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The home-made squash of the famous Ankle Bens was invented in the 1990s, when the prices for the advertised product were high. Over the years, housewives got used to preparing a similar snack. We offer you to cook a delicious “Ankle Bens” from zucchini for the winter.
Ingredient selection
Fruits for cooking dishes are selected carefully. It is recommended to purchase vegetables that are medium in size, that is, no more than 20 cm long, since large ones can be overripe and even ruin the taste of the finished dish. There should be no depressions or dents on the surface. Choose thin-skinned zucchini, because thick skins may indicate chemical treatment, and the fruits will be overripe. It is better to use vegetables that have an even color, without yellow and brown spots.
In order not to think about how high-quality the fruits are, it is advised to soak them after purchase in cold water for 1 hour in order to get rid of chemical compounds, if any. Since there is a lot of salt, sugar and vinegar in such a roll, it should not be carried away by those who have a violation in the functioning of the kidneys, liver or heart.
Video “Zucchini salad for the winter “Ankle Bens” according to a simple recipe”
From this video you will learn a delicious recipe for Ankle Bens zucchini salad.
Classic “Uncle Bens”
In order for your family to enjoy their favorite salad in winter, you need to prepare 2 kg of zucchini, 0,5 kg more fleshy red tomatoes, and 1 kg of sweet pepper. You will also need 1 garlic head, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 tbsp. l. salt, 200 ml of vegetable oil and 50 ml of vinegar (preferably 9%).
Tomatoes must be chopped using a blender, but a meat grinder is also suitable. Before that, they are cut into four parts. Zucchini, like peppers, are cut into cubes. In the tomato puree, you need to add sugar, salt and oil, as well as crushed garlic. Zucchini is poured with this mixture and stewed for about 30 minutes. Gently stirring the dish with a spoon, you need to add pepper there and simmer for no more than 20 minutes, add vinegar, wait 5 minutes and pack the vegetable mass in jars.
Other salad options
It is not known exactly which recipe for this wonderful homemade zucchini salad was invented first, the classic version is considered to be with tomatoes, although earlier tomato paste played their role.
Acute
For fans of spicy preparations, a salad made from 1 kg of young zucchini, the same amount of red tomatoes, 7 bell peppers and 5 onions, 10 garlic cloves is suitable. You will also need vegetable oil – 1,5 cups, granulated sugar – based on the proportions of the oil, 100 ml of vinegar, 2 chili peppers, 2 tbsp. l. salt and 1 tsp. curry seasonings.
Zucchini are cut into squares, and onions into half rings. Peppers, peeled from seeds, straws. Blanch the tomatoes by making cross cuts and placing them in boiling water for 2 minutes, then in cold water for 1 minute. The skin is removed, the vegetables are cut into cubes, like zucchini.
The marinade is cooked from vinegar, oil, sugar and spices, after boiling, zucchini is added to it, cooking lasts another 10 minutes. After adding the rest of the vegetable ingredients, continue cooking for no more than 10 minutes. Adding tomato pulp, stew the same amount, put chopped garlic and stew for a couple of minutes.
Sweet and sour
You should take 2 kg of zucchini, 1 kg of tomatoes and onions, bell peppers in the amount of 700 g, and 600 g of carrots. You will need citric acid – 5 g, salt – 2 tbsp. l., sugar – 200 g, vinegar – 70 ml, Krasnodar sauce – 1 cup, 600 ml of water and greens.
Tomatoes need to be blanched for a minute, they are used without peel. Peppers are peeled and cut into strips – just like onions and zucchini. Tomatoes are cut into pieces of any shape, carrots are rubbed on a coarse grater. Marinade is prepared from “Krasnodar sauce”, granulated sugar, salt and seasoning (about 5 minutes after boiling). Zucchini is poured there and stewed for 10 minutes, pepper and onion are added, boiled for about 15 more minutes. At the end, tomatoes and chopped dill or parsley are placed in the dish to taste. It remains to add vinegar and acid, boil the dish for several minutes, and the salad is ready for packaging in jars.
With rice
You need to buy or take from your garden 2 kg of zucchini, 1 kg of onion, 1 kg of carrots, 700 g of tomato and 400 g of rice. Also prepare 5 garlic cloves, 1 cup vegetable oil, 5 tbsp. l. sugar and 3 tbsp. l. salt, 50 ml of vinegar (preferably 9%).
Tomatoes are crushed using a blender available on the farm, zucchini are cut into cubes, and peppers and onions are cut into small pieces. Carrots are grated, all vegetables are put in a large pot, adding squeezed garlic. The resulting tomato puree must be salted and poured with sugar, pour in the oil, pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables and cook for up to 30 minutes. Rice is poured and cooked for another half an hour, after adding vinegar, stew for no more than 10 minutes.
Budget “Uncle Ben”
For zucchini harvesting, you need 2 kg of zucchini, 5 pcs. sweet pepper and the same number of garlic cloves, 12 onions, 1 glass of vegetable oil (we recommend refined), 200 g of tomato paste, 1 glass of granulated sugar, 1 tbsp. l. salt, 60 ml of vinegar and 1 liter of water.
Vegetables are peeled and cut into pieces of any shape. Pasta is diluted in water, sugar, salt and butter are put there, and boiled. Zucchini fall asleep and boil for about 10 minutes, after adding the rest of the vegetables, cook for another 10 minutes. Garlic is crushed and combined with vinegar, put them in a saucepan. When the dish, removed from the fire, is a little infused, it can be laid out in jars and closed with lids.
Secrets of cooking
The housewives add hot and sweet peppers to the zucchini, as well as other essential ingredients: onions, carrots and greens. All vegetables are cut into pieces of the same size at your discretion: bars, squares, etc. Dressing with excellent taste is obtained from tomato paste or fresh tomatoes with the addition of seasonings that are allowed by the recipe. You can also experiment with them using chili, curry or dried herbs. But if the salad can be given a spicy or delicate taste, then it is better not to use more vinegar so that the dish does not become sour.
In order for the rolled salad to be stored longer, the vegetables should be washed thoroughly, you can use a special brush. Jars and lids must be sterilized by boiling in water or steaming.
Washed containers with lids can also be calcined in the oven. Jars with your favorite salad must be turned over after seaming and placed in a blanket. Under an airtight lid, the salad will not ferment, it will not swell, and you can get the workpiece from the cellar and enjoy its taste even after a couple of years.