Blanching Peas for the Freezer
When we plant peas in the spring, we're thinking of feeding ourselves all year long, so knowing how to freeze the pods (in the early stages) and the peas (at maturity) is something we had to learn to do early on. You can't just toss the peas into a freezer baggie and put them into the freezer; first you have to blanche them. Blanching is simple and easy and anyone can do it for all those summer veggies.
The first thing you need to do is remove any remaining flower blossoms from the pods, break off the tips and wash the pea pods. If you're doing just the peas, shell them and give them a rinse.
Bring a pot, half full of water, to a boil. You get this going while you're washing the peas. If you have one of those stock pot/spaghetti cookers, this is absolutely perfect for blanching peas or other vegetables since you won't need a separate strainer.
Fill the pot with peas and set the kitchen timer for three minutes. Place a strainer in the sink if you don't have a spaghetti cooker.
At the end of the three minutes strain the peas. Immediately run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. If you have sink sprayer, it is the perfect thing to use. Use a wooden spoon to turn the peas in the strainer until they are cold to the touch.
Place the peas into freezer bags, label and date. Place the bags in the freezer and when you're ready to cook them, simply remove a bag from the freezer and use as if they are fresh.
Just an aside:
If you are going to have a lot of veggies to blanche during the summer months, it will save you a ton of work if you invest in a spaghetti cooker. The strainer is part of the pot, which means you can drain the veggies by lifting the strainer and use the water in the pot for your next batch.
