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Versatility is a characteristic of zucchini that is often emphasized. They can be used to make almost any dish. Desserts are no exception.
Jam is probably the most unusual way to use a lot of zucchini, but anyone who has tried it knows: when cooked with fruit or berries, they acquire an extraordinary taste and aroma, becoming similar to preserves.
Even though the jar is mostly courgettes instead of the usual jam ingredients, it makes for a very soft and tasty winter dessert.
You must try the courgette preserves, which look like they are made from exotic fruits.
Lemon Sweet and Sour Jam
It will be necessary: 2 kg zucchini, 2 lemons, 1.5 kg sugar, 5 g pectin.
Peel the zucchini and remove the seeds. Then cut into cubes and cover with sugar in a pot for 2-3 hours to release the juices.
Heat the pot. Once boiling, simmer for 15 minutes, stirring. Then turn it off and let the contents of the pot cool completely.
Cut the lemon into small pieces (if the zest is thick, grate it first and then peel it separately, trying to remove the underlying white layer).
After removing all the cores, place the lemon on the zucchini. Bring the mass to a boil again and cook for 10 minutes. When the jam cools down again, mix with a little sugar and add pectin.
Place the pot on the stove, bring to a boil, and simmer for about 5 minutes before pouring into sterile jars. After tightening the lids, turn the jars upside down, cover with lids and allow to cool.
Dried apricot jam
It will be necessary: 1 kg of zucchini, 200 g of dried apricots, 0.5 lemons, 1 kg of sugar.
Soak the dried apricots in hot water and drain in a sieve.
Peel the zucchini, remove the seeds and cut the pulp into chunks. Do the same with the lemons – grate the peel and remove the stones.
Grind apricots and zucchini in a meat grinder or in a blender. Grate lemon separately.
In an enameled pot, shake the zucchini and apricots. Add the lemon, cover everything with sugar and mix well.
Simmer the jam over low heat for about 40 minutes, until thickened, stirring and skimming off the foam occasionally.
While the jam is still hot, pour it into jars and seal. Once completely cooled, store at room temperature in a dark place.
Indeed, if you don’t like too sweet jam, it’s better to add less sugar than indicated in the recipe – especially when dried apricots also happen to be sweeter.
Blackcurrant Jam
It will be necessary: 2 kg of zucchini, 1 kg of black currants, 2 kg of sugar.
Peel the zucchini and remove the seeds if necessary. Then cut into cubes and place in a pot, cover with sugar and leave like this for a few hours.
Wash and dry the currants. They not only give the jam a delicious aroma: currants also contain a lot of pectin, a natural thickener.
Once the zucchini are covered in juices, add the berries and heat the pan over low heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, and cook for 5 minutes.
Once the jam has cooled completely, boil it again for 2-3 minutes, then boil it a third time for about 5 minutes. Pour into sterile jars and cover with lids.
Raspberry Jam
It will be necessary: 2 kg zucchini, 1 kg raspberries, 2 kg sugar, 2 small lemons.
Cut the peeled zucchini into cubes. Cover with sugar and marinate for 2-3 hours. Once the juices come out, heat and stir until it boils. Then cook for 10 minutes and turn off the heat.
Grate the lemon peel and add it to the jam. Then peel off the white layer of the bark. Cut the meat into slices, remove the bones and grind it in a meat grinder or blender.
Add the lemon wedges and raspberries to the pot and bring to a boil again. Cook for 2-3 minutes and drain.
The third time, cook the jam for about 5 minutes, pour into sterilized jars and seal.
By the way, frozen raspberries can also be used in this recipe. Although these berries pair well with lemon, you can omit the citrus if you don’t want to suppress the raspberry flavor.
Zucchini with Orange and Cinnamon
It will be necessary: 2 kg zucchini, 3 oranges, 2 kg sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
Peel and core the zucchini and cut the flesh into cubes.
Chop the washed oranges into small pieces, removing any stones. You can grate or mash the oranges if you wish.
Place the oranges and zucchini in a pot, cover with sugar and leave for 2-3 hours. Once the juices have run out, heat the pot, bring the contents to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring.
After turning off the stove, let the jam cool completely. Then repeat the same process twice. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
Pour the jam into sterilized jars, close them, turn them over and cover them while still hot. Leave to cool.
Mint Zucchini Jam
It will be necessary: 2 kg zucchini, 1.5 kg sugar, 2 lemons, 20-30 g mint leaves, 5 g pectin (optional).
Cut the zucchini into cubes, put them in the pot and cover with sugar. After 2-3 hours, when the juice comes out, heat the pot and bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer for 15 minutes and turn off the heat.
When the contents of the pot have cooled completely, add the grated lemon zest and the pulp crushed in a blender. Bring to a boil again and cook for 5 minutes.
During this time, peel the mint leaves (it is best to use the mildest mint so as not to make the jam bitter). Add about 50 ml of cooled zucchini syrup to a mixing cup, add the mint and stir well. When finished, pour this mass into the pot with the jam. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes and pour into sterilized jars. Proceed as always: cover, turn, cool.
Ginger Jam
It will be necessary: 1 large courgette, 3 lemons, 3 cm fresh ginger root, 500 g sugar.
Peel the zucchini, remove the seeds and cut the flesh into small cubes.
Peel the lemon, cut it into pieces and remove the seeds. Grate the ginger root.
Add all ingredients to a pot and simmer for approx. 30 – 40 min. until desired consistency is reached.
If you don’t like lemon, you can use orange instead for this marmalade.
Pineapple and Zucchini Preserves
It will be necessary: 500 g young zucchini, 500 ml pineapple juice, 750 ml water, 3 tablespoons sugar, 1 gram citric acid, vanillin.
Sterilize 700 ml jars. Peel the courgettes and cut the flesh into even rings about 1.5 cm thick. Remove the seeds from the center.
Place zucchini flowers in a pot, cover with water, and heat over medium heat. Once boiling, simmer for 5 minutes (on low heat). Do not overheat or the zucchini will collapse and become mushy.
After removing the pot from the stove, carefully pour off the broth and immediately place the zucchini flowers in the heated jars. Do not try to crowd them as much as possible – the flowers should float freely in the juices.
With the tip of a knife, add citric acid and vanillin to the jar (do not multiply the latter – it can merge). Finally, add sugar – sucrose, if available: it will give the preserves a caramel flavor.
Pour the pineapple juice into another pot, bring to a boil, then pour over the zucchini in the jar until it reaches the top. Put the lid on and turn it over. If there is any sugar left at the bottom of the jar, gently shake the jar until it dissolves.
Store the preserves in a cool, dark place. Taste no earlier than a month, so that the zucchini has time to acquire the pineapple flavor.
Good to know
Zucchini pairs well with citrus fruits (not just lemons, not fully ripe oranges, but also grapefruit), any berries, apples, pears, plums, melons, bananas, ginger and cinnamon.
For jam, it is best to use young zucchini with a thin skin – you can even leave the skin on before cooking. Full, hard zucchini need to be cooked in a covered pot so they fall apart faster.
Never add pectin to liquids above 45 degrees or it will clump.
It is recommended that zucchini jam be stored in a cool place with a shelf life of no more than two years.
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