Delicious recipes for preparing broccoli at home for the winter and storage

Broccoli holds a special place among healthy vegetables. It's hypoallergenic, easily digestible, and has a positive impact on health. Furthermore, this cauliflower variety has a mild flavor and pleasant aroma. Therefore, it's essential to preserve this incredibly healthy broccoli for the winter to replenish its vitamins during colds and flu season.

Health benefits of broccoli

Before you start preparing it, you should definitely pay attention to the usefulness of the vegetable.

This unusual dark green vegetable contains a high concentration of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It contains vitamins C, K, PP, B vitamins, beta-carotene, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. This explains the full range of benefits of broccoli:

• fight against cancerous tumors;
• preventing the accumulation of cholesterol in the body;
• reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke;
• helps to overcome respiratory diseases;
• improving the growth and condition of hair and nails;
• maintaining the functioning of the cardiovascular system and water-electrolyte balance;
• removal of heavy metals, drug residues, and excess salts from the body;
• bowel cleansing, normalization of digestion;
• getting rid of excess weight.

In addition, the product is rich in protein, which is necessary for gaining muscle mass, fiber and amino acids, which promote the production of the happiness hormone.

Prepare the necessary ingredients

When preparing broccoli for the winter, you need to consider the following requirements:

• Choose freshly cut, richly green cabbage heads with unopened florets. After being stored for a long time, the florets turn yellow and are not suitable for canning;
• the size of the fruit should be from 8 to 25 centimeters in diameter;
• the vegetable must be fresh and firm, without signs of rot or pest damage;

When selecting cabbage, pick it up and squeeze it firmly. If the cabbage hasn't become misshapen or broken into florets, it's suitable for canning.

• Ripe fruits have elastic green leaves and a pleasant aroma.

Important! When purchasing broccoli, avoid vegetables high in nitrates. These plants have thick leaves and are heavier than nitrate-free heads.

Preparing vegetables for cooking includes:

1. Cut off the protruding stalk and large leaves from the cabbage.
2. Divide the head into inflorescences, removing small leaves.
3. Cut off long stalks from each inflorescence.
4. Rinse the fruit under running water and place in a colander.
5. Dry the heads on cotton towels.

To get rid of pests and insects on the plant, place the vegetable in a bowl and soak it in a brine solution for 20 minutes (40 grams of salt per liter of liquid). Then rinse the broccoli thoroughly with cold water and leave it in a colander until the water drains completely.

We prepare broccoli

The broccoli recipes below will make cooking a fun activity. You'll also appreciate the simplicity and affordability of the ingredients. Even a novice cook can easily prepare this vegetable delicacy at home.

Korean salad

Anyone who tries Korean broccoli salad at least once will become a fan of Korean cuisine forever.

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli – 400 grams.
2. Carrots – 150 grams.
3. Sweet pepper – 100 grams.
4. Vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons.
5. Allspice – 1/3 teaspoon.
6. Ground red pepper – 1/3 teaspoon.
7. Garlic – 3 cloves.
8. Sugar – 1 teaspoon.
9. Dill – ½ bunch.
10. Coriander – ½ tablespoon.
11. Vinegar – 60 milliliters.
12. Salt – 1/3 teaspoon.
13. Water – 1 liter.

Cooking algorithm:

1. Boil water in a saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, wash and dry the vegetables. Separate the broccoli into florets. Peel the carrots, and remove the seeds and stems from the peppers.
3. Place the cauliflower florets in boiling water, salted to taste, and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Drain in a colander.
4. Meanwhile, grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Chop the pepper into half rings. Peel the garlic and crush it with a garlic press.
5. Place the cooked cabbage in a deep bowl. Add the carrots and bell pepper.
6. Sprinkle the dish with garlic, finely chopped herbs, salt, sugar, coriander and a mixture of peppers.
7. Drizzle the salad with vegetable oil and vinegar. Stir and serve after refrigerating for several hours.

Freezing broccoli for the winter

There are two ways to freeze this healthy vegetable for the winter: with or without blanching.

How to Freeze Cauliflower Florets by Blanching

Preparing fruits for the winter is very simple, following the following sequence of steps:

• Prepare two pots of water. Place one pot over the stove and bring the liquid to a boil. Add ice cubes to the second pot.
• Place prepared cauliflower florets in boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
• Place the vegetables in a colander and immediately plunge them into the ice solution.

• You can also blanch the broccoli by steaming it. Place the florets in a colander over a pan of boiling water. Cover the pan with a lid. Steam the broccoli for 5 minutes and then cool in cold water.
• Dry the inflorescences on a towel and cool completely.
• Place the fruit in freezer bags (or regular plastic bags), laying them out in a single layer. Place the fruit in the freezer compartment.

To prevent broccoli florets from freezing together, you can use the freeze-drying method. To do this, spread the florets in a single layer on parchment paper in the freezer, making sure they don't touch. After 2-3 hours, transfer the frozen vegetables to plastic bags and store them.

How to prepare vegetables without blanching

This recipe is suitable for making vegetable purees and stews. After defrosting, the vegetables become softer, but still remain tasty and healthy.

Freezing fruits is easy as follows:

1. Wash and dry the inflorescences thoroughly.
2. Place the vegetables in prepared bags.
3. Transfer the bags to the freezer.

Before cooking, do not defrost the fruits; instead, immediately place them in boiling water and cook for 2-3 minutes. Store for 8-10 months. Do not refreeze the vegetables.

Pickled broccoli

This method of preserving vegetables is considered one of the healthiest, as it doesn't use vinegar. Moreover, the snack can be eaten within two days of preparation.

Ingredients:

1. Inflorescences – 2 kilograms.
2. Salt – 4 tablespoons.
3. Granulated sugar – 8 tablespoons.
4. Oil – 1 tablespoon.
5. Garlic – 5 cloves.
6. Greens – 1 bunch.
7. Carrot – 1 piece.
8. Pepper – 8 peas.
9. Bay leaf – 4 leaves.
10. Water – 1.5 liters.

Cooking plan:

1. Place the prepared cauliflower florets in a glass container.
2. Add chopped herbs, finely chopped garlic, and peeled carrot slices to the fruits.
3. Boil the marinade of water and spices for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the boiling solution over the vegetable mixture and stir with a wooden spoon.
5. Cover the pickle with a lid and leave it at room temperature for 2 days. Open the lid several times a day to stir the pickle.
6. On the third day, transfer the salted broccoli to the refrigerator.

If you add 250 milliliters of vinegar to the marinade, you can prepare a spicy pickle for the winter, rolling it up in sterile jars.

Pickled

Ingredients:

1. Fruits – 1 kilogram.
2. Vinegar – 250 milliliters.
3. Water – 1 liter.
4. Salt – 30 grams.
5. Sugar – 25 grams.

To marinate broccoli, you need to do the following:

1. Separate the cabbage into florets and soak in a salt solution for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
2. Blanch the fruit in boiling water for 5-7 minutes, then place in ice-cold water until completely cool.
3. Cook the marinade from water, sugar and salt.
4. Place the vegetables in sterilized bottles. Fill the containers with the marinade and seal with lids.
5. Pasteurize the preparation in a water bath for 15-18 minutes.
6. Roll up the bottles with clean lids and turn them upside down.
7. Wrap the rolled-up dough in a woolen blanket and leave until it cools completely.

Canned in jars

For long-term winter storage of vegetables, this recipe for canned broccoli is suitable.

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli cabbage – 2 kilograms.
2. Basil – 0.5 bunch.
3. Garlic – 8 cloves.
4. Dill – 0.5 bunch.
5. Vinegar – 50 milliliters.
6. Hot pepper – 1 piece.
7. Salt – 30 grams.
8. Granulated sugar – 75 grams.
9. Water – 2 liters.

Preparation:

1. Blanch the prepared inflorescences in the same way as in the previous recipe.
2. Place dill sprigs, basil, and garlic cloves in disinfected containers. Add chopped hot pepper, sugar, and salt.
3. Pack the vegetable preserves tightly into the bottles. Pour in the vinegar.
4. Boil water and fill the jars to the brim.
5. Sterilize the preparation for 15-20 minutes from the moment the water boils.
6. Close the jars with lids, place them upside down and wrap them in a woolen blanket.
7. After 24 hours, put the bottles in a cool place.

In a tomato sauce

Products:

1. Inflorescences – 800 grams.
2. Tomatoes – 100 grams.
3. Pepper – 100 grams.
4. Garlic – 2 heads.
5. Vinegar – 150 milliliters.

Cooking plan:

1. Soak the cabbage in a brine solution and blanch.
2. Peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds and stems from the peppers. Peel the garlic. Grind all ingredients in a meat grinder.
3. Place the tomato puree in a saucepan and bring to a boil, adding vinegar. Simmer the marinade for 15 minutes over low heat.
4. Add the cabbage fruits to the boiling mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes.
5. After the time has elapsed, pour the mixture into sterile jars and roll up.

With bell pepper and cauliflower

Components:

1. Cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and peppers – 1 kilogram each.
2. Garlic – 3 heads.
3. Onions – 1.5 kilograms.
4. Tomatoes – 1.5 kilograms.
5. Greens – 1 bunch.
6. Water – 3 liters.
7. Vinegar – 250 milliliters.
8. Sugar – 35 grams.
9. Salt – 35 grams.

You can prepare delicious broccoli with vegetables in the following way:

1. Soak the broccoli in the brine for 30 minutes. Transfer to a colander, separate into heads, remove the leaves, and rinse under running water. Drain completely, patting the broccoli dry.
2. Peel the carrots with a vegetable peeler and slice into rings. Peel the onion, rinse with water, and chop into half rings. Remove the seeds and stems from the pepper and cut into strips. Peel the garlic. Rinse the greens with water and shake off excess liquid.
3. Prepare the marinade in the standard way using water, salt and sugar, boiling for 5-7 minutes until the dry ingredients are completely dissolved.
4. Place the spices and prepared vegetables evenly into a sterile container.
5. Pour the bubbling marinade over the fruits.
6. Roll up the bottles with lids.
7. Cool the workpiece, turning it upside down, under a woolen blanket.

In a sweet and sour marinade

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli – 1 kilogram.
2. Bay leaves – 2 pieces.
3. Mustard (seeds) – ½ teaspoon.
4. Allspice – 5 peas.
5. Lemon – ½ teaspoon.
6. Water – 1 liter.
7. Vinegar – 200 milliliters.
8. Sugar – 60 grams.
9. Salt – 20 grams.

You can prepare a healthy treat in the following way:

1. Add spices (bay leaf, mustard, pepper) to the vinegar and let it steep for at least 60 minutes.
2. Blanch prepared cabbage florets in water with added lemon juice for 5-7 minutes.
3. Place vegetables in disinfected jars.
4. Boil water in a saucepan, add salt, sugar and infused vinegar.
5. After 3 minutes of boiling again, pour the marinade into the bottles with the fruit.
6. Pasteurize the prepared product, covering the jars with lids.
7. Roll up the containers with lids and cool the seal.

Recipe without sterilization

To quickly prepare your favorite winter treat, use a recipe that doesn't require sterilization.

Ingredients:

1. Cabbage – 1 kilogram.
2. Regan - 3 leaves.
3. Dill – 2 rosettes.
4. Salt – 30 grams.
5. Hot pepper – 1 piece.
6. Sweet pepper – 3 pieces.
7. Olives – 5 pieces.
8. Butter – 50 grams.
9. Water – 1 liter.

Preparation:

1. Boil filtered water.
2. Add pepper strips and hot pepper cut into several pieces to the boiling liquid.
3. Once the vegetables come to a boil, add the remaining ingredients, except the dill, to the water. Simmer for 40 minutes over low heat, covered.
4. 5 minutes before it’s ready, throw a rosette of dill into the water.
5. Pour the mixture into sterilized jars and roll up the lids.

Pickled

Ingredients:

1. Broccoli – 10 kilograms.
2. Salt – 400 grams.
3. Vinegar – 400 grams.
4. Water – 5.5 liters.

Preparation:

1. Prepare the cauliflower florets in advance: wash, soak in a salt solution, and dry. Pack the vegetables into glass bottles.
2. Make a marinade from water, salt and vinegar, cool.
3. Pour the cool solution over the fruit. Leave the mixture at room temperature for 14 days.
4. After the time has elapsed, drain the water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Fill the bottles with the boiling marinade.
5. Cover the bottles with lids and send them to sterilize. Roll up the snack with disinfected lids.

How to preserve broccoli for the winter

Store broccoli preserves in a cool, dark place with a temperature no higher than 10-15 degrees Celsius. A cellar, pantry, or heated balcony are suitable for this purpose.

High or low temperatures will cause canned goods to spoil quickly. Store pickled or marinated cabbage in the refrigerator.