Kale only in winter? No way! Here you can find out everything about freezing kale and how you can enjoy this superfood all year round.
Traditionally kale, also called brown cabbage in some regions, is eaten in northern Germany together with porridge with Pinkel, Kasseler, Kochwurst, or Bregenwurst, but the tasty cabbage can do even more. Thanks to its high vitamin and protein content, kale is traded as a superfood and is often mixed into healthy smoothies and made into salad or soup.
Our kitchen tricks reveal how you can enjoy kale all year round, prepare it and freeze it as an alternative to boiling it down to prepare great new recipes.
Freezing fresh kale: The Preparations
Preserving kale was yesterday. Today the fresh, tasty cabbage is frozen. Freezing kale is not complicated, but requires a little patience. With these cooking tips, preserving this versatile cabbage is child's play.
In your search for the perfect kale, you should make sure that the leaves of the cabbage look green and crisp - a clear sign of freshness.
Fresh kale can easily be stored in the refrigerator for four to five days before being processed.
Before processing, wash the kale carefully and remove the leaves from the main stem.
You should blanch the kale before freezing. To do this, simply put a large pot of salted water on top, bring to a boil, add the leaves of the kale to the boiling water for about three to five minutes and then rinse in iced water. This stops the cooking process and the kale keeps its typical color. The unique taste and the many vitamins are also retained.
After blanching, drain the kale well. To do this, place the kale leaves in a large sieve and carefully press the excess water through. Afterward, you can spread the vegetables on kitchen paper to dry the last remains of the moisture.
Now chop the leaves into the desired size.
Freeze the kale: Alternative to boiling down
Finally, kale can start freezing. To do this, simply place the blanched, chopped cabbage in portions and/or, depending on the intended use, in freezable containers or well-sealed freezer bags. Now only label with date and contents and from there on into the freezer.
Defrost kale
Defrosting the frozen kale is absolutely uncomplicated. Simply heat the desired amount of cabbage in a pot of non-boiling water for about ten minutes. Afterward, you can prepare it according to your preference, recipe, or mood. The best tips can be found here: Preparing kale.
Freeze the kale: The advantages
In contrast to boiling and waking, freezing kale preserves most of the valuable nutrients. Of course, this is especially important if you want to turn the classic winter vegetables into a healthy, crunchy salad.
The trendy vegetables can be stored in the freezer for up to a year. So you won't just enjoy the kale in winter, but can try out delicious recipes all year round.
Kale, the domestic superfood, is very healthy. In terms of both protein and vitamin C, winter vegetables are at the top of the list of all cabbage varieties. It also contains a lot of calcium, vitamin E and A. Its sugar content is extremely low, which makes it a low-calorie snack.
Kale is often underestimated, but it is not only extremely healthy but also versatile. It does not always have to be served hearty with lots of lard, oatmeal, smoked pork, sausage, and pee. Frozen kale is ideal as a soup base, ingredient in fresh salads, in the vegetable pan, as a side dish with meat or even vegetarian or vegan - the list of delicious recipes is endless. The traditional recipes with brown cabbage with Kasseler and Co. are still very popular, whether in Northern Germany or not.