At the latest when autumn comes, it is time to pick the fennel from the bed. Since the spice and vegetable plant can be stored in the refrigerator for a maximum of two weeks, freezing is a suitable option for storing fennel.

The fennel greens can be used frozen one at a time

Fennel and its uses

The different parts of the fennel plant are used in many ways: as a medicinal plant and home remedy, fennel is known to many in the form of fennel tea, which helps against stomach pain and indigestion, for example. This is brewed from fennel seeds. The fennel green is used as a spice, especially in Mediterranean cuisine. The vitamin-rich fennel bulb tastes good both raw and cooked, for example in stews or casseroles.

Prepare the fennel for freezing and freeze

When freezing fennel, you have the choice of placing it raw or blanched in the freezer. Blanching has the benefit of extending the fennel's shelf life, making it more visually appealing and helping to retain its aroma and vitamin content. If it has to be done quickly, there is nothing wrong with freezing fennel raw. You should freeze the fennel separately and only uncooked.

  1. Prepare the fennel by cutting off the fennel greens, removing damaged leaves, and slicing or dicing the fennel. The shape depends on the later use.
  2. Optional: Place the prepared fennel bulb in boiling salted water and blanch for three minutes.
  3. Blanching is followed by a quick dip in ice water to pause the cooking process.
  4. Prepare freezer bags or freezer-safe boxes with lids and label them with the freezing date and contents.
  5. Put the raw or blanched fennel and the uncooked fennel greens in the freezer containers, squeeze out the air in the freezer bags and seal them carefully.
  6. Now the packaged fennel goes into the *** freezer at -18 °C.

Thaw and process the fennel

If you want to use the frozen fennel raw, put it in the fridge in the unopened freezer bag or freezer box the night before. This allows it to thaw slowly and gently without becoming overly limp.
Fennel that is to be cooked is best placed frozen in the saucepan, casserole dish or pan. If you defrost it beforehand, it can get slightly mushy while cooking. You can also chop the fennel greens when they are frozen with a knife and add them to the almost finished dish to season them.
You should use up your frozen fennel after twelve months at the latest. The fresher it is, the tastier and richer in vitamins the frozen fennel is.

The garden journal freshness ABC

How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?

The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:

  • as a free PDF file to print out yourself

Category:

Vegetable garden