Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Freeze Winter Gourd Raw
• Method 2 of 3: Freeze Cooked Winter Gourd
• Method 3 of 3: Blanching and Freezing Zucchini
• What do you need
• Freezing winter gourd raw
• Freeze cooked winter pumpkin
• Blanching and freezing courgettes

If you have a lot of raw pumpkins and want to use these vegetables later, you can freeze them! Both pumpkins and courgettes can be blanched and frozen.Blanching the pumpkin helps preserve flavor, color, and even vitamins. Pumpkins can also be frozen raw to be added to baked goods and soups. Freeze pumpkins so you can enjoy them all year round!

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Freeze Winter Gourd Raw

1. 1 Use a potato peeler or knife to remove the skins from the pumpkin. Place the pumpkin on a cutting board and cut the rounded ends on each side. Then take the pumpkin in your non-main hand and the potato peeler in your main hand and cut the peel into strips (while moving away from you). If using a knife, place the pumpkin on a cutting board and cut the rind from top to bottom.
   • After you have peeled off one area, rotate the pumpkin in your non-main hand and peel the other side.
   • If you are using a knife, cut off the rind with a thin layer on one side. After that, unfold the pumpkin and move on until you have cut a strip from the entire surface. Continue peeling off the rind in long strips around the entire circumference until you have peeled the entire pumpkin.
2. 2 Cut the pumpkin into cubes about 2 to 3 centimeters in size. Take a serrated knife and cut the pumpkin into cubes of roughly the same size. You can cut the pumpkin into pieces of any size, but it is more convenient to store cubes 2-3 centimeters thick in a plastic bag if that works for you.
   • Always use a cutting board when cutting vegetables.
3. 3 Freeze the pumpkin on a baking sheet for 2 hours. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper and place the pumpkin slices in one layer on top of the baking sheet so that they do not touch each other. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and keep it there for about 2 hours, until the pumpkin hardens.
   • Freezing the pumpkin pieces this way will reduce the risk of them sticking together when stored in the freezer for long periods of time.
4. 4 Transfer the pumpkin to a freezer-safe container. Remove the pumpkin pieces one at a time from the baking sheet and transfer them to a freezer-compatible plastic container or bag. Make sure there is about 1.5 centimeters of free space on top before closing the container.
   • Food containers or plastic bags work well.
   • If you are using a plastic bag, try to blow as much air out of it as possible before sealing.
5. 5 Store raw frozen squash for up to 12 months. Place the pumpkin containers in the freezer and keep them there until you are ready to use them. Mark the freeze date on the bags or containers.
6. 6 Defrost pumpkin or add it to some soups and sauces while frozen. When you choose to use the pumpkin slices, you can put them in hot sauce or defrost them beforehand to add to other dishes. To defrost the pumpkin, transfer the bag from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight, or keep it on the counter for 3-4 hours.
   • Butternut squash can be fried directly frozen without first defrosting.

Method 2 of 3: Freeze Cooked Winter Gourd

1. 1 Preheat oven to 200 ° C. The pumpkin should be baked in the oven before freezing. Set the baking mode and temperature to 200 ° C. If you wish, you can also microwave the pumpkin without having to preheat it.
2. 2 Take a sharp, serrated knife and cut the pumpkin in half. Place the pumpkin on a cutting board and hold it firmly with one hand. Using a knife, cut the pumpkin in half lengthways. Place the halves on a cutting board, pulp side up.
   • If you are dealing with a large pumpkin such as nutmeg, proceed with caution and deliberation. The knife can slide off the pumpkin if it rolls over. A small pumpkin, such as a pepo pumpkin, is easier to hold in place.
3. 3 Choose fibrous veins from the pumpkin. With a spoon or with your hands, remove the pulp with seeds from the middle of the pumpkin and discard them. It is convenient to use a melon spoon for this, if you have one.A grapefruit spoon with scalloped edges will also work.
   • Place the extracted pulp and seeds in the compost or discard.
   • A regular spoon has blunt edges and does not cut through the pumpkin fibers as well as a melon spoon.
4. 4 Place the pumpkin, pulp on top of the baking sheet. If you want to enhance the flavor, add some salt and pepper. You can also add about 1 tablespoon (20 grams) of honey and 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of brown sugar at this stage.
   • If you intend to fry the frozen pumpkin afterwards, it is helpful to add butter and brown sugar in this step. Otherwise, it is better to bake the pumpkin without any additives - this way it will be better preserved.
5. 5 Roast the pumpkin for 25 minutes or until the flesh is tender. Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to 200 ° C and roast the pumpkin for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, remove the baking sheet and use a fork to check if your pumpkin is soft enough (the fork should slide into the flesh easily enough).
   • If you are using a microwave oven, cover the microwave dish with suitable plastic wrap and place the pumpkin on top of it. Cook the pumpkin on high power for 15 minutes and check it every 5 minutes. Continue cooking the pumpkin until the flesh is tender enough and can be spooned away from the rind.
6. 6 Pick out the pulp with a spoon. When the pumpkin is cool enough, take a metal spoon and select the pulp from the outer shell. Transfer it to a separate bowl and discard the remaining peel.
   • You can use a jagged spoon to help nibble into the flesh more easily.
7. 7 Mash the pulp. Winter squash puree can be stored in the freezer for many months. Grind the pulp in a blender or food processor so that there are no lumps left in it. Once baked, it's pretty easy.
   • You can also crush the pulp with a crush or even a metal fork.
8. 8 Divide the pulp into small portions and freeze. Wait for the puree to cool, then divide it into ½ cup (about 140 grams) portions and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or place in an ice or baking dish. Place the baking sheet or dish in the freezer for at least 4 hours to harden the puree.
   • Pumpkin puree will freeze better if divided into small portions, but if you are in a hurry you can skip this step and immediately put the puree in the freezer for storage.
9. 9 Store frozen pumpkin puree for up to 3 months. When small portions of mashed potatoes are frozen and hardened, transfer them to suitable plastic containers or bags and leave in the freezer until ready to use.
   • If you are using plastic bags, squeeze as much air out of them as possible before sealing them.
10. 10 Thaw mashed potatoes before cooking. To do this, transfer the puree to the refrigerator overnight or keep it on the kitchen table for 3-4 hours. You can then purée in the microwave or reheat on the stove and add to warm meals. Purees can be added to soups and sauces without defrosting.
    • Winter pumpkin puree is great for sauces, soups, gravies, lasagna, toppings and baked goods.

Method 3 of 3: Blanching and Freezing Zucchini

1. 1 Cut the zucchini into slices about 0.5 centimeters thick. Take a sharp kitchen knife, trim the zucchini at both ends, and slice it into thin slices about 0.5 centimeters thick. At the same time, move along the zucchini.
   • If you want to freeze the zucchini to add to your bread, you need to grind it. Take a four-sided grater and grind the courgette into a bowl.
   • In this method, there is no need to peel the zucchini as you will then blanch it.
2. 2 Boil water at the rate of 4 liters per 500 grams of zucchini. Pour water into a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil.Place a wire steaming basket or colander on top of a saucepan. In this case, the basket should be lowered into the water so that the zucchini is completely immersed in boiling water.
   • In this method, the zucchini is not steamed. The basket is needed in order to quickly get the zucchini out of the water as soon as they are ready.
3. 3 Place the sliced ​​courgettes in the basket and blanch for 3-4 minutes. Do not put more than 500 grams of zucchini in boiling water at a time. Cook them for about 3 minutes. Then remove the basket of zucchini from the pan.
   • After 3 minutes, you can touch the zucchini with a fork to check if they are soft. If the courgettes are soft to the touch, they are done.
   • If you've grated the courgettes, blanch them in small portions for 1 to 2 minutes to soften.
4. 4 Dip the courgettes in cold water or a bowl of ice for 3 minutes. If you are using ice, make sure there is about 500 grams of ice for every 500 grams of zucchini. If you are chilling zucchini in water, keep them under running water, or change the water frequently in the bowl to keep it cool. For best results, the water temperature should not exceed 16 ° C.
   • In cold water, the zucchini is stopped from boiling, which helps prevent further breakdown of enzymes. As a result, the zucchini will retain their color, flavor and partly texture.
5. 5 Drain off excess water. Transfer the zucchini to a colander or strainer to drain off excess water. This will prepare the zucchini for freezing. Then blot them with a paper towel.
   • To completely dry the zucchini slices, you can place them between two paper towels for about 10 minutes.
6. 6 Transfer the blanched zucchini to a plastic bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Transfer the zucchini slices to freezer-safe plastic containers or bags. If you are using bags, try to squeeze as much air out of them as possible before closing them. Place containers or bags of zucchini in the freezer and keep them there until you are ready to use.
   • Usually, blanched zucchini will last up to 6 months in the freezer.
7. 7 Defrost the courgettes and add them to dishes or baked goods. To defrost the zucchini, transfer them to the refrigerator overnight or leave them on the kitchen counter for 3-4 hours. Thawed zucchini can be added to a variety of sauces, soups, baked dishes and side dishes.
   • Shredded zucchini works well for risottos and soups, and can be added to muffin and cookie dough.
   • You can also prepare a separate dish from ground zucchini: fry them in brown oil with garlic and sage.
8. 8 Bon Appetit!

What do you need

Freezing winter gourd raw

• Potato peeler or straight blade
• Serrated Blade Kitchen Knife
• Baking tray
• Freezer-friendly plastic containers or bags

Freeze cooked winter pumpkin

• Serrated Blade Kitchen Knife
• Food processor or blender
• Freezer-friendly plastic containers or bags

Blanching and freezing courgettes

• Serrated Blade Kitchen Knife
• Large saucepan
• Wire basket or colander
• Large bowl of ice water
• Baking tray
• Freezer-friendly plastic containers or bags