Recipes for making lecho from bell peppers with tomato paste, choosing the variety, and storing it for the winter

Lecho is considered the most popular vegetable salad. This appetizer is easy to prepare, as you don't need to adhere to strict proportions. However, before creating it, Lecho with tomato paste and bell peppers for the winter You need to familiarize yourself with the recipes for its preparation.

What kind of pepper is best?

Before you start preparing the salad, you'll need to choose the pepper varieties that are most often used in making lecho.

Moldovan gift

This pepper variety is considered a mid-season variety. The fruits are oblong in shape and have a dense wall over 5 mm thick. The Moldavian Gift is often used in cooking due to its excellent flavor.

Golden miracle

This variety is grown only in open ground, as its bushes are quite large. Zolotoy Chud has a high yield, allowing one to harvest over 15 fruits per bush. Ripe peppers are added to vegetable salads, as they are distinguished by their juiciness and sweet flavor.

Gypsy

Gypsy peppers are often used in lecho. Their distinctive features include delicious fruits and high yields. Housewives use ripe peppers in salads and winter preserves.

Bogatyr

Another variety that many use for preserving lecho is Bogatyr. This bell pepper produces large fruits, each weighing at least 150-170 grams. All the peppers are distinguished by their elongated shape and a wall thickness of 7-8 mm.

Preparing the main ingredients

Preparing preserves begins with preparing the main ingredients from which they will be prepared.

Preparing the pepper

Bell peppers are one of the main ingredients in lecho. There are two main methods for preparing peppers for canning:

• First, all vegetables are pre-sorted and inspected to remove any spoiled ingredients. Then, the selected peppers are thoroughly washed in cold water and the stems are removed. Afterwards, the vegetables are rinsed and soaked for 30-45 minutes.
• Each peppercorn is washed, cut into two equal halves, and the seeds are removed. The inner walls are then removed and the peppers are washed again in cold water.

Preparing tomato paste

The second important ingredient used to make the preserve is tomato paste. The firmest and ripest tomatoes are used for this preparation. Some people prefer to choose juicy tomatoes, but they are not suitable for pasta. All vegetables are pre-washed and cut into pieces, then soaked in hot water. The soaked tomatoes are peeled and minced.

The resulting tomato liquid is poured into a saucepan and simmered for 1-2 hours. Then, salt, sugar, lemon juice, and vinegar are added to the mixture.

Methods for preparing lecho for the winter

There are various recipes for making lecho for the winter, which can be used when creating this salad. It's recommended to familiarize yourself with them in advance to ensure you're preparing this delicious winter preserve correctly.

Classic recipe

Most housewives use the classic method for making this vegetable salad. To prepare the dish, you'll need the following ingredients:

• a kilogram of bell pepper;
• 300 grams of tomato paste;
• 20 grams of salt;
• 50 grams of sugar;
• half a liter of water;
• 75 ml vinegar.

Preparing the snack begins with pre-sterilizing the jars. To do this, place the jars in the oven and preheat to 120-150 degrees Celsius. After half an hour, remove the jars and leave them to cool on the floor.

After sterilizing the jars, prepare the peppers. They are washed and stemmed beforehand. Then, the peppers are cut up, and the inner walls containing the seeds are removed. The cut peppers are placed in a pan with tomato sauce and simmered for 40 minutes. Then, vinegar and water are poured into the jars, and salt is added to prevent the lecho from being too sweet. The mixture is simmered for another 15 minutes, after which it is poured into sterilized jars and sealed with lids.

With carrots

To enhance the flavor of lecho, carrots are often used in its preparation. To prepare this appetizer according to this recipe, prepare the following ingredients in advance:

• two kilograms of pepper;
• 800 grams of carrots;
• two onion heads;
• three garlic cloves;
• a liter of water;
• 400 grams of tomato paste;
• 100 grams of sugar and salt;
• 35 ml vinegar.

First, each peppercorn is cut into pieces and cleaned of its insides. Then, the carrots are prepared. They are washed to remove any dirt, peeled with a knife, and grated on a coarse grater. Once the carrots are ready, the onion is peeled and sliced ​​into rings.

Once the main ingredients of the appetizer are prepared, oil is poured into the pan and all the prepared vegetables are added to it. The ingredients should be simmered for about 15-20 minutes.

The lecho dressing is prepared in a separate cauldron. To make it, mix tomato paste with salt and add water. Bring the liquid to a boil, then pour it into the pan with the vegetables. Stir the mixture thoroughly and pour it into canning jars.

Finger-licking good zucchini

Zucchini lecho is popular among housewives, as zucchini makes a delicious appetizer. The main ingredients of the dish include the following:

• 2-3 kg of fresh zucchini;
• seven cloves of garlic;
• 50 grams of salt;
• 70 grams of sugar;
• 65 ml vinegar;
• 400 grams of peppers;
• 350 ml of water.

The main ingredient in this salad is zucchini. They are washed under running water beforehand, peeled, and seeded. Then, the zucchini is cut into small pieces and soaked in water for 5-10 minutes. Afterward, the zucchini is poured into a saucepan and mixed with tomato paste and salt. The vegetables are boiled for half an hour, after which chopped peppers, onions, and garlic are added. The ingredients are simmered for 15 minutes and then transferred to jars.

Five-Minute Recipe

This recipe gets its name from its quick and easy appetizer. Three kilograms of peppers are sliced ​​lengthwise and minced. The resulting mixture is poured into a cauldron and simmered for 3-4 minutes. Then, two chopped heads of garlic and 500 grams of tomato paste are added.

The mixture is boiled for half an hour and stirred every 5-7 minutes so that it does not stick to the walls of the cauldron.

The boiled vegetable mixture is poured into jars and mixed with vinegar and oil. If desired, a little sugar can be added to make it less salty.

A simple option without sterilization

Many housewives dislike the hassle of sterilizing jars before canning and therefore prefer not to. To can salad without sterilization, you'll need the following ingredients:

• 3-4 kg of peppers;
• head of garlic;
• 30 grams of salt;
• 120 ml oil;
• 300 grams of tomato paste;
• 60 grams of sugar;
• 40 ml vinegar.

First, wash the peppers, chop them, and remove the seeds. Then, pour 500 ml of water and tomato paste into a cauldron. Boil the liquid for 25 minutes, then add the chopped peppers, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and oil. Mix all the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes. Then, pour the lecho into jars and preserve.

Spicy without vinegar

When preparing spicy lecho, some people avoid adding vinegar. Even without this ingredient, the appetizer is delicious and flavorful. To prepare this salad, you'll need the following ingredients:

• 450 grams of tomato;
• 900 grams of pepper;
• salt and sugar to taste;
• one bay leaf;
• four cloves of garlic;
• green.

First, dice each pepper and place it in a saucepan. Then add the tomato and mix thoroughly with the chopped vegetables. Bring the liquid to a boil, then add the chopped herbs, garlic, sugar, and salt. Simmer for 45 minutes and then jar.

Delicious with rice

What makes this recipe special is that rice is added to the dish during preparation, making it more filling and delicious.

Carrots, onions, and peppers are thoroughly washed in water and cut into small pieces. All ingredients are then placed in a saucepan, covered with tomato paste and vegetable oil, and brought to a boil. After half an hour, 200-300 grams of rinsed rice are added. The mixture is stirred and simmered for another half hour. After this, vinegar is added to the appetizer and it is poured into jars.

Canned in Bulgarian style

Some prefer to prepare lecho using a special Bulgarian recipe. This recipe uses the following ingredients:

• half a head of garlic;
• one and a half kilograms of pepper;
• 800 grams of tomato;
• 40 grams of salt with sugar.

Pour the tomato paste into a saucepan, add 300 ml of water, and bring to a boil. While it's cooking, chop the pepper and garlic and add them to the boiling tomato mixture. After 20 minutes, add sugar and salt, and simmer the lecho for another 5-10 minutes. Then, place the prepared salad in glass jars.

Honey lecho

This recipe is considered one of the most original, as 100-150 ml of liquid honey is added to the appetizer.

Preparing the appetizer begins with preparing the main ingredients. First, the tomatoes and peppers are washed and sliced. Then, a marinade is prepared from the chopped tomatoes, honey, vinegar, salt, and oil. The onions and peppers are added to the boiling liquid. The prepared appetizer is poured into canning containers and stored in the cellar.

With onions and garlic

Prepare lecho for the winter The garlic and onion casserole is quite simple. To make it, chop the tomatoes and peppers in a blender and simmer for about half an hour on a gas stove. Then, peel and chop 2-3 heads of garlic and onion into small wedges. Add the chopped vegetables to the boiling mixture and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture into jars, add salt, stir, and seal with lids.

In tomato sauce

Pour 200-300 ml of tomato juice into a saucepan and place it on the stovetop. Then, cut 500 grams of ripe peppercorns into 3-4 equal pieces and add them to the boiling liquid. Add salt and stir in 80 ml of vegetable oil. Cover the mixture and simmer for 20-35 minutes.

The prepared lecho in tomato paste is poured into a sterilized container and closed with rolling lids.

Pickled peppers

To pickle peppers, thoroughly wash and seed 1-2 kg of peppers. Then, boil a liter of water in a metal container and add 150 grams of sugar, salt, and vinegar. Add the chopped peppers to the boiling liquid and simmer for at least ten minutes. Boiled peppers are added to jars and filled with hot marinade.

Rules for storing food in winter

It's best to store all canned goods in a cellar, as this is the most suitable place where you can independently control the temperature and humidity. Before transferring canned goods to the cellar, you must:

• Ensure adequate air circulation and temperature in the room. It's recommended to insulate the cellar in advance to prevent it from freezing during winter frosts.
• Clean shelves and walls of mold. Treat the cellar beforehand with a chlorine solution or copper sulfate to kill dangerous microorganisms that can spoil canned goods.

Conclusion

Lecho is a popular salad that many housewives preserve for the winter. To prepare this appetizer correctly, you need to familiarize yourself with lecho recipes and the specifics of storing it in the cellar.