A little rocket is enough to spice up salads, pizzas and pasta creations. But the versatile herb is available on the market in large portions. So that part of it does not wither, only the freezer remains. How are the delicate leaves allowed in?

Arugula should be processed, e.g. as pesto, and frozen

Fresh and frozen - no comparison!

Fresh rocket leaves, also called rocket in German, are hardly recognizable after a cold bath in the freezer.

  • the leaves are glassy and mushy
  • the crispness is gone

However, what is still present in the slumped heap is the typical spicy rocket taste. And you can definitely use this wonderful taste frozen somehow.

Use the “frozen” taste

Since the rocket leaves suffer so much from sub-zero temperatures, they should always be used as a fresh ingredient whenever possible. While the leaves can be harvested in your own garden from April to October, they are available in supermarkets all year round. So the supply never stops.

In a sales bowl, however, there are countless sheets that are rarely used up at once. They wither quickly at room temperature, and they only stay fresh for a few days in the refrigerator. The freezer idea isn't so bad if the leaves don't necessarily have to be used in the salad.

  • Freeze finely chopped arugula as a spicy herb
  • freeze as pesto

Freeze chopped arugula

Arugula can be used to flavor various dishes and sauces. It is still ideal as a frozen version. When cooking, the green will soften anyway, but the required flavor component will remain.

  1. Wash the green leaves thoroughly.
  2. Sort out all damaged, damaged and withered leaves.
  3. Drain the arugula leaves well. If you have a salad spinner, you can use it to get rid of residual moisture.
  4. Finely chop the leaves with a sharp knife.
  5. Then put the crushed pieces in an ice cube tray and fill it up with water.
  6. Place the ice cube tray in the freezer until the arugula cubes are completely frozen.
  7. Remove the individual cubes from the container and place them in a well-sealed freezer box or freezer bag for further storage.

tips

Don't forget to label the freezer box, as frozen arugula can easily be confused with other green herbs.

Freeze arugula pesto

Rocket pesto also freezes well. A pesto remains edible in a jar in the fridge for a long time, but the freezer allows it to last much longer.

  • Prepare pesto according to recipe
  • portion into appropriate portion sizes
  • fill into freezer containers
  • Label containers

tips

The ice cube container is also suitable for freezing pesto, so that the desired amount can be easily removed later.

durability

Both types of arugula will keep their savory notes in the freezer for a year.

Easy defrosting

Finely chopped arugula in ice cube form can be added to the saucepan straight from the freezer. Arugula pesto, on the other hand, should be gently thawed in the refrigerator. Depending on the portion size, this can take several hours.

Loss of taste and color

Don't be surprised if the thawed arugula has faded in color a little. The taste also loses some of its intense flavor in the freezing cold. However, frozen arugula is still flavorful enough to add desired flavor to many dishes. If necessary, use a larger amount.

Conclusion for fast readers:

  • Quality: Frozen rocket leaves are not comparable to fresh specimens
  • Cons: They get glassy and mushy; are no longer firm to the bite;
  • For salads: Always use fresh produce; from the garden or supermarket
  • Freezing: Recommended only as a finely chopped herb or as a pesto
  • Preparation: wash and dry leaves; chop or use to make pesto
  • Pre-freezing: Ice cube tray is ideal; add arugula; fill up with water
  • Tip: Ice cube tray is also suitable for freezing pesto
  • Storage: release cubes; store in tightly sealed containers
  • Shelf life: 1 year
  • Thawing: Use frozen for cooking; Thaw pesto in the fridge

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