Can you freeze Nectarines?

[Corky]

Can you freeze them? Much prefer batch freezing -managed to freeze mango ok?

Yes, you can freeze almost any fruit. Nectarines, peaches, apricots are great to freeze and fantastic to feed to young ones (or old ones) in quarters.

Great - just wanted to check as Annabel Karmel book says you can't freeze peaches/nectarines etc. Did you freeze fresh apricots or dried?

I freeze both fresh and dried. Dried last me forever in the freezer and I mean forever. Don't freeze the fruit if it is too floury. You know how apples and peaches etc can get floury towards the end of the season. If they're juicy you shouldn't have any problem at all.

Freeze cheese too. I live by my freezer (not literally) and freeze everything I possibly can.

Oh yeah, freeze your bananas that are going off as you can use them to cook with. Any that are dark are good to freeze. Either take them out, let them defrost slightly and whiz them up in a smoothie or else bake them in a cake. Once the defrost they are very soft but still taste good.

Meanmum - how is cheese after defrosting? Do you freeze it grated or in a block? And can you only then use it for cooking or for regular eating?

I use it for both. I generally freeze it in a block. Camembert, brie etc you can use for eating and the normal cheddars you can use for eating but I find they crumble a little bit more than if they hadn't been frozen.

I tend to just cook with mine once it has defrosted but that is only if I get to it before dh has scoffed it!! I don't think I freeze anything else unusual but you would have to look in my freezer and confirm that as to me everything is basically freezable. I froze some feta a month back as I didn't use it when I wanted and had to go away for a few weeks. I defrosted it the other day but once again didn't use it in time so ended up throwing it out. I'm not sure what it would have been like as I was dubious about freezing it to start with.

I've got some blackberries in the freezer at the moment and blueberries are also good to pull out at the last minute for pancakes etc.

My Jarlsberg came out and was scoffed by dh with no complaints so that is obviously OK to freeze.

Thanks Meanmum - Cheese is about the only thing I don't freeze and end up wasting it, or eating it, which is really bad news for me as I'm usually on a diet and blow a whole month's Points in ten minutes! I have frozen Stilton before which I then use in Brocolli and Stilton Soup and that comes out fine, but was too nervous to try the soft cheeses and Cheddar for some strange reason - don't know why, not reticent about anything else!

Great - just wanted to check as Annabel Karmel book says you can't freeze peaches/nectarines etc. Did you freeze fresh apricots or dried?

I freeze them both fresh and dried. Dried fruit lasts for ever in the freezer and I cut the fresh fruit into pieces for ds or myself to munch on. Works especially well when he is teething.

Don't freeze them if they are old and floury but if they are nice and juicy then they will be fine.

I keep fresh grated parmesan in the freezer, and the heat from the pasta defrosts it instantly.

I also defrost prawns in hot water - anyone know if this is safe? (not had food poisoning yet though)

I think it's better to defrost prawns in cold water or at least tepid.