to want the person who recommended frozen brocolli to step forward...

[Bogeyface]

...and take their punishment?!

So, I tried it and it was GOPPING!

Chilies frozen straight after picking are fine. The added bonus is that chopping them up frozen means less burning stuff on your fingers so you dont inadvertently wipe your eyes and then get blinded!
Still haven't got to grips with frozen broccoli though, will try the microwave approach.

Here's the science bit Princess

"About the freezing process
Water is the primary element of fresh food and usually makes up between 50-90% of the weight of the product. Freezing is a way of maintaining these water levels and temporarily preventing the growth of micro-organisms and bacteria, as the lack of moisture renders them unable to multiply when the water freezes to ice.

When fresh food is quick frozen, the cold penetrates rapidly, freezing the water and forming a large amount of small ice crystals. The smaller the ice crystals, the better the food quality after defrosting.

If food is frozen slowly, a smaller amount of large ice crystals tend to form. This means that as the water freezes and expands, the cell walls of the food expand and rupture causing structural damage to the food. This is why sometimes certain foods will be limp or mushy when thawed or just taste and feel different on eating. "

From www.helpwithcooking.com/food-storage/freezing-food.html

Here's the science bit Princess

"About the freezing process
Water is the primary element of fresh food and usually makes up between 50-90% of the weight of the product. Freezing is a way of maintaining these water levels and temporarily preventing the growth of micro-organisms and bacteria, as the lack of moisture renders them unable to multiply when the water freezes to ice.

When fresh food is quick frozen, the cold penetrates rapidly, freezing the water and forming a large amount of small ice crystals. The smaller the ice crystals, the better the food quality after defrosting.

If food is frozen slowly, a smaller amount of large ice crystals tend to form. This means that as the water freezes and expands, the cell walls of the food expand and rupture causing structural damage to the food. This is why sometimes certain foods will be limp or mushy when thawed or just taste and feel different on eating. "

From www.helpwithcooking.com/food-storage/freezing-food.html

More here

"Changes in food texture during freezing

Freezing involves the change of water contained in the food from a liquid to a solid (ice). When water freezes it expands, and the ice crystals formed cause cell walls of food to rupture. As a result, the texture of the product will be much softer when it thaws.

These textural changes are most noticeable in fruits and vegetables that have a high water content. For example, when frozen lettuce thaws, it turns limp and wilted. This is the reason vegetables with a high water content, such as celery and salad greens, are not usually frozen (Table 1). It is also the reason why many frozen fruits are best served while they still contain a few ice crystals. The effect of freezing on fruit tissue is less noticeable when fruit is still partially frozen.

Textural changes due to freezing are not as apparent in products that are cooked before eating because cooking also softens cell walls. Textural changes are also less noticeable in high-starch vegetables, such as peas, corn and lima beans."

From extension.missouri.edu/p/GH1501

' at frozen vegetables'
Some of you are very precious and judgemental about random crap, aren't you?

Thanks for the explanation, AnnoyingOrange, and I'm sorry that (on reading back this morning) my post last night was snippier than I intended. I was just puzzled, really.

Agree that certain things - like lettuce and soft fruits - truly are gopping (have added word to my vocabulary) when frozen and defrosted. But have never classed broccoli as one of those - perhaps because of microwaving them, as Maryz mentioned, or perhaps DP and I just have degraded tastebuds from years of eating frozen veg.

Interesting about the fast freeze/slow freeze thing, though. I suppose I'd assume that frozen veg bought in any shop will have been fast-frozen, but I guess there are no guarantees.

I thought (GCSE biology, where were you?) plant cells have thick cellulose walls and are filled with water.

When water freezes, it expands. The expansion means the cell wall shatters. Hence mushiness.

Peas, Cauli used Frozen Chez Bringme.

OP you've opened up a whole world of pain for yourself here :o

Several years ago George Bush senior declared on national television his hatred for broccoli. He was forced into a humiliating, some say presidency defining, public apology to the nation's broccoli famers. (I'm not making this up!)

I'd start preparing your national address now,if I were you...

It depends how you use it IMO.

Frozen is perfect for mashing into pasta sauces or soups to get the little blighters to eat it.

Fresh is nice for a bit of texture and colour.

I don't much like the taste of broccoli anyway, so only eat it because I have to.

Frozen broccoli is best used in soups.

WHERE WILL IT ALL END?!

The broccoli controversy continues. Turn into the News at Ten for an update on the fiasco.

WHERE WILL IT ALL END?!

The broccoli controversy continues. Tune into the News at Ten for an update on the fiasco.

It depends how you cook it -steam or micro is the best love frozen veg !

Bugger. It wasn't supposed to do that.

Frozen peas, sweetcorn and cauliflower are fine - frozen brocolli, carrots and sprouts are hideous.

oooh love the frozen baby carrots we even have them on Sunday!

I use it in soups and some casseroles, and also in cauli and broccoli cheese. I put it in the cheese sauce frozen then bake it and it's fine.

One sarcastic sentence really can change the world...

P.S. I never actually "recommended" broccoli, as such. I did, however, explicitly recommend frozen butternut squash (I used to get it from M&S) and frozen sweetcorn.

yes, corn on the cob frozen is much better than fresh

I wasn't being 'precious' - I genuinely dislike frozen broccoli. It IS gopping. How is that precious? I LIKE fresh veg, it tastes nice!

Broccoli is such a controversial vegetable, it seems. Do you think we can jam in a fight about whether to have oil on it, in this thread?

I saw someone being very disparaging a few weeks back, about the idea of eating plain steamed/boiled broccoli

Bogeyface Lakeland has a product for EVERYTHING! This is the easiest way to cook it in the microwave:
www.lakeland.co.uk/10619/Clear-Microwave-Multi-Steamer;jsessionid=A800F9425FB0DDC0106E2DC721569FDC.app1

I like frozen broccoli. Its cheap and more convenient than the fresh stuff and cooks fine.

Only on MN would you get people being precious about frozen veg.

Oh, and Lakeland is great :)