The advance preparation and freezing of stocks, soups and sauces is a valuable aid to kitchen economy; vegetables can be preserved in a useful form when they are cheap, stock can be kept safely, and much time can be saved in the final preparation of cheap meals. Read about such dishes: stock and bouillon, thick soups, basic sauces, meat sauce, tomato sauce and puree, fruit sauces.
Stocks and soups
All stock and soup for freezing should be cooled quickly, and all surplus fat should be removed as this separates during storage. Pack in watertight containers allowing 1/2 inch headspace for wide-topped containers and 3/4 inch headspace for narrow-topped containers.
Soup may also be stored in blocks if freezer space is limited. These blocks should be prepared by freezing the liquid in loaf tins or freezer boxes lined with foil, the solid blocks being wrapped in foil for storage.
Sauces
Sweet and savoury sauces may be frozen, either in a basic form such as white sauce to be used later with other ingredients, or in complete form ready for immediate use. Mayonnaise and custard sauces do not freeze well; the ingredients freeze at different rates and give unsatisfactory results.
Sauces may be stored in ice cube form, or in 'bricks', using the same method as for stock and soups.
Stock and bouillon
Preparation and packing Prepare stock or bouillon from meat, poultry, bones and/or vegetables. Strain, cool and remove fat. To save freezer space, concentrate until liquid is reduced by half. Pack in brick or ice cube form, or in containers leaving 1 inch head-space.
Thawing and serving Heat gently over direct heat and use as required.
Storage time 1 month.
Thick soups
Preparation and packing Prepare soup to basic recipes, but use cornflour if a thickening agent is required. Porridge oats may be used for meat soups. But rice flour gives a glutinous result. Do not add rice, pasta, barley or potatoes. Milk and cream are better added when soup is reheated.
Pack in brick form, or in containers, leaving 1 inch headspace.
Thawing and serving Heat in a double boiler if curdling is likely to occur, otherwise over direct heat, stirring well for smoothness.
Storage time 2 months.
Special notes Soup tends to thicken during storage. It is better to season after thawing.
Basic sauces (White and Brown)
Preparation and packing Basic sauces such as White Sauce and Brown Sauce can be frozen in their simplest form, to be finished when thawed, or may have flavouring additions made before freezing.
Cornflour should be used instead of flour when thickening is required to avoid curdling on reheating. Sauces of this type are best packed into waxed or rigid plastic containers in 1/2-pint and 1-pint quantities.
Thawing and serving Reheat in a double boiler, stirring well for smoothness, and make required additions.
Storage time 1 month.
Meat sauce
Preparation and packing Sauces for serving with pasta, such as Spaghetti Sauce containing meat, freeze very well. After cooking, cool thoroughly, pack into containers in useable quantities.
Thawing and serving Heat gently in a double boiler, adjusting seasonings.
Storage time 1 month.
Tomato sauce and puree
Preparation and packing Tomato Sauce and concentrated puree are best frozen in small waxed or rigid plastic containers, or in ice cube trays, each cube being wrapped in foil for storage.
Thawing and serving Heat gently in a double boiler, stirring well. Small cubes of sauce or puree can be put into soups or stews while still frozen and gently stirred to blend into other ingredients.
Storage time 12 months.
Fruit sauces
Preparation and packing Fruit sauces can be made from sieved fresh fruit, or fruit stewed in a little water, sieved and sweetened to taste. Sauces can also be made from fruit juice, sweetened and thickened with cornflour. These should be packed into small containers or ice cube trays, the cubes being wrapped in foil for storage.
Thawing and serving Thaw in the container in the refrigerator for 2 hours, to serve cold. Alternatively, heat in double boiler, stirring gently.
Storage time 12 months.
