Frozen Vegetables Like canned vegetable, frozen vegetables are picked and processed when they are at peak quality. Frozen vegetables are ready to cook. All the washing, cleaning, trimming, and paring has been done. They were blanched before being frozen, so they cook faster than fresh vegetables. Frozen vegetables may cost more than canned. Selecting Frozen Vegetables Frozen vegetables are a good choice when fresh vegetables are not available. Their color, flavor, and texture are more like fresh than canned or dried. There are many frozen vegetable choices. You can buy one vegetable or a mixture of several vegetables. Some vegetables are whole. Others are cut into pieces. They may be frozen plain, in sauce, or combined with other foods to make a main dish such as beef stew. Some frozen vegetables come in a special plastic pouch or a microwaveable dish. Plain, cut-up frozen vegetables cost the least. Sauces and special features add to the price. Vegetables sold in sauce also have more calories than those that are plain. Before buying, read the label to be certain you are getting what you want and need. Check the directions on the package and compare preparation times. Consider the cost of various brands and forms. Frozen vegetables in soft or stained packages have thawed at some time. They may not be safe to eat. Storing Frozen Vegetables Frozen vegetables will last in the freezer for six to eight months. Keep them solidly frozen until you are ready to prepare them. Once thawed, do not refreeze them because the quality will be reduced. Dried Vegetables Dried vegetables are made by removing the water from fresh vegetables (Figure 15.13). Water is added back when the vegetables are prepared. 1 2 3 Wash fresh plum tomatoes and slice in half lengthwise. Line a shallow pan with foil or parchment paper. Lay the tomatoes skin side down in the pan without touching each other. 4 Sprinkle very lightly with salt and let stand for 15 minutes. 5 Place tomatoes in a 250°F (120°C) oven for five hours. 6 Cool, wrap, and store in the refrigerator. How to Dry Tomatoes in the Oven Lyudvig Aristarhovich/Shutterstock.com Figure 15.13 Drying is a great way to preserve vegetables. Tomatoes can be dried in the sun, but it is safe and easy to dry them using an oven. Adventures in Food and Nutrition Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 364