Squash marinated with cucumbers is a very tasty and at the same time easy to prepare food, ideal for both a special event and a regular home dinner. To make the snack crispy and pleasant to the taste, you need to carefully select the ingredients, follow the nuances of preparation, and know all the tricks of pickling vegetables.
Subtleties of pickling cucumbers with squash
Squash is a type of saucer-shaped pumpkin.Numerous recipes allow you to prepare delicious snacks in one way or another - the product can be salted, pickled, using a wide variety of ingredients and additives.
The vegetable got its name from the French “pate”, which means “pie” and is directly related to the appearance of the product.
Since the structure and taste of squash are almost completely the same as zucchini, you can use the recipe for zucchini to preserve the vegetable. Young crops are best suited for cooking, while ripe fruits are recommended to be added to salads. If ripe vegetables were purchased for pickling, they should be divided into parts. It is generally not recommended to use overripe squash, since they are very hard and no longer have their former unusual taste.
It is not at all necessary to remove the peel before preservation, since the shell is very thin and lends itself well to processing. However, it is important to observe the rule of hygiene - thoroughly rinse the skin of the product with a brush. The stalks must be removed.
Preserving vegetables involves blanching. Thanks to this procedure, the vegetable remains crispy. The idea is to treat the squash with hot water for 5-10 minutes. An alternative way is to pour boiling water over the product or leave it in it for a while. To preserve the golden hue, a contrast shower is used - after hot processing, the vegetables are immersed in cold water.
List of ingredients
To marinate cucumbers with squash according to the standard recipe, you will need the following ingredients:
- squash - 1 kilogram;
- cucumbers – 3 kilograms;
- black pepper – 12 pieces;
- allspice – 10 pieces;
- dill - 4 umbrellas;
- bay leaf – 4 pieces;
- garlic – 6 cloves;
- horseradish - one leaf;
- salt and sugar - 60 grams each;
- vinegar essence - 30 milliliters;
- clean water – 2 liters.
You will also need glass jars in which canned food will be stored. To obtain a satisfactory result, the container must be tightly closed.
Product selection and preparation
At this stage, it is necessary to carefully select products for the upcoming preservation, since the taste of pickled squash with cucumbers and the shelf life of the snack depend on the quality of the vegetables. Vegetables are prepared as follows:
- Select small young fruits. Overgrown squash are too hard, so they are only suitable for salads.
- Do not remove the skin, but wash thoroughly with a soft bristle brush.
- Remove the stem. In this case, the circle at the cut site should not exceed two centimeters.
- Before salting and preserving the product, the squash is blanched. The procedure helps soften the tissues of the product.
- Immediately after blanching, the fruits are dipped in ice water. Thanks to this, the peel will retain a yellowish tint.
- Cucumbers are soaked in cold water for 3 hours before preservation.
To ensure that canned foods remain fresh and tasty for as long as possible, they must be stored in sterile glass containers. Sterilization is carried out over steam or other methods (for example, in a microwave).
How to prepare cucumbers and squash for the winter?
A standard recipe for pickling vegetables allows you to quickly and easily prepare an excellent crispy snack. Moreover, this option is applicable to any preparation for the winter. The canning process includes the following steps:
- Pre-selected and carefully processed vegetables are divided in half.
- Spices are placed at the bottom of the container.
- Vegetables are compacted into the jar to the very top.
- Boil water, add salt, sugar, then fill the jars and let the contents brew for 15 minutes.
- After the assorted vegetables have warmed up, the water must be poured into the pan and boiled again, adding vinegar essence.
- Pour the hot brine into the container and screw tightly.
- Wait until the temperature of the contents reaches room temperature, and then remove the workpieces for storage in a cellar or other suitable place.
Containers cannot be used without sterilization. In addition to the main vegetable ingredients, carrots, tomatoes, and lemon can be used as a supplement.
How and for how long can you store it?
The blanks are stored in the cellar, pantry or on a glazed balcony for 12 months. It is important that the temperature indicators are within 15-18 degrees. There should be no heating devices or other heat sources nearby.
The maximum shelf life is 2 years, but provided that the room is always dry and regularly ventilated.
Marinated squash with cucumbers is an excellent snack option for any occasion. Following the rules of canning and storage will allow you to enjoy crispy vegetables for a long time.
