I love the constant procession of the little joyful things in life, those small sweet moments that could quietly slip by unnoticed, if you weren’t paying attention. Because they are fleeting, we can sometimes disregard them as being insignificant. But I like to remind myself that “big is just a whole bunch of little”, then I can be alert and watching for these lovely small things that make such a big contribution to life. When I was young, I remember lying awake just after having gone to bed and been aware of myself as being infinitely small and infinitely big all at the same time so I have been aware that big things are made of lots of little things.
This concept holds true in your cooking, too. Sometimes the addition of just one tiny flavor can kick your creations up a notch or even two. They can go from good to extraordinary in just one small sprinkle. I call these powerful small additions “flavor bursts”.
One such flavor burst is chopped green onions. They are so versatile and just a few can add a punch of flavor and texture to many dishes, such as baked potatoes or scrambled eggs with cheese. But how often do you keep fresh green onions in the fridge? My friend Denise recently told me that they can be chopped and frozen, so you can have them on hand. I decided to freeze some to see how well this works. I bought a few bunches of green onions, chopped them and spread them out on a small cookie sheet (to keep them from sticking in one big lump), then popped them in the freezer. Once they were frozen, I put them into an airtight freezer container. I then took out a spoonful and they maintained their color and flavor. Some of their crisp texture was lost but I made a tuna salad with dill weed and capers and the green onions were a wonderful addition to the overall flavor.
You can even freeze lemon and lime juice, heavy cream, and chicken and beef broth. Freeze these in ice cube trays and then store the cubes in airtight containers. This way, you can use just a small amount at a time. Last year, I bought a half gallon of organic cream on sale after the holidays and froze it. It lasted almost a year. I do the same thing for lemon and lime juice; I buy the whole fruits in the winter when they are inexpensive and then make the juice and freeze it.
Just as these as small moments bring so much joy to my life, these small and mighty frozen flavor bursts can add zing to your cooking as well – so delightful!!!