Blanching fresh vegetables can provide us with a freezer full of delicious and healthy vegetables that we eat during the long winter. The taste of them is far better than store-bought frozen or canned vegetables ever could. You can blanch such vegetables as green beans, peas, asparagus, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower easily.
| Vegetable | Quantity |
Amount of water |
Time in minutes |
| Asparagus | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 3-4 |
| Beans | 1lb / 450g | 5 | 6 |
| Broccoli | 1lb / 450g | 4 | 5 |
| Brussels sprouts | 1lb / 450g | 6 | 4-6 |
| Carrots | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 4 |
| Cauliflower | 1lb / 450g | 5 | 4-5 |
| Corn on the Cob | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 6 |
| Courgettes | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 3 |
| Leeks | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 6 |
| Onions |
4 medium, |
4 | 4-5 |
| Parsnips | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 3-4 |
| Peas | 1lb / 450g | 3 | 4-6 |
| Spinach | 1lb / 450g | - | 4 |
To dry herbs
Leafy herbs such as parsley, tarragon and sage work best: sandwich the herbs between two sheets of kitchen paper and heat on full power for 1 to 3 minutes or until dry and crumbly. Check frequently, as the timing will vary with the type of herb. Put a cup of water in the microwave when heating the herbs.
