PRESS RELEASE – Are your frozen vegetables lacking in taste and flavour? Are you finding dad and the kids hiding their veggies under the cutlery? It could be because of the way you are cooking them. McCain, South Africa’s number 1 frozen vegetable supplier, is coming to your rescue with some helpful cooking tips that will ensure that your frozen veggies are always delicious and tasty.
Frozen vegetables are just as tasty and nutrient-rich as fresh vegetables, sometimes even more so, but if frozen vegetables are not properly prepared, a lot of the nutritional value, as well as the great taste, will be lost.
The misconceptions of frozen vegetables
“There are a number of misconceptions surrounding the cooking of frozen veggies, one of the most common is that frozen vegetables first need to be thawed before they can be prepared. This is a myth,” says Deolinda da Costa, Marketing Manager for McCain South Africa “The best way to prepare frozen vegetables is to cook or steam them directly from frozen until they are hot right through, by using only very little water or none at all.”
Some helpful cooking tips on preparing frozen vegetables:
• Prepare frozen vegetables directly from frozen (do not thaw)
• Do not boil frozen vegetables for long periods of time– it leaches out nutrients and ruins the taste
• For a crunchier bite, microwave frozen vegetables in a dish without water until hot right through- 4 to 5 minutes will do the trick
• For perfect bite, steam frozen vegetables in a covered dish in the microwave, adding only a little water (no more than the bottom third of the vegetables should be submerged). Only 4 to 5 minutes will be necessary, depending on the microwave.
• Cook frozen vegetables in a pot with a small amount of water (not completely covering the vegetables) for a couple of minutes until hot right through- all they need is 3-6 minutes depending on the size of the vegetables.
• Fry frozen vegetables in a pan with a little bit of butter until hot right through, add a little crushed garlic, salt and pepper to amplify the taste
By making these small adjustments to your cooking style you can guarantee that the soggy, limp and tasteless veggies will be a thing of the past. You can look forward to deliciously crisp and tasty veggies that are quick and easy to prepare and that are the perfect accompaniment to any meal. We are certain that no one will be hiding their peas under their fork with these simple and easy tips.