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How to Freeze Kale

Ingredients:

kale
water
ice
freezer bags

Directions:

Kale can be frozen without blanching but should be used within 4 weeks. Blanching greens before freezing stops the naturally-occurring ripening enzymes in the leaves. This will ensure that the leaves taste fresh and will not develop a bitter taste. Blanched kale will last up to 1 year in the freezer.

1. Wash, de-stem and chop kale leaves to desired size.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil.
3. Add water and ice to a large bowl.
4. Add a couple handfuls of kale leaves at a time to the boiling water, cover and blanch for 2 ½ minutes. (If you desire to use stem later blanch for 3 minutes).
5. Using tongs or a strainer pluck of leaves and stems and place in ice water for the same amount of time. Repeat until all leaves are done. Drain.
6. Squeeze excess water from leaves.
7. For bulk storage, quick-freeze small clumps of kale individually on a cookie sheet. After they are frozen, place clumps into a large freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible from bags before sealing. Or store into individual packages before freezing. Choose the right size freezer bag to suit your serving-size portion. A vacuum sealer system works well with kale.

Use frozen kale in smoothies for a healthy kick, or sauté with seasoned rice vinegar. For a spicier dish, sauté kale in olive oil with garlic. Before serving, top with crushed red pepper. Frozen kale blends well into quiche, crock pot stews, and soups. You can also cream it for a special treat or use it to create nutritious pesto.