How to save arugula for the winter using simple and easy ways
Arugula is a spicy herb with a pleasant nutty-mustard flavor, which gives a special piquancy to the first and second courses, salads and appetizers. Knowing how to save arugula for the winter, you can prepare fragrant greens for future use without losing its taste and useful properties.
How to keep arugula for the winter - effective ways
For winter harvesting, only young arugula with stems up to 25-30 cm long is used. It is they that contain the largest amount of nutrients and have a rich nutty taste with a piquant mustard note.
Before storing arugula for the winter, it must be sorted out, rejecting all damaged, wilted and withered ones. Most often, leaves are harvested for the future, green stems are used much less often.
Freezing
Many housewives are interested in whether it is possible to freeze arugula for the winter, whether this will worsen the taste and useful properties. Freezing, which is one of the most popular harvesting methods, does not affect the quality of spicy herbs. There are several ways to freeze arugula - whole, chopped or chopped.
Freezing arugula:
- Whole - Rinse the arugula leaves, dry and transfer to plastic containers or zip-lock bags, then place in the freezer.
- Slicing - finely chop the washed and dried greens and place in bags. This method eliminates the need to grind arugula before adding it to dishes. It can be combined with parsley, dill or any other herbs.
- Puree - arugula for sauces, smoothies and other dishes can be prepared in the form of puree. This will save not only cooking time, but also freezer space. Puree can be packaged in small cups, ice cube trays or bags.
- Frozen in Oil - Finely chop the arugula and place in small muffin or ice tins. Top the herbs with melted butter, olive oil, or sunflower oil. Freeze the cubes in the freezer, then remove and fill in separate zip-top bags.
Freezing is a quick, convenient and easy way to store greens. Its only drawback is that arugula leaves turn pale and do not look so appetizing in a dish.
In addition, these greens very quickly absorb odors from the freezer, so they should be stored in hermetically sealed containers or bags with fasteners.
Stock in cans
One of the popular ways to store arugula in the refrigerator is by pickling it in jars. For winter preparations, it is better not to use table vinegar, as it reduces the amount of useful elements in the composition of greens.
How to prepare arugula in jars:
- Rinse the leaves and stems of the arugula and dry with a paper towel. You can sprinkle the herbs in a thin, even layer on clean paper.
- Chop the greens into small strips.
- For 200 g of chopped arugula, you will need 2 tablespoons of table salt. Stir and let sit for 1 hour.
Pack the prepared arugula along with salt in sterilized glass jars so that there are no voids.Some recipes additionally add hot sunflower (olive) oil or dry mustard powder.
Store jars of arugula on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, in your cellar or basement. Storage temperature should not exceed + 8 ° С. In this form, greens can be stored for up to 12 months.
Drying in natural conditions
A simple and effective way to preserve arugula for the winter is to dry it. The best option would be a dry and warm room that will be regularly ventilated. In order for the arugula not to turn pale, it must be protected from direct sunlight.
Greens can be dried in the pantry, corridor or glazed loggia.
Arugula dries equally well both in bunches and in whole or chopped:
- Sprinkle arugula in a thin, even layer on clean paper;
- leave the greens in a warm and dry place;
- turn them periodically to dry evenly;
- wait until the greens are completely dry;
- Pour dry arugula into glass jars, tissue, or paper bags.
Greens can be poured into a container for further storage only after they have completely dried. If some moisture remains on the leaves or stems, mold will develop and the arugula will have to be thrown away.
It will take at least 6-7 days to dry arugula in natural conditions, but such a spicy blank will be stored for at least 1 year.
Drying in the oven
You can use the oven to dry the arugula faster and more conveniently.
To get fragrant and high-quality raw materials, you need to consider several important recommendations:
- Sprinkle whole or chopped herbs on a dry baking sheet;
- line the baking sheet with a sheet of paper so that the greens do not come into contact with the metal;
- dry arugula at a temperature not higher than + 45-50 ° С;
- the oven door must be open - this is necessary to evaporate moisture;
- turn the greens from time to time, separating the sticky leaves.
To evenly distribute the remaining moisture in the plant, it is advisable to dry arugula in several stages, with a break of 1-1.5 hours.
Drying in an electric dryer
The electric dryer designed for drying fruits and vegetables can also be used to prepare arugula. This device not only dries greens quickly and evenly, but also retains a maximum of useful substances in it.
Arugula is best dried at a temperature not exceeding + 30 ° C. This will take up to 10-12 hours. In order for the greens to dry evenly, it must be placed in the electric dryer in small parts.
Arugula is a spicy herb that gives dishes an interesting nutty mustard flavor. Simple and affordable ways of harvesting for the winter will help preserve the rich taste, bright aroma and beneficial properties of arugula.