There are many vegetable snacks and preparations called mother-in-law tongue and they are always popular with the male part of the population, partly because of the name, partly due to the spicy taste that distinguishes them. Mother-in-law’s cucumber tongue is no exception – in its classic version, this rather spicy appetizer is ideal for fried and stewed meat dishes. But since the predominantly female part of the population is preparing preparations for the winter, they are trying to somehow diversify the classic recipe, make it a little softer, more tender. And they quite succeed by reducing the content of hot peppers and introducing additional ingredients. Further, the article will consider several recipes for mother-in-law’s tongue from cucumbers, both in the classic and in the improved version.
Features of preparation
Before proceeding to the consideration of the mother-in-law recipes from cucumbers directly, you need to learn some secrets of cooking this dish.
- Medium-sized young cucumbers are best suited for the Mother-in-Law’s Tongue salad. They can not be peeled, but only cut into thin slices across and slightly at an angle. If you have to use overgrown cucumbers for making snacks, then it is better to peel them and, cutting them lengthwise, remove the largest seeds. Next, they are cut into thin slices along the cucumber.
- For cutting instead of a knife, it is convenient to use a vegetable peeler or grater, which has a special hole for chopping into thin slices.
- Before using cucumbers for salad, it is advisable to soak them for one hour in cold water. In this case, they will remain strong, and it will be much easier to wash them.
- Despite the sharpness of the appetizer, all products for it should be initially fresh, only in this case the mother-in-law’s tongue salad will have an exquisite taste and can be stored for a long time.
- When making a salad for the winter, it is advisable to use jars for twisting of medium size: from half a liter to a liter.
- Before starting the preparation of the salad, it is advisable to rub the cucumbers with salt, and it is even more convenient to lower them into a saline solution. This allows them to get rid of excess liquid and soak in seasonings. To prepare a solution in one liter of water, dissolve three tablespoons of salt with herbs and place cucumbers there for no more than 10 minutes. After the procedure, the cucumbers are washed under running water and cut into slices.
Classic recipe
Salad “mother-in-law’s tongue” from cucumbers is one of the easiest vegetable snacks to prepare for the winter, which any housewife can handle.
First you need to find and wash the following vegetables well:
- Cucumbers – 3 kg;
- Juicy and ripe tomatoes – 1,8 kg;
- Sweet bell pepper of any color – 0,5 kg;
- Hot pepper of any color – 1-2 pieces;
- Garlic – 0,1 kg.
Of the auxiliary components you will need:
- Vegetable oil – 200-250 ml;
- Table or wine vinegar – 125 ml;
- Sugar and salt to taste.
First, clean all vegetables from everything superfluous: skins, seeds, ponytails. Cucumbers, as you already understood, are cut into thin slices.
Cut all other vegetables into pieces of arbitrary size and turn them through a meat grinder.
While the tomato mixture is brought to a boil, sweet and hot peppers and garlic are scrolled through a meat grinder.
After the tomatoes boil for 5-10 minutes, sweet and hot peppers, garlic, cucumbers, butter, sugar and salt are added to the pan. Everything is mixed well and the future salad is first brought to a boil over low heat, and then boiled for about 20 minutes.
At the very end, vinegar is added to the pan and after a couple of minutes the fire under the pan is turned off.
You can use the time that the lettuce is simmering over the fire to sterilize jars and lids if you plan to use it as a winter harvest.
Recipe with tomato paste and carrots
Among the many salads for the winter, this recipe stands out for its spicy taste and original appearance at the same time. The result is an excellent appetizer that can also be used as a sauce for potatoes and spaghetti, as well as dressing first courses.
This version of mother-in-law’s tongue from cucumbers for the winter is a little bit like lecho, probably due to slicing bell peppers.
So, the products that need to be prepared are as follows:
- Cucumbers – 3 kg;
- Tomato paste – 500 ml;
- Sweet pepper – 0,5 kg;
- Carrots – 0,5 kg;
- Garlic – 0,1 kg;
- Hot pepper – 1 pod;
- Refined oil – 200 ml;
- Granulated sugar – 0,2 kg;
- Salt – 60 g;
- Wine or table vinegar – 200 ml.
Rinse the vegetables well, dry and cut off all the excess from them.
Cucumbers cut into thin slices. Grate carrots. Chop sweet pepper into thin strips. Grind hot pepper and garlic through a meat grinder or in a blender.
Take a large saucepan with a thick bottom, pour tomato paste into it, which is diluted in half a liter of water. Then put chopped sweet peppers, carrots, hot peppers, garlic, oil, salt and sugar there. Mix everything well and add cucumbers on top.
After another gentle stirring, insist without fire for two hours.
When the time is up, put the pot with the salad over medium heat, bring to a boil and continue to cook for about 30 minutes. In the last few minutes, add the vinegar and stir.
Arrange the ready-made salad “mother-in-law’s tongue” with cucumbers in sterilized jars and immediately twist.
You can store it anywhere, the main thing is that the sun’s rays do not get there.
The taste of such a cucumber appetizer is very rich, and carrots and sweet peppers will give it a little sweetness that will go well with the overall spiciness.
