How to freeze cabbage leaves

One of the things I always try to avoid is wasting food (read my post with tips and advice to reduce food waste). So whenever we visit my grandfather's old house and it's not-so-well-tended garden and we bring home a bunch of cabbage leaves (among other vegetables and herbs), I usually freeze most of them to use later (especially in soups). 

Of course it's always better to use the vegetables while fresh, but when you have too much you need to find ways to conserve them until they can be used.

If you google around, you will notice that the most common way to freeze cabbage leaves is by blanching them. This basically implies boiling the leaves and then cooling them down before freezing. If you want a good tutorial on blanching cabbage leaves, you can read this one by The Spruce Eats. 

By blanching the cabbage leaves, you ensure they will last longer once frozen (nine months to a year). However, blanching takes time I sometimes don't have. 

So, if you know you will be able yo use the cabbage leaves within a shorter period of time (one to two months), you can use a much more basic process.

First, you need to wash each cabbage leaf carefully. then dry the leaves as much as possible (pressing softly with a clean kitchen towel usually does the trick). 

And finally, place them in one or more freezer bags (depending on the portions you want to use in the future). 

I use reusable freezer bags similar to these: 

Remember to date the bags, to make sure you use the cabbage leaves within the appropriate period of time, and add them to your freezer inventory list, if you keep one: 

If you're using the cabbage leaves to make soup or boiling them together with other vegetables, you don't need to thaw them. For coleslaw or other similar recipes, remove the frozen cabbage from the freezer a couple of hours before cooking and let it thaw on your kitchen counter (covered) or, of it's too hot outside, in your fridge. 

Thank you for stopping by, and have a wonderful week,

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