Zucchini recipes “like pineapples” for the winter: how to achieve a characteristic taste, and how to replace exotic juice

Zucchini, such a simple and familiar vegetable, is fraught with many secrets. He is able to "transform" into pineapples without much effort, and if desired, the hostess can become the basis for jam.

Useful properties of a vegetable

Zucchini recipes “like pineapples” for the winter are in demand not only for their original taste. Such foods benefit the body. The main component - zucchini - contains many vitamins, is rich in minerals. In addition, it consists of fiber, which is why it is simply invaluable for those who are losing weight or monitoring their health. Zucchini has the following positive effects:

• improves the functioning of the heart muscle;
• normalizes the digestive tract;
• strengthens the immune system;
• improves blood condition;
• relieves puffiness;
• helps in the fight against aging;
• provide the withdrawal of salts from the body;
• stimulate joint cleansing.

Ingredient Selection Criteria

The taste of the finished dish directly depends on the quality of the main ingredients. In the classic version of the workpiece, the main “violin” is played by zucchini and pineapple juice. Therefore, the choice of these components must be given special attention.

Evaluate the appearance ...

In preservation, it is zucchini that play the role of exotic pineapple. Therefore, pay special attention to the quality of these vegetables. Pay attention to five parameters.

1. The size. Choose medium-sized fruits, whose weight is in the range of 150-250 g.
2. Length. Buy fruits with an optimal length of 12-20 cm.
3. Smoothness. Carefully inspect the peel of the selected specimen. It should be smooth, beautiful and smooth.
4. Colour. Do not buy zucchini with spots, sharp color transitions of the peel or the smell of rot.
5. "Tail". Inspect the stalk. The green "tail" indicates the freshness of the product, and brown, fairly dried up - about its staleness.

... and check the quality

If you want to roll pineapples from zucchini with pineapple juice for the winter, choose a quality drink. Otherwise, the workpiece simply will not stand the test of time, it will unpleasantly upset the characteristic “explosion”. The best option is to squeeze the juice out of fresh pineapple yourself. In this case, you will be sure that the product is real, fresh, does not contain chemical additives. However, the price of such a drink is quite high. It is much cheaper to buy ready-made juice. To buy a quality drink, pay attention to three points.

1. Tara. Look at the packaging. Juice is able to be well stored in glass or in cardboard, with a mandatory layer of foil inside the package.
2. Composition. Read what is in the drink. Get that juice in which the least number of "chemical" components.
3. Dates. Do not forget about expiration dates. A natural product is able to be stored much less time than its counterparts, "stuffed" with chemistry.

4 cooking secrets

Before moving on to recipes, check out the tips of experienced housewives. Four recommendations will help you easily master the technology of transformation of zucchini, protect against possible "explosions".

1. To clean or not to clean. For the preparation of pineapples, only young zucchini with a thin and delicate peel is used. Therefore, the hostess often raises the question: is it necessary to cut the skin. Remember, if you want to make pineapple from zucchini, be sure to cut the peel, remove seeds, even very small ones. It is they who are capable of putting you in an awkward position, betraying the vegetable origin of “pineapples”.
2. The way of slicing. If you have a special ring shape (or ordinary glass), the preparation process will be greatly simplified. Cut the peeled zucchini into circles about 1 cm thick. Using a mold, squeeze the core with seeds. Cut the resulting ring into segments. If this form is absent, cut the zucchini into two halves. Using a tablespoon, scoop up the pulp with seeds, carefully remove it. Cut the resulting boat along the strips, chopping which, you will get the same beautiful segments resembling pineapple slices.
3. Extract preservation. If you plan to cook pineapple zucchini for the festive table, then start preparing in advance. Preservation must be sustained for at least three days, so that the vegetable is completely saturated with juice, acquires the aroma of pineapple.
4. Additional accents. The proposed recipes can be varied as you wish. A sweet taste and a rather interesting aroma will provide a pinch of vanilla sugar. The sea-buckthorn will give a rich color and a light piquant sourness.

The classic recipe for zucchini in pineapple juice for the winter and its variations

The technology for making canned zucchini “like pineapples” is quite simple. Even a novice cook will successfully cope with such a procedure. If you first decided to cook homemade "pineapples", use the classic recipe. Those who are not afraid of bold experiments and love to delight the household with new culinary masterpieces will appreciate the proposed variations.

With citric acid

Features Having decided to preserve the zucchini in pineapple juice for the winter according to the classic recipe, stock up not only on the main components, but also prepare sugar. Such preservation can be a filling for pies, an ingredient in salads or an additive to desserts.

Components:

• pineapple juice - 350 ml;
• zucchini - 1 kg;
• sugar - 160 g;
• citric acid - two pinches.

How to cook

1. Peel selected vegetables.
2. Cut them into small pieces (use one of the cutting methods described above to get the characteristic segments).
3. Put the raw materials in a pan.
4. Pour the vegetables with pineapple juice.
5. Pour sugar in a saucepan, add citric acid.
6. Put the mixture on the stove, bring to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to a minimum, simmer the zucchini in the pineapple marinade for 20-25 minutes.
8. During this time, the vegetables will become juicy, the marinade will be respected, will acquire a beautiful honey-amber shade.
9. Put the finished product into sterilized jars: put the zucchini first, then fill them with marinade. You can roll up the preservation with ordinary metal covers or with special ones with spins.

With turmeric and vanilla sugar

Features The combination of turmeric and vanilla sugar will give a pleasant rich taste to home-made. To roll zucchini under pineapple juice, you need to use natural lemon, not acid.

Components:

• pineapple juice - 1 l;
• zucchini - 500 g;
• sugar - 150 g;
• turmeric - 8 g;
• vanilla sugar - a pinch;
• lemon - half a citrus.

How to cook

1. Peel the zucchini, cut into pieces.
2. Pour pineapple juice into the pan, boil it.
3. Pour sugar, turmeric into a boiling drink, pour juice squeezed from lemon.
4. Wait until all additives are completely dissolved.
5. Place zucchini in boiling marinade.
6. Cook vegetables for five to seven minutes.
7. Using a slotted spoon, place the softened zucchini in sterilized jars.
8. Pour them with boiling marinade.
9. Put the cans in a large pot.
10. Pour in water, fill the can almost to the neck.
11. Sterilize the "pineapples" for about 15 minutes. After that, the cans can be rolled up.

With yellow cherry plum

Features This recipe can surprise even experienced housewives. To cook zucchini like pineapples, you do not need an exotic product, you can do without pineapple juice. To ensure a characteristic taste preservation, you need yellow cherry plum. It is she who is able to give the zucchini a taste of pineapple.

Components:

• yellow cherry plum - 350 g;
• zucchini - 1 kg;
• water - 1 l;
• sugar - 230 g;
• citric acid - a pinch.

How to cook

1. Divide the cherry plum in half, remove the bones.
2. Peel the zucchini, remove the core, cut.
3. In liter jars at the bottom, put half of the cherry plum, filling in a quarter of the volume.
4. Next lay the zucchini.
5. Re-lay the cherry plum layer.
6. Pour boiling water over the workpieces, wait five to seven minutes, drain the liquid into the pan.
7. Repeat the fill again.
8. After draining the drink a second time, brew the syrup based on it, adding sugar.
9. To spice up the fill, add citric acid.
10. When the syrup boils, fill them with cans, immediately roll up.

With lemon and clove

Features Zucchini can be preserved, like a real exotic fruit, without fragrant cherry plum. A specific pineapple flavor will provide a combination of cloves and lemon.

Components:

• lemon - one citrus;
• zucchini - 500 g;
• cloves - three pieces;
• sugar - 460 g;
• water - 2 l.

How to cook

1. Start by preparing and slicing zucchini.
2. Put the vegetables in a pan, pour water.
3. Bring the raw materials to a boil.
4. Pour in sugar, continue cooking over low heat for about 15 minutes.
5. Carefully monitor the appearance of zucchini. Once the vegetables have amber transparency, add cloves.
6. Boil the drink with vegetables for another quarter of an hour, pour in the juice squeezed from the lemon.
7. Soak the compote for a couple of minutes on fire.
8. Then you can safely pour it into banks, roll up for the winter without sterilization.

With gelatin

Features You can cook a delicious pineapple jelly with a beautiful amber color and simply amazing aroma without adding pineapples. Exotic notes in this dish are dictated by a lemon.

Components:

• lemon - two citruses;
• zucchini - 1 kg;
• sugar - 1 kg;
• gelatin - 30 g.

How to cook

1. Cut the peeled zucchini into pieces, removing the seeds.
2. Put the vegetables in a saucepan, cover with the third part of sugar.
3. Wait half an hour for the squash to drain juice.
4. Drain part of the drink in a separate pan, while leaving a little (about a glass).
5. Add the remaining sugar to the drained juice.
6. Put the syrup on the stove, boil it.
7. As soon as the sugar has completely dissolved, remove the zucchini with a slotted spoon, put them in hot syrup.
8. Pour the gelatin with the remaining squash juice, leave the crystals to swell.
9. Zucchini cook in syrup for 40 minutes on low heat.
10. Wash the lemons well, pour over boiling water and, without cutting the zest, cut into slices, carefully removing the bones.
11. Beat the citrus pulp in a mashed blender.
12. Pour the lemon gruel into the squash mixture.
13. Continue to simmer on the stove for another 30 minutes.
14. Remove the container from the fire.
15. Pour in swollen gelatin, mix thoroughly. Boil with gelatin is strictly prohibited, otherwise the structure of "pineapple jelly" will be hopelessly ruined.
16. Pour into banks, cork for the winter. It is recommended to store such a blank in a cool cellar or in the refrigerator.

Having decided to roll pineapples from zucchini for the winter, do not be afraid to experiment. An alternative to juice can be ordinary water with the addition of a few drops of pineapple flavor. Such a drink is very difficult to distinguish from the present. And if you still have syrup from canned exotic fruits, do not rush to pour it. It is also able to replace pineapple juice in your preservation.

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