Freezing mangtout

[David]

Hi all,

The mangetout crop is zooming along and I'll have to freeze some. I wonder what the wizdom is on these, blanch or no blanch.

I seem to remember on the old forum there was some freezing advice on other crops. Perhaps whoever did it would like to repeat it here for the new one.

Thanks for any help you can give

David

[Chantal]

My advice would be not to freeze it at all. It's not very nice when defrosted; kind of limp.

I'd just eat it all day every day in preference.

[sprout]

I'm with chantal on eating fresh if you can. But if it's a choice between freezing or composting I'd freeze without blanching and keep for a couple of months at most. If you defrost short and fast into hot (i.e. throwing into a hot wok, or briefly into boiling water) you'll still have some crispiness

[Chantal]

I froze some without blanching last year and they were vile when defrosted. Perhaps, as you say,cooking from frozen does the trick. I'm still not going to bother again though.

[Garlic_Guy]

Hi everyone. This year has been the first time I've ever grown peas at all. My Mangetout and sugar snap crops have shot up like rockets and I'm just startng to pick them.

Have you found this year exceptional for these, or is it pretty much par for the course?

[Tigger]

Like most pea (or bean) pods - the only good result for freezing is to puree them.

[Geoff]

Yes Colin they are a very prolific crop, a real pity they do not freeze, perhaps they could produce a competitor for sprout wine?
The problem with them is the short season. I grow short rows of 5 varieties and still get gluts. Last year was particularly bad as I got the varieties mixed up and sowed maincrop followed by earlies so all came together. New this year is a yellow one from the Real Seed Company that has very pretty flowers and has done really well in the cold greenhouse.