Really Stupid And Moronic Question About Cooking

[wolf63]

I have decided to add some frozen veg to my salads. Tesco will deliver a bag of peas, carrots and sweetcorn tomorrow.

If I am adding it to the salad bowl should I just allow what I need to defrost or should I heat them up and then cool them down.

I know that this sounds like a totally idiotic question but I am saving the really stupid ones for another date.

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[douglas9401]

I suppose it depends on whether you're serving salad to humans or livestock. :)

[sapelesam]

Most frozen veg need 3 to 4 minutes rolling boil, check the pack for instruction. After cooking run cold water over them to stop the cooking.

[-Talbot-]

Cold frozen carrot :0(

Never in a million years.

[Tilly2]

If you just levae them in the salad bowl to defrost, there will be a little pool of water at the bottom of the bowl. Cook them and let them cool is my suggestion.

[sapelesam]

Yes Talbot, sweetcorn and peas are great in a salad, carrots I can take or leave.

[Tilly2]

Leave^

[sapelesam]

Only problem Tilly 2, is that they will continue to cook due to the latent heat. You end up with mushy peas etc.

[wolf63]

Thank you all - I appreciate your help.

☺

[Tilly2]

sam, you had already mentioned cooking and cooling them. I didn't really want to repeat what you said. Yes, boil and cool in cold water.

[Islay]

I wouldn't cook the peas or sweet corn if adding to a salad just leave to deforest in a sieve I would leave the carrots out altogether unless using fresh in salad x

[Buenchico]

I wouldn't want to use frozen carrots in a salad anyway. If you simply allow them to defrost you'll end up with blanched, but otherwise uncooked, carrots but which will however be rather soft around the edges. Crunchy raw carrot can be lovely in a salad but that's not what you'll have. Cooked carrots (after heating them) might be great with a Sunday roast but I wouldn't want them in a salad.

Frozen peas might work better, as they'll remain fairly firm after defrosting them. A bit of googling finds salad recipes using both raw and cooked peas.

I can't recall ever using frozen sweetcorn. (I've either bought fresh or used the canned stuff). But if what you get is the same as you'll find canned, you can certainly use it without heating/cooking.

[Buenchico]

Most of the answers above weren't there when I started typing but it looks like I'm not the only one who's got reservations about including frozen carrots in a salad!

[wolf63]

This is why I avoid cooking - it all gets a bit complicated.

Will try and pick out the carrots - failing that I will just keep the whole bag aside for another type of meal.

I am off to bed - doing nothing all day is tiring.

[Tilly2]

I missed the carrot bit! I would definitely cook the peas and sweetcron first though. I don't like 'fresh' peas.

Grated raw carrot is lovely.

[pastafreak]

If you get frozen petit pois, then you can probably get away with little or no cooking. They'll also taste nicer.

[Islay]

If it is a carrot and pea and sweetcorn mix you could plunge into boiling water cook for 2 mins then plunge into cold water leave to drain well, then mix into cold cooked rice with some chopped chicken as scallions and whatever your favourite dressing is x

[woofgang]

thawed and well drained frozen petit pois and decent quality frozen sweetcorn, again thawed and well drained, will work. The carrot will need to be cooked first and then it will be tasty but not like adding raw carrot to salad. With the mixed veg you have bought, I would cook it very briefly. Bring water to the boil, dump the veg in, bring back to a fast boil then drain and rinse in ice water then drain really really well and use.

[wolf63]

They didn't have my chosen veggies and the substitute was no use. I will just stick to my salad veggies, chestnut mushrooms and maybe a bit of banana.

Thanks folks