Recipes for pickled cucumbers with basil for the winter
Pickled and pickled cucumbers are classics of winter preparations. Aromatic herbs and spices help to diversify the usual taste of the product, on which the success of the snack on the dinner table ultimately depends. Numerous recipes differ only in the amount of salt, sugar and vinegar - the main preservatives on which the strength of the marinade depends, and otherwise completely depend on the taste preferences of the hostess.
Basil - the royal spice
Bay leaf, horseradish root, dill umbrellas, mustard seeds are added to the usual peppers and garlic. These ingredients are found in almost all recipes. But only spicy herbs of cilantro, basil, celery parsley, coriander grains can fundamentally change the taste.
The list of fragrant greens is long, but reviews speak of a very pleasant, unusual taste of the preparations prepared with basil. This spice is harmoniously combined with the taste of pickled cucumbers, giving them a new flavor.
Basil is a plant whose leaves and flowers are used as a spice. It has an astringent, slightly bitter taste and a very strong aroma. Basil is included in recipes for vegetable, fish and meat dishes, all kinds of drinks, sauces. Perfectly stimulates appetite, enhances digestive processes. Basil is distinguished by the color of the leaves and the characteristics of the smell. The color of the leaves ranges from light green to purple.
For pickling and salting cucumbers, it is better to choose basil varieties with aromas of cloves, allspice, laurel, cinnamon, anise from the whole variety of smells. In pickles and marinades, the spice goes well with mint, tarragon, coriander, marjoram, parsley. The name of the plant literally translates as a fragrance worthy of kings.
Pickled cucumbers, gourmet, with basil
Basil is a self-sufficient spice, in order to feel its aroma as much as possible, do not put too many fragrant herbs in one piece. Cilantro is in good harmony with it. But it is customary to put not greens in winter preparations, but grass seeds, which are called coriander, especially since the taste of the plant and its seeds is fundamentally different.
To prepare pickled cucumbers with basil for the winter, you will need:
- cucumbers;
- a bunch of basil;
- dill umbrellas;
- coriander;
- Bay leaf;
- black peppercorns.
For marinade filling you will need:
- water - 1 l;
- coarse rock salt - 1 tbsp. l .;
- granulated sugar - 2 tbsp. l .;
- vinegar essence (70%) - 0.5 tsp.
It is better to choose Zelentsy small, strong, without signs of deterioration. Before preserving, cucumbers are soaked in cold water for 2-3 hours, washed thoroughly. During this time, the container is prepared.It is most convenient to use cans with a volume of 750 ml to 3 liters for canning. Depending on the size of the raw cucumber, the number of pickling jars is calculated. Glass containers and tin lids are washed with soda and rinsed thoroughly in running water. Dishes are sterilized, tin lids are boiled.
- Jars are filled with cucumbers. Dill umbrellas, several basil sprigs, bay leaves should be placed between them.
- Jars filled with cucumbers are poured with boiling water. After 10 minutes, the cooled water is drained, the procedure is repeated again.
- The marinade is prepared in a separate container. Salt and sugar are dissolved in a measured volume of water, at the end of boiling, vinegar essence is added.
- At this stage, you can adjust the strength of the brine. Just taste it and add salt or vinegar as you like.
- Peas of black pepper, coriander are poured into the jars and cucumbers are poured with boiling marinade to the very neck.
- Preservation is rolled up with lids, turned upside down. Small jars are wrapped to prolong the cooling process.
Cucumbers harvested for the winter in jars are stored for a very long time. In cold cellars with constant temperatures, not a single year. I preserve cucumbers in this way all the time, and even after a year in the cellar, they remain crispy and very tasty. For long-term storage, recipes with a higher strength of the marinade filling are used, but this is reflected in the taste of the product.
This option is suitable for canning small cucumbers and gherkins.
Various recipes indicate the use of sweet red and yellow peppers, carrots, miniature tomatoes in marinades. All of these additives are paired with basil and coriander and look beautiful in cans. They can be used simply to make the blanks look more attractive.
