How you can make the fresh taste of summer last

The summer harvest season is in full swing, and now is the time you’ll find loads and loads of fresh vegetables in the market and from the garden.

What’s coming in now?

Many of our summer favorites, among them squash, melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, etc), cucumbers, peppers (hot and bell), tomatoes, sweet corn and field peas.

Using them or preserving them

Canning is always an option, but for those who don’t know how or are scared by pressure canning, freezing is the easiest way to preserve and works for most vegetables, fruits and berries.

For veggies such as bell peppers and squash, simply wash, peel, (de-seed bell peppers) and evenly slice (grate zucchini squash for using later).

Blanch or steam the vegetables for 2 minutes then place in airtight freezer bags, removing as much air as possible, or store in airtight plastic containers, leaving 1/2-inch space at top of container for expansion.

For cucumbers, unless you like canning or traditional pickling processes, try the easy Freezer Pickle recipe below.

For melons, remove rinds and seeds then cube or slice or use a melon baller to break down the cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew or any other melon. Place melon pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap. Place the tray in the freezer. After melon pieces are frozen solid, remove from tray and pack in freezer bags or containers. Alternatively, you can puree the fresh melon and pour melon puree into ice cube trays, then pack frozen puree in freezer bags for use in teas, spritzers or mixed drinks.

For berries, wash and let dry before placing in freezer bags, removing as much air as possible before sealing. If you plan on using berries in recipes, you can portion out into single cup measures using zip-top sandwich bags and placing the smaller sandwich bags inside of larger freezer bags.

For tomatoes, peel, core, remove seeds and let juice drain before placing tomato wedges in freezer bags. Or, you can make a simple sauce from ripe tomatoes: peel and dice tomatoes. In a saucepan, heat one tablespoon of olive (or vegetable) oil and add tomatoes. Stir tomatoes with wooden spoon to break them down, bring to just under a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let tomatoes simmer until a sauce forms, about 90 minutes. Let sauce cool. From here, you can either pour sauce into clean plastic freezer containers or strain sauce through a wire sieve to remove seeds and pulp, creating more of a soup than a sauce, before freezing. Remember when freezing liquids to leave about a half inch of air space at the top of the container for the liquid to expand as it freezes.

Tomatoes also can be dried in the oven. Simply preheat oven to 150 degrees and wash and halve tomatoes and gently squeeze out the seeds. Place in a single layer on a non-stick cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt to taste. Bake tomatoes until they take in a leathery texture, about 10-12 hours. Store in airtight plastic bags or containers in the freezer or refrigerator.

For sweet corn, remove the husk and silks from the ears of corn and rinse the ears. Corn can be frozen raw (if you’ll be using it within three or four months) or after blanching (drop ears in boiling water for 4 minutes, then cool). Off the cob, using a sharp knife, carefully remove the corn kernels from the cob by slicing down the cob at about 3/4 kernel depth. Portion corn kernels into freezer bags, carefully removing air from bag or use a vacuum sealer. For plastic freezer containers, add kernels until container is 3/4 full, then add clean water to just cover kernels, leaving room at the top of the container for expansion. Freeze whole ears of corn after blanching by wrapping each ear individually with plastic wrap before placing in a single layer in large freezer bags.

You also can dehydrate corn by blanching ears, removing the kernels then spreading out kernels in a single layer on a dehydrator tray, drying at 120 degrees until crispy (about 12-14 hours). Store dried kernels in clean airtight containers.

For field peas, shell the peas, wash and remove any peas that look like they may have worm holes. Blanch shelled peas in boiling water for 2 minutes, cool and drain well. Portion into 2-cup quantities (2 cups equals one 15-ounce can in recipes) and package in air-tight containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace, or in zip-top plastic freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to six months. Do not thaw frozen peas before cooking.

Peas, corn and tomatoes can be combined to make a summer succotash that can be enjoyed fresh or frozen for later.

Rinse 10, 2-cup plastic containers and lids with boiling water and dry thoroughly. Divide cucumbers, onions, salt and water between two large bowls. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Do not drain.

Add 2 cups sugar and 1 cup cider vinegar to each bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to prepared plastic containers, leaving 1-inch headspace for expansion. Freeze up to 6 months.

Thaw pickles in refrigerator for 8 hours before using. Serve within 2 weeks after thawing.

Taste of Home

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sprinkle with coarse salt. Saute onions until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, corn and beans/peas. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until corn is tender and tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in basil and optional pepper and serve.

Epicurious

In a large pot, saute fatty bacon over low heat to render fat, until almost crisp. Add onion and saute until onions become translucent. Add garlic and stir about one minute. Add peas and just enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes or until peas are tender. Drain peas and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve alone, with rice, or tossed in a salad. Add a bit of heat with a chopped hot pepper.

Adapted from Southern Living

This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 5:55 PM.