Cook, freeze, reheat

Recent email from a client who I’ve cooked with in the past: “It’s time to fill my freezer again, please come and cook with me.”

We picked a date, talked on the tele, found out what types of dishes she’s interested in doing this time.

I gave her these ideas, asking her to pick 4 of these 6.

1. Ginger Curry Apple Sausage Casserole w/Tator Tots
(baked in the oven, then freeze)

2. Lamb Stew w/potatoes, broccoli, preserved lemons and Moroccan tagine spices
(we can make this on the stove top in heavy-bottom stock pan, then freeze)
(I will bring the Moroccan spice)

3. Frittata with veggies

(can freeze unbaked,  … or bake in the oven, then freeze)

4. Blanched Kale w/avocado dressing
(We’ll need to blanch the kale on stove top, make the dressing, and freeze’m separately.)

5. Red Goulash: red cabbage, red onion and red apple with caraway
(looks like we did this one already)

6. Veggie Stir Fry w/tofu, broccoli, carrots with a Ginger Sweet’n Sour Sauce
(we will blanch the broccoli, carrots; drain the tofu; make the sauce; and then freeze the veggies and the sauce separately)

Her response:

“Let’s do the tater tot casserole, kale, lamb stew, and veggie stir fry–no tofu.”

Here is the shopping list…………

Dry, bulk, canned goods:

2 cups white wine

1 can coconut milk (not Lite)

1 can garbanzo beans

3 tbls curry

onion powder

garlic powder

1 tbls Moroccan tagine spice (I’ll bring this)

1/2 cup Sesame oil (I can bring this)

1/2 cup Mirin (I can bring this)

1/2 cup tamari (I can bring this)

1/2 cup Maple syrup (I can bring this)

Deli:

1 perserved lemon (Whole Foods, I can bring this if you can’t find it)

Produce:

3 bunches curly leaf kale

1 bunch broccoli

6 carrots

4 tomatoes (medium size)

3 avocados

3 lemons

3 apples

3 red onions

1 yellow onion

6 garlic cloves

6 inch ginger

1 bag spinach

1 container mushrooms

10 or so fingerling potatoes

Meats:

3 lbs sausage (your choice, or mix and match ground beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey)

3 – 5 Lamb shanks (depends on their size) (or lamb shoulder chops, or 3 lbs lamb stew meat)

Frozen food:

32oz bag Tater Tots

Stocking the freezer, will definitely need to make room for more!