Can I freeze it? From celery to peppers to sauces, the answer differs
Columnist and cookbook author Cathy Barrow and writer Kristen Hartke recently answered readers’ questions about all things edible. Here are edited excerpts.
Q: I have beautiful celery in my garden. What is the best way to save it for Thanksgiving stuffing? Should I dice, then freeze, or freeze the whole stalks? If diced, how best to dry it before freezing?
A: Celery, because it’s mostly water, doesn’t like the freezer. Once the diced or whole stalks emerge from the freezer, the water is released and you’re left with (very aromatic) limp bits of celery. If using the celery for soup or to scent stock, it will be useful, but if you hope for that crunch in your stuffing, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. — Cathy Barrow
Q: I made a puréed sauce last night for dinner and had lots left over, so I decided to freeze it. However, I’m not actually sure if it’s a sauce that can be frozen and then thawed to its original glory. It’s basically made of puréed jalapenos, mayonnaise, sour cream, a bit of lime juice, and olive oil. I’m concerned because of the sour cream (and maybe mayonnaise?) Should I be OK, or should I just go ahead and toss it out?
A: Neither mayonnaise nor sour cream are good candidates for the freezer. A sauce made with both would keep in the refrigerator for two or three days, surely, but if you have already frozen it, I’m afraid it will need to be tossed. — C.B.
Q: I’m new to lentils — after discovering and enjoying them from a restaurant, I purchased a bag of red lentils to add variety to my salads. The first time I cooked them, I followed the instructions on the bag precisely. They boiled over and turned to mush, so I threw them out. The second time I cooked them, I followed the instructions on a recipe. While they didn’t boil over this time, they too turned to mush. What am I doing wrong? Should I purchase a different type of lentil? Should I cook them in a much larger pan than the sauce pan I’m using?
A: Red lentils ... turn to mush! A beautiful, wonderful mush. That’s pretty much the idea with them. If you want lentils that don’t, you should get brown, green or black ones. — Joe Yonan
Q: I want to make some sandwiches that I could take on a flight in a couple of days and I would like to avoid meat. Ideas? Should we consider a different savoury snack instead of sandwiches?
A: One of my go-to travelling sandwiches is just a bunch of mixed roasted veggies (oil, garlic, salt, pepper) — in the summer I use squash and eggplant — combined with goat cheese, herbs and whatever other condiments you like. It’s simple and holds pretty well. — Becky Krystal