Green dill is a popular seasoning, without which it is difficult to imagine Russian cuisine. To delight yourself with fresh greenfinch throughout the year, you can freeze dill for the winter. In the form of freezer, the spice remains for a long time, up to 9 months, and in this form it is much more aromatic and healthy than dried or canned. Consider the basic rules for the preparation of dill and describe different ways of freezing - in bunches, chopped, in ice cubes.
How to freeze dill correctly?
Fresh dill is an incredibly fragrant herb. When cut, it is fragrant and saturates the dishes with a spicy smell. This happens due to the content of essential oils in the stem and needle leaves.
Preservation of spicy properties contributes to moisture inside the plant. As it evaporates, a specific smell disappears.
Freezing allows you to preserve the aroma of dill in full. At -18 degrees, he can lie in the freezer until spring, about 9 months. But it is important to freeze greens correctly:
- Dill should be clean. It is important to thoroughly rinse the beam from dirt and dust. After freezing, greens are not washed: it quickly withers and becomes unappetizing.
- Dill should be dried out, without water. Otherwise, the moisture will turn into ice and the greens will stick together in one lump.
- It is necessary to release air from the packaging for freezing. Plastic containers fill green to the top. If packages are used, then they are necessarily tied or fastened. The lack of air eliminates the possibility of any reactions, the penetration of odors and premature spoilage of dill.
The greens are washed exclusively with water at room temperature. Hot water speeds up the wilting process.
Freezing in bunches
The fastest and easiest way to prepare dill for the winter is to send it for storage in the entire freezer. The stems and thick twigs are also edible, and have a spicy aroma even more so than the leaves. So that sticks are not felt in dishes, greens are finely chopped. In frozen form, it is cut very easily.
So how to freeze bunches?
- Soak the greens in a large bowl of cool water. This will make it more juicy and help soak the lumps of dirt, if any.
- Rinse the dill under the tap and hang on a string to dry. Or you can simply spread the herbs on the table, laying a towel to absorb excess moisture.
- Pack greens with packages and tie. You can pack it in plastic containers or wrap it in cling film. And dill is well stored in foil envelopes. It is better to immediately divide it in portions. Although this is not necessary at all - frozen herbs are friable and very easily divided.
- Place the packaging in the freezer. It is advisable that the greens freeze in quick freeze mode.
Dill can be frozen in its pure form or combined with other herbs - parsley, basil, oregano, arugula, rosemary. Create your bouquets based on your favorite dishes and taste preferences.
Chopped dill
This is a salad version of dill freezing. It is also suitable for those who don’t like stalk pieces found in dishes.
It is better to take young greens of a saturated color, without wilted or yellowed leaves.
How to freeze chopped dill?
- Rinse the greens under running water and dry.
- Cut large stems. You can remove all petioles completely (whoever loves).
- Next, chop a dill with a very sharp knife. For fidelity, walk with a knife 2-3 times.
- Pour the chopped greens into the food tray and ram lightly. Subsequently, it can be easily typed with a spoon. You can also freeze dill in bags with or without a clasp. Some housewives give the green mass a sausage shape, and then just cut a piece of the right size and add it to the dish.
- Place the packaging in the freezer.
Dill stalks can be frozen separately. Small bundles are perfect for flavoring soups, broths, marinades, pickles. Before serving to the table, the stalks are carefully removed and thrown away.
Ice cubes
Noteworthy is the method of freezing dill in ice molds or in plastic egg containers. Cubes are very convenient to use and store. In addition, fragrant herbs are immediately divided into portions. It remains to determine how many cubes to add to the dish - 1, 2 or 3.
The recipe for "cubic" freezing:
- Wash and dry the tufts of dill.
- Finely chop finely.
- Fill the molds approximately 2/3.
- Pour dill with cooled boiled water.
- Place the containers in the freezer.
- After 2–4 hours, remove the ice cubes from the tins and carefully place them in a bag or food tray. To easily get the ice, the container can be dipped in hot water for 15-30 seconds.
In dill, frozen in ice cubes, it is very convenient to immediately add salt and spices for dishes. And instead of water, you can use broth or ghee.
Presented to your attention dill freeze recipes - the most popular and convenient. It is enough to spend about 1-2 hours to stock up on fresh herbs for the whole year. In winter, she will certainly please the household with her spicy aroma and taste. Frozen dill decorates dishes and creates a summer mood. And how much good is in it! It contains such important elements as vitamins A, C, E, K, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus. Add frozen dill to soups, salads, vegetable stews, omelettes - and you will always be healthy.