Cooking Vegetables to Preserve Them

Ironically, one of the most effective methods for extending a fresh fruit or vegetable's lifespan is to cook it! Roasting or grilling batches of on-the-brink root vegetables (try this simple recipe with rosemary and thyme — nix the herbs if you don't have any) buys you several more days, and stocks your fridge with building blocks for easy meals.

For more delicate produce including fresh herbs and tender greens, blitz up a vibrant pesto. "I keep a jar of mixed-herb pistou in the fridge covered with a thin layer of olive oil, and stir it into soups or anywhere that needs a final layer of green flavor," says food writer and recipe developer Sarah Karnasiewicz. Like many herb-based sauces, pesto is versatile and gracefully accommodates substitutions. Don't have basil? Use cilantro, parsley, arugula, mint, or the ends of several different herb bunches. (Begin with a classic pesto recipe and experiment.)

This technique can also help with freezer space. They great at preserving food, but they reach capacity quickly. To save space, Israel and Okochi suggest reducing stocks (like a flavorful mushroom stock they make from mushroom scraps) down into concentrates that can be reconstituted as needed. "We cook five quarts of stock down to one quart, freeze the concentrate in ice cube trays, and use them like bouillon cubes," Okochi says.

Sources: How to Cook Wilted Vegetables and Prevent Food Waste