What foods can I cook now and save for the winter? | Kitchen Aid

What can I batch cook now and freeze to brighten up my Autumn/Winter meals?Steph, Stroud, Gloucestershire

"Summer is really all about fruits and vegetables, that's what's exciting about this time of year," says Oli Brown, chef-owner of Updown, a restaurant with rooms in a converted farmhouse near Deal in Kent. And the excitement can continue in winter starvation if you simmer (then freeze) those zucchini, tomatoes and eggplant now. "You could make a big batch of caponata, for example," suggests Brown. "It would freeze for months, then all you have to do is thaw it, reheat it, and maybe add a little more vinegar, olive oil, and fresh herbs." A good caponata is based on "everything [i.e. the vegetables] cut about the same size, so everything is cooked at the same time", then frying the aubergine and zucchini until they are golden. “I sometimes put pears or figs in too,” he says. And remember, caponata should be jammy and intense; it's not ratatouille (though that too keeps well in the freezer).

The pea and bean minestrone would also brighten up darker days; just add olive oil and lemon juice when reheating for extra punch. Meanwhile, for Alissa Timoshkina, co-founder of Cook for Ukraine and author of Salt & Time, dill is a key ingredient to pack for fall/winter. "I love it," she says, and to feel that love all year round, she makes a garlic and dill oil by mixing 50g of dill, a big pinch of flaky sea salt , maybe a small clove of garlic and 100 g of oil. "Use olive oil or, for a more oriental flavor, good quality organic unrefined sunflower oil and maybe a splash of lemon juice." Freeze them in ice cube trays, then, in colder months, pop some out and toss them into soups and stews.

Don't overlook not summer fruits, either. "Currants, strawberries, figs and peaches make great compotes or purees," says Brown, who stores them in the freezer, ready to spoon onto future porridge, fold over cream for dessert or, in the case of gooseberries, to serve as an alternative to applesauce with a Sunday roast. "It's a little taste of summer."

Of course, it's not just the freezer that can save the summer - there are also the jams, pickles and ferments. As for the latter, it has to be tomatoes, says Timoshkina: "They have amazing flavor, and fermented foods have so many benefits." Roughly chop the ripe tomatoes or blend them into a thick paste. "Add a tablespoon of salt per kilo [of tomatoes], then season with whatever you like - a tablespoon of honey, a teaspoon of chilli, grated garlic, ginger or horseradish. ."

Seal in a sterilized jar and let ferment at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 10 days. “Once it reaches the right level of fermentation for your tastes, put the jar in the fridge and it will keep for the winter” – or at least until you polish the batch in soups and stews , or you mixed them with mayonnaise to spread on sandwiches. As Timoshkina says, "I would happily add a tablespoon to almost anything I make."

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