Delicious recipes for making lecho with asparagus and green beans for the winter, storage

Lecho with various vegetables and beans is an indispensable cold-winter dish, especially when you want a hearty side dish to accompany your meat. This dish is similar to the French ratatouille. It used to be made solely with vegetables, but later, sausages or pieces of meat were added.

Specifics of preparing lecho with beans

Previously, only a vegetable version of lecho existed. It was made from vegetables native to Hungary: ripe tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, and onions. Cold lecho preparations include additional ingredients, such as beans, carrots, zucchini, and apples. There are countless variations of this dish, but the important thing is that lecho is always delicious.

In Russia, the dish is adapted to the ingredients available locally. A particularly popular recipe involves adding tomatoes at the very end, resulting in a thick, tomato-rich lecho.

Selecting and preparing beans

You can't use more than one type of bean for lecho, as they cook at different speeds. Red beans are most often chosen for lecho, while white beans are less common in recipes. They are pre-cooked.

Before making the preserves, be sure to soak the beans in cold water for 24 hours to allow them to plump up sufficiently. Cook them over medium heat, constantly monitoring the amount of liquid in the pan. Add salt only toward the end of cooking.

Good to know: the recipe often uses spices such as khmeli-suneli, rosemary, black pepper, basil and thyme.

How to prepare lecho with beans for the winter

Different nationalities have their own unique way of preparing lecho. Simple and interesting variations will help add variety to the flavor of this beloved dish.

Classic recipe

Lecho preserves are not only very healthy but also incredibly delicious. Once you open a jar, you can eat the entire contents in one dinner—it's impossible to resist such a delicious dish. You'll need about 2.5 kilograms of large peppers, about 800 grams of red beans, 3 kilograms of tomatoes (fleshy and ripe), and half a kilogram of red onion. Add 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of rock salt, half a bottle of oil, and 120 milliliters of vinegar.

Step-by-step recipe:

1. The tomatoes are peeled and mashed into a puree. The pepper is thinly sliced. The vegetables are placed over the heat.
2. Add chopped onion and pre-soaked beans to the pan. Once the dish comes to a boil, set the timer for 25 minutes.
3. Pour oil and vinegar into the pan and add dry ingredients.
4. Lecho is poured into dry, clean jars and tightly sealed with lids.

With carrots

Once you've made this delicious lecho, it'll be hard to resist eating it before winter. You'll need just 300 grams of carrots, 1.2 kilograms of ripe bell peppers, and 200 grams of beans. You'll also need about three kilograms of tomatoes (or 1.5 liters of natural tomato juice, for a substitute), six onions, 10 cloves of garlic, 200 grams of salt, 300 grams of sugar, 500 milliliters of sunflower oil, and ground pepper (optional).

Preparation:

1. Place the chopped vegetables in a saucepan. Then add the pre-cooked beans.
2. Making a tomato dressing is easy: peel the tomatoes and mash them with a potato masher. Pour the tomato puree into a saucepan.
3. Bring to a boil over low heat. Simmer for 35 minutes.
4. Add chopped garlic, oil, and spices to the dish. Cook for 5 minutes.
5. Distribute the finished product into jars and roll them up.

With eggplants

The delicious flavor of this dish will leave no one indifferent. Ripe eggplant imparts a special spicy note to the lecho. You'll need about two kilograms of it. You'll also need 2-3 cups of red beans, 2 kilograms of ripe tomatoes, half a kilogram of onions, 1 kilogram of bell peppers, and a head of garlic. For spices, it's best to use a 2-centimeter chili pepper, 400 milliliters of aromatic vegetable oil, half a cup of sugar, 100 grams of salt, and 150 milliliters of vinegar.

Recipe:

1. Make a dressing from the tomatoes and chop the vegetables as desired. Place the pieces in a saucepan and pour the tomato puree over them.
2. Bring the dish to a boil and simmer for half an hour.
3. Place the spices, oil, and vinegar in a saucepan. Cook the vegetables for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the lecho into jars and seal with metal lids.

With green beans

Only young, soft green beans are suitable for this dish. If the pods are soft and juicy, the dish's flavor is guaranteed. You'll need 2 kilograms of green beans, 3 onions, 2 large carrots, 600 milliliters of oil, 1 liter of tomato juice, and 1 head of garlic. For the spices, prepare 100 grams of salt, 150 grams of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, 2 bay leaves, and hot pepper to taste.

How to cook:

1. Chop all the vegetables and grate the garlic. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the chopped vegetables, except for the beans. Simmer for 10 minutes and then pour in the tomato juice.
2. Add the spices, garlic pulp, and beans to the dish. Bring the vegetables to a boil. Cook for 40 minutes. Then add the vinegar and stir well. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Distribute the finished lecho into glass jars and close them with sterile lids.

With tomato paste

The addition of tomato concentrate adds a richer, more vibrant flavor to the dish. To prepare this side dish properly, follow these proportions: 1 kilogram of yellow bell pepper, 130 grams of granulated sugar, 450 grams of natural tomato paste, 600 grams of onions, and 400 grams of carrots. You'll also need garlic, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 300 grams of beans, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 cup of oil.

Step-by-step recipe:

1. Chop the vegetables into pieces, except for the garlic – it needs to be grated.
2. In a hot saucepan, fry the onion in oil, add the carrots and simmer.
3. Place the remaining vegetables and pre-cooked beans in a saucepan. Mix the pasta with warm water and add it to the pot with the vegetables. Simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Then, add salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Finally, add vinegar and simmer for another 2 minutes.
5. Distribute the finished product into clean jars and roll up.

With red beans

The classic Hungarian recipe calls for only red beans in lecho. These beans add a beautiful touch to the product's appearance. To prepare this delicious preserve, you'll need 3 liters of natural tomato juice, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 kilogram each of carrots and onions, and 3 kilograms of bell peppers. You'll also need 1 cup of sunflower oil, 3 tablespoons of salt, and 2 cups of red beans.

The cooking method is similar to the classic recipe. The key is to prepare the beans in advance: soak them in cold water and cook until half-cooked.

With grapes

An interesting variation of this dish that helps introduce you to Mediterranean cuisine. Adding grapes to lecho changes its flavor beyond recognition. The dish is truly mouth-watering. Prepare the ingredients in advance, which are easily found at any store: two kilograms each of peppers and tomatoes, 1.6 kilograms of sultanas, 2 heads of garlic, and 1 hot chili. You'll also need 180 grams of granulated sugar, 6 tablespoons of vinegar, 250 milliliters of vegetable oil, 3 tablespoons of salt, and 4 bay leaves.

Recipe:

1. Make a puree from the tomatoes, chop the garlic, and chop the remaining vegetables.
2. Squeeze the grape juice through a sieve.
3. Bring the tomato puree to a boil, add chopped vegetables and grape juice. Bring to a boil.
4. Add spices and oil, cook the dish for 30 minutes.
5. When the lecho is ready, add vinegar to it and cook for another 3 minutes.
6. Pour into clean jars and roll up.

With green beans

If you're tired of making lecho the classic way, you can substitute green beans for regular beans. This will slightly alter the flavor of the dish.

You'll need half a kilogram of young green beans (excluding the beans), about 1.5 kilograms of ripe tomatoes, 500 grams of colored bell peppers, 400 grams of young carrots, and a head of fresh garlic. Add 2 cups of sunflower oil, 3 tablespoons of vinegar, 1/2 cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of table salt to this lecho.

Preparation is similar to the standard classic recipe. Green beans are added along with butter, salt, and sugar when the dish first boils. After all ingredients are added, vinegar is poured into the lecho, and it is simmered for 7 minutes. Then, it is divided into clean jars.

In a multicooker

You'll need the same amount of ingredients as the classic recipe described above. Thanks to a slow cooker, this dish can be prepared without much effort. Before cooking, chop all the vegetables (the tomatoes are for puree). Place all the vegetable pieces in the slow cooker bowl and set the cooker to the "Stewing" mode.

The lecho is cooked for half an hour. Then the dry ingredients and oil and vinegar are added. The slow cooker is closed again, and the dish is cooked for another 5 minutes.

Distribute the finished lecho into sterile jars and roll them up tightly.

Hunter's lecho with white beans and smoked sausages

This hunter's version of Hungarian lecho is a favorite among many, especially men. Ingredients: 3 large, multicolored peppers, 3 plump pink tomatoes, 250 grams of mushrooms (champignons), 400 grams of smoked sausages, 3 medium onions. Spices: 1 tablespoon ground paprika, salt and pepper to taste. 200 grams of sugar and about 1 cup of vegetable oil are also helpful.

Recipe:

1. Chop the mushrooms and vegetables into bite-size pieces. Fry the onion until golden brown, then add the pepper strips. Simmer for 5 minutes.
2. Place all the chopped pieces and fried onions in a saucepan. Simmer for 25 minutes. Then add the spices, sugar, and sliced ​​sausage.
3. Boil the lecho for 10 minutes, then distribute it into jars and roll up the lids.

How and how long is lecho stored?

Lecho is stored in the same way as other canned goods. It can only be kept in a dark, dry place. Only under these conditions can we guarantee the vitamin content and vibrant color of this product.

1. Store lecho at a temperature above +5 degrees Celsius.
2. At 0 degrees, the product may lose its taste and the richness of the color of vegetables.
3. The shelf life in the refrigerator is 12 months.

Conclusion

Simple recipes for making delicious lecho with beans will help you prepare this dish for the winter. Some original recipes will also help you add new ingredients to this dish, slightly changing its familiar flavor.