried tomatoes, sprinkle on stews etc for intense flavour, add oil or water to make tomato paste.

Freeze tomatoes as they ripen and then when you have enough defrost them and use them to make sauces etc.

CAPSICUM

(use instead of shop bought capsicum and bottled fire roasted capsicums)

Fresh in salads and as crudites

Cooking capsicum – blanch and freeze whole or diced – use in stir fries and stews

Roasted capsicums – roast over flame, put in plastic bag, peel off skin, bottle in oil. Use as antipasto and on sandwiches, in stews and salads

CHILLIES

(use instead of shop bought chillis and chilli sauces)

Fresh – grow different types for a variety of tastes and heat

Freeze - cut up pieces of capsicum, no need to skin them, in stews, stir-fries, curries

Dried – they last for ever – fleshy ones take longer to dry

Powdered or flaked chilli – make from dried chillies

Sweet Chilli Sauce - use medium heat chillies, if not hot enough leave some seeds in

Hot Chilli sauce – how hot depends on how many chillies you use and how hot them are.

Sambal Oelek - remove stems, seeds and membrane from chillies. For each 100 g of chillies add 1 tbs white vinegar, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp caster sugar and pound in a mortar until a smooth paste. Store in fridge or freezer. Found at: Taste March 2014

POTATOES

(use instead of store bought potatoes and chips)

Fresh - store potatoes in cool, dry, dark place.

Chips and roast potatoes frozen – blanched and dried, cooked for 4 to 5 minutes in oil at 160 °C, drain thoroughly, cool and freeze individually and pack. Cook straight from freezer in hot oil to crisp up.

Gnocchi - make with desiree potatoes and freeze individually before cooking, pack into vacuum bags.

PUMPKIN

(instead of shop bought pumpkins or soup or dips)

Fresh - wait for first frost then pick, leave in sun to harden skin for a few days, drip with wax to seal stem ends and any abrasions, store in a cool, dry, dark place. Check every now and again and turn.

Puree - roast whole, puree and freeze, use for dips and soup.

Pieces - cut them up in pieces and freeze.

ONION FAMILY

(use instead of shop bought onions, plant leeks and green shallots for use all year round)

Dried onions - pick, leave to dry out for a few days, bend stem down and tie at neck of onion with string, cut off excess stem and then hang up in cool, dry place.

Sliced leeks – cut into slice, and blanch in microwave and freeze individually then vacuum pack.

Caramelized onions – cook non keeping onions in butter until they caramelise. This will take some time. Freeze and use for French Onion Soup, dips, tarts, accompaniments, onion jam.

Pickled onions – use smaller onions or shallots for pickling.

Onion rings – slice onions, blanch and freeze – use instead of fresh onions.

GARLIC

(use instead of bought garlic)

Fresh – hang up to dry in cool dry place.

Cloves – blanched cloves remove skin, freeze on trays, pack into vacuum bag.

Roasted – roast whole garlic, remove cloves from skins. Freeze individually, pack into vacuum bags.

Persian – pickled cloves – very mellow.

EGGPLANT

Fresh – don’t buy out of season.

Dip – make baba ghanoush and freeze.   

Cooked with mince - use as sauce for pasta or rice or topping for pizzas or Turkish bread.