Is it possible to pickle Zozulya cucumbers for the winter and how to do it tasty and simple

Pickled cucumbers Zozulya variety used as a spicy dressing in soup, a side dish for many hot meat or fish dishes, or when making sandwiches. To make the pickling tasty and aromatic, the choice of fruit is important, as well as the method of preserving cucumbers of this variety.

Is it possible to pickle Zozulya cucumbers?

Zozulya cucumbers They are early ripening, they are unpretentious in care, they grow well both in greenhouses and in open ground.

Despite the fact that this vegetable is most often used for making salads, it is also suitable for pickling.

Features of their conservation

For pickling The best vegetables are those that meet the following requirements:

• the fruits are fresh and young - it is not recommended to use overripe ones for pickling;
• thin skin with characteristic pimples, elastic, without signs of withering or lethargy;
• the pulp should be quite dense and juicy;
• the fruits should not be bitter;
• the optimal length for pickling is no more than 15 cm, the fruits are smooth, without “deformities”.

The vegetables are pre-soaked in water for at least 10 hours - this will help keep them crisp and juicy. It is advisable to soak in spring or filtered water. Regular tap water contains chlorine, which will negatively affect the taste.

Important. If, when cutting a vegetable, voids in the pulp become visible, this product is not recommended.

The best recipes for pickling Zozulya cucumbers

There are many canning options suitable for Zozulia, which allows you to diversify both everyday and holiday menus. Depending on the additions and spices used, the pickling can turn out to be spicy and piquant, tender, with a slight sourness, or rich with a pleasant vegetable taste.

Reference. You can marinate this vegetable with or without vinegar.

“Assorted” with tomatoes and bell peppers

The combination of cucumbers with tomatoes and sweet bell peppers will give the dish a bright vegetable taste that will appeal to lovers of mild marinade.

Ingredients:

• water – 1.5 l;
• cucumbers – 0.5 kg;
• bell pepper – 250 g;
• small tomatoes – 800-900 g;
• vinegar – 100 ml;
• sugar – 2.5 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 1 tsp;
• garlic – 1 head;
• dill - 3-4 umbrellas;
• cherry, currant or oak leaves - a couple of pieces.

Cooking method:

1. Sterilize containers in advance, wash and dry all vegetables and herbs.
2. Place leaves and dill on the bottom of the jar. Top with tomatoes, chopped peppers, garlic and cucumbers.
3. Pour boiling water over the vegetables, after 10-15 minutes pour the water into a saucepan and put on fire. After boiling, pour the liquid back into the container with vegetables.
4. After 10-15 minutes, pour the water into the pan again, add sugar, salt, vinegar and wait until it boils.
5. Place the whole dill into the jar.
6. Pour the boiling liquid into the jar to the brim and immediately roll up the lid.
7. Turn the container upside down. After cooling, transfer to a cool place for storage.

There is no need to cover the container with a towel in this recipe.

Add cloves, hot peppercorns, onions or horseradish to taste.

Pickled Zozulya cucumbers without vinegar

Pickling without vinegar is suitable for people who adhere to a healthy diet, as well as for children.This preparation has a pleasant taste with moderate pungency.

Ingredients:

• cucumbers – 1 kg;
• water – 1.5 l;
• garlic – 5 cloves;
• leaves of cherry, currant, horseradish - 1 pc.;
• dill – 1 pc.;
• salt – 2 tbsp. l.

Preparation:

1. Place leaves, dill and garlic in a prepared glass container.
2. Place cucumbers in a jar, trying to compact them tightly.
3. Dilute salt in water and pour over vegetables. Close the jar with a nylon lid and leave for 1-2 days.
4. The cucumbers should change their green color to yellowish, after which the liquid from the jar should be drained into another container.
5. Pour clean boiling water over the vegetables and leave until completely cool.
6. After 2-3 hours, pour out the water and pour the brine into the jar from the first drain, first bringing it to a boil.
7. Roll up the lid.

Along with dill in this recipe, you can use your choice of cilantro, parsley or basil.

In tomato juice

Cooking cucumbers in tomato juice will allow you to do without adding vinegar, since tomato juice will give the preparation a pleasant sourness.

Required Products:

• young cucumbers – 1 kg;
• water – 1 l;
• thick tomato juice – 1 l;
• garlic – 5-7 cloves;
• sweet bell pepper – 2 medium;
• hot peppercorns - a pinch or to taste;
• sugar – 6 tbsp. l.;
• salt – 6 tbsp. l.;
• oak or cherry leaves - 2 leaves each.

Cooking method:

1. Wash and dry all vegetables. Peel the garlic and pepper.
2. Carefully place the leaves first in a sterilized jar, then Zozulya.
3. Fill the container with boiling water, pouring boiling water to the brim. Leave to cool.
4. Grind the bell pepper along with the garlic using a blender.
5. Pour tomato juice into a deep container, add chopped pepper and garlic, add sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly and put on fire until it boils.
6. Drain the cooled water from the jar, add hot peppercorns to the container and pour in the boiling tomato-pepper mixture so that the liquid completely covers the vegetables.
7. Roll up the jars with a lid and wait until they cool completely, after which the pickling can be moved to the basement or any other cool place.

To give the dish a spicy kick, you can add a small pod of chili pepper, which is placed in a jar along with the cucumbers.

Recipe with green peas

To make canned food more original, add green peas to the main product, which will transform the usual snack.

Required Products:

• Zozulya cucumbers – 500-600 g;
• water – 0.5 l;
• green peas – 150 g;
• salt – 0.5 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 2 tbsp. l.;
• vinegar – 20-25 ml;
• garlic – 5 cloves;
• dill, parsley, basil - 1 bunch each.

How to cook:

1. Wash the vegetables, rinse the peas several times.
2. Place clean peas on the fire and cook for about 15 minutes.
3. Place dill, parsley, basil and garlic in a glass container.
4. Arrange the cucumbers tightly, stacking them vertically.
5. Add peas.
6. Pour boiling water into the container. After 10 minutes, pour the liquid into a saucepan and boil, then pour it back into the jar.
7. After 10 minutes, the liquid must be drained again. Add acetic acid and all seasonings to the drained water. Boil.
8. Pour the brine into a container and roll it up.

Pre-boil the peas for preparation, and soak the cucumbers themselves in water.

Preparation for pickle sauce

To quickly prepare pickle soup, you can use pre-prepared vegetable pickling, which will help out the busy housewife.

Required Products:

• cucumbers – 1 kg;
• water – about 1.5 l;
• salt – 2-3 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 1 tbsp;
• vinegar – 90 g;
• carrots – 1 kg;
• tomato paste – 0.5 kg;
• onions – 800-900 g.

How to cook:

1. Cut the carrots into small strips or grate them.
2. Chop the onion with a knife.
3. Cut the cucumbers into cubes.
4. Place all ingredients, except vinegar, in a saucepan and put on fire.
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 40-45 minutes.
6. Pour in vinegar and boil for another 15 minutes.
7. Pour the resulting mixture into a jar and roll up.

To make your future pickle soup even more satisfying and nutritious, add a little pearl barley (about 0.5 kg) to the pan with boiling vegetables along with vinegar.

Sandwich preparation

An original “spread” for sandwiches will diversify your usual breakfast, making it tastier, healthier and piquant.

Ingredients:

• Zozulya – about 900 g;
• onions – 2 pcs.;
• salt – 2.5-3 tbsp. l. ;
• sugar – 2.5 cups;
• apple cider vinegar – 500-600 ml;
• black peppercorns – 7 pcs.;
• turmeric – 0.5 tsp.

Preparation:

1. Cut the cucumbers and onions into slices and place in a deep container. Add salt, stir.
2. Cover the top with a plate or saucer with some kind of weight, transfer to a cool place and leave for 3-4 hours.
3. The juice released from the vegetables must be drained, and the vegetables themselves must be washed.
4. Pour vinegar into a small saucepan, add sugar, turmeric and pepper. If desired, you can add a little cloves or bay leaf. Boil over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
5. Transfer vegetables to boiling vinegar liquid. Bring to a boil and cook the vegetables over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
6. Place the vegetables in a jar, pour over the marinade and roll up.

Vegetables with salt can be left in the refrigerator overnight, and after sealing the finished jars, put on the lid and cover with a towel. The product will be ready for use in two weeks.

Pickled cucumbers Zozulya with rowan

Rowan berries will make the dish incredibly piquant, aromatic and bright.These cucumbers will decorate the holiday table, going well with a hot side dish.

Required Products:

• Zozulya – 650 g;
• water – 1.5 l;
• ripe red rowan – 300 g;
• vinegar – 100 g;
• salt – 1 tbsp. l.;
• sugar – 3 tbsp. l.

Cooking method:

1. Place cucumbers with pre-cut tails in a jar.
2. Rinse the rowan berries thoroughly under running water and then pour boiling water over them.
3. Pour the berries into the jar.
4. Dissolve sugar, salt and acetic acid in water. Pour the resulting liquid into a container with vegetables and berries.
5. After 10-15 minutes, pour the liquid into a saucepan, put on fire and boil.
6. Pour boiling liquid over vegetables. After 10 minutes, drain the water again and boil.
7. Pour the boiling brine into the jar with vegetables and roll up the lid.
8. Cool and transfer to a storage location.

The dish is low in calories (35 kcal per 100 g), so it is suitable for people following their figure.

Terms and conditions of storage

It is recommended to store pickled cucumbers of this type for no longer than a year, since if stored for too long, the product may lose its taste and crunch, becoming too soft.

Storage conditions:

• store the pickling in a cool, dark place, for example, in a cellar or refrigerator;
• the container for canned food must be sterilized and the lids must be iron;
• Avoid storing the product at excessively low temperatures.

The storage temperature should not exceed +10°C.

Useful tips

The use of spices not only improves the taste, but also has a positive effect on the storage of preparations:

• a small amount of mustard seeds will protect against swelling and tearing of the lids;
• thinly sliced ​​horseradish, rolled under a lid, will protect the product from mold formation;
• a couple of pieces of oak bark will make vegetables crispier;
• For quick pickling, cucumbers can be pricked several times with a fork on both sides, after cutting off the tails.

It is advisable to place freshly prepared marinade upside down so that the lid fits better to the jar.

Reference. For salting, it is recommended to use the most common coarse salt, and not sea or iodized salt. Fine salt can make the product too soft and not crunchy.

Conclusion

You can diversify your everyday or holiday table with a spicy and aromatic snack made from young cucumbers of the Zozulya variety. Canned product You can safely add it to both first and second courses, and also use it as an original natural spread on bread.

To make canned goods last longer, store them away from light and heat.