I overbought celery and carrots. Can I freeze them?

Nina Terrell
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  • 7 Comments

7 Comments

stacey_ballis January 22, 2012
There is nothing more useful than mirepoix, but you don't always have time to make it from scratch. When I have carrots and celery that are headed to wilty, I dice finely, add either diced onion or shallot depending on what I have around, and saute to just translucent in grapeseed oil. Then I cool it and freeze in half-cup containers. That way, when I need to do a quick pan sauce, or start a soup or stew, I can just thaw out what I need. By not cooking past translucent, and keeping the veg al dente, they won't overcook when you start your recipe, and the grapeseed oil has a neutral flavor, so you can decide later if your recipe leans Italian, Asian, or French...
 
bigpan January 22, 2012
I would blanch the carrots, put into an icebath, then freeze. Never had any luck freezing celery except when it is already cooked and in a recipe (eg stew or soup). Celery has a good flavor - maybe put them in a osterizer or similar device, add in a bit of grapeseed or other low flavor oil and blend fully. Strain into a squeeze tube and you have a nice green celery infused oil to decorate dinner plates with.
 
WannabeBaker January 22, 2012
Frozen carrots and celery work great in stock. If you're a serious cook who wants to make a stock that will get reduced down and down and down and down to just a tiny little bit to use in amazing French sauces, well, then maybe you need to be a little pickier. But otherwise, they're fine for the stocks that most cooks make.
 
Steven,Duckworth January 22, 2012
Grab some onions and bay leaves and make a veg stock! You can freeze that to use later! I give carrots to my dogs as healthy snacks!
 
Slow C. January 21, 2012
I often freeze celery, carrot and onion bits and pieces for lowbrow mirepoix. I keep a gallon bag in the freezer and throw in bits, including that last sprig of thyme or the random chicken wing tip and add it all when I am making stock. While I know this is not the way to start a truly excellent stock, I figure the nubs and extras always add extra flavor and I feel better not having wasted anything. (And then, after its all cooked, I mash it up and share with my puppy who doesn't seem to care one bit that the celery was frozen!)
 
susan G. January 21, 2012
Carrots keep well in the bags they are sold in commercially, refrigerated.
 
Greenstuff January 21, 2012
If you cook them first, yes.
 
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