Step-by-step recipe for preparing okroshka for the winter
Okroshka is a delicious dish, the main ingredients of which are fresh vegetables and herbs. There is an opinion that okroshka is an exclusively summer food. However, you can enjoy the taste of the dish even in winter. To do this, you just need to prepare the ingredients in advance. To prepare okroshka for the winter, you will need the same products that are used to prepare it fresh. You should only follow the storage rules so that they do not lose their qualities.
The specifics of the preparation of dressing for okroshka for the winter
Ingredients for okroshka should keep their freshness and not lose nutrients during storage. Incorrectly prepared foods quickly deteriorate and become unfit for human consumption.
In order for the products to retain their properties longer and not be spoiled, they are placed in a sterile container and stored in a cool place. For better preservation, salt and vinegar are added to the workpiece. Horseradish is also a natural preservative.
Additionally, the finished mixture of vegetables and herbs is pasteurized, then covered with lids, and stored.
Ingredient List
To prepare okroshka for the winter, you will need:
- cucumbers - 500-600 g;
- horseradish roots - 200-300 g;
- radish - 10 pcs.;
- dill - 400 g;
- green onions - 300-400 g;
- salt - 2-3 tbsp. l .;
- vinegar - 2 tsp.
Product selection features
Vegetables and greens must be clean, free from signs of damage or rot. It is advisable to take young cucumbers for okroshka. In this case, the skin from them can not be cut off.
Overripe cucumbers must be peeled and seeds removed.
Horseradish roots should be chosen smooth, firm, free from damage and stains, not dry. The flesh should be white and smooth. The length of ripe roots is 20-25 cm.
How to prepare containers correctly?
Glass jars with tight-fitting lids are used as containers. They should not have chips or cracks. The containers must be thoroughly washed under hot water with soap and soda, rinsed and dried.
After that, they are placed with their neck down on a wire rack that is placed over a pot of boiling water. Banks are sterilized with steam for 15 minutes. Then the fire is turned off, the containers are left to cool in the same position over the steam. After cooling, they are moved, without turning, onto a clean towel.
The lids are boiled separately or sterilized with steam cans. Put them on a towel with clean tweezers.
Cooking process
Vegetables and herbs are washed under cold running water. Cucumbers can be pre-soaked in water to help the dirt move away better. Then the food is placed in a colander to drain excess water.After that, the ingredients for okroshka are transferred to a clean towel and dried thoroughly.
Peel the cucumbers if necessary. Then they cut off the ends, cut the vegetables into small cubes. Horseradish is scrolled through a meat grinder. You can grate the cucumbers with horseradish.
The tails are removed from the radish. Vegetables are cut into pieces or grated. Dill and onion are finely chopped and added to the rest of the ingredients. Then the dish is salted and mixed thoroughly.
The mixture is laid out in jars and vinegar is added. The containers are pasteurized for 5-10 minutes in a saucepan with water at a temperature of + 80 ... + 90 ° C. The saucepan is put on low heat. The water level in it should be 2 cm below the neck of the cans. After processing, the container is closed with lids.
How and how much can you store?
The workpiece in jars, tightly closed with lids, is stored in a refrigerator, basement or cellar at a temperature of 0 ... + 5 ° C without access to sunlight. In such conditions, products retain their freshness for up to 6-8 months.
The mixture can be frozen to increase shelf life. To do this, cut vegetables and herbs are laid out in plastic bags. Do not add vinegar and salt. Such a blank can be stored for up to 12 months.
