We have a glut of celery, carrots and onions. At the weekend I'd like to make a huge batch of 'base' which I'd then freeze in family-size portions and defrost as nec. So I'll finely chop all the above and brown/soften them in a pan with the plan that when I need one it'll defrost quickly then I can start off one of the above dishes with it.
Would you season before or after cooking? And what would your essential herbs/spices be for
Brown stew
Bolognaise
Chicken casserole
Miedium-hot curry
Chilli
Maybe carbonara too?
I'd like to get the bases as far as possible leaving stock/wine/meat/flour to thicken to be added on the day (I work from home and love the smell of something lovely cooking for a few hours during the day).