Recipes for preparing vegetable and dessert physalis for the winter at home

Physalis, or as it's commonly known, "ground cranberry," is a perennial plant characterized by its fruit enclosed in a capsule of leaves. This plant not only has a beautiful appearance but is also used in cooking for its flavor. Let's explore what physalis is and what delicious recipes exist for preparing it for the winter.

How to prepare physalis for winter

There are two edible varieties growing in Russia:

• vegetable;
• berry.

They have completely different tastes, and this is worth taking into account.

Cooking instructions:

• The vegetable variety is usually used in processed form;
• Due to its distinct flavor, berries are eaten raw and added to various desserts. The fruit contains more sugars and ascorbic acid;
• Before use, the product is carefully prepared by removing the capsule of leaves and washing off the sticky substance that covers the fruit;
• Physalis is a dietary product. Its consumption will not negatively affect your figure.

Requirements for choosing the main ingredient

The key factor in preparing any dish is the quality of the ingredients. Physalis is no exception, and before preparing it, every homemaker should pay attention to the following:

1. The berries used as the main ingredient must be ripe and fresh.
2. Pay attention to the integrity of the berry. If you notice any signs of damage, do not use it.
3. When harvesting on your own, first collect the fruits hanging on the lower branches, as they ripen before the rest.
4. If you're picking up berries that have fallen to the ground, pay attention to their skin. If it's damaged, an insect may have entered the fruit and laid eggs there. Therefore, such berries should not be used for preserves.

Please note! You can tell if a berry is ripe by the capsule it comes in. If the capsule begins to turn yellow and dry, the harvest is ready.

Physalis recipes

Thanks to its properties, physalis is used in a wide variety of dishes and preserves. This can include desserts, compotes, and even meat dishes. Below are the most popular recipes for preserving this product for the winter:

• marinated with garlic;
• with pepper;
• halves;
• with spices and cloves;
• with tomatoes;
• jam and candied fruits;
• plum mix;
• compote;
• preparation of raisins;
• Physalis caviar.

As you can see, the list is more than impressive, and each recipe deserves special attention.

Pickled physalis with garlic

This canning recipe is considered the simplest, and even a novice cook can easily replicate it. To prepare, you'll need:

• physalis;
• two tablespoons of salt and sugar;
• garlic – 4 cloves;
• a couple of bay leaves;
• black pepper – 4 peas;
• dill;
• horseradish;
• water – 1.5 liters.

Recipe:

• Blanch the physalis. This removes the bitterness that is typical of some varieties;
• put spices into the jar;
• cook the brine;
• we fill the containers with berries, then fill them with brine and close them;
• The container with the ingredients is turned upside down and placed in a specially prepared place, covered with a thick cloth.

Recipe in halves

To prepare you will need:

• a kilogram of physalis;
• 20 milliliters of vegetable oil;
• 9% vinegar – 60 milliliters;
• a liter of water;
• sugar – 60 grams;
• salt – 20 grams;
• bay leaf – 2 pieces;
• allspice – 6 peas.

Cooking steps:

• I wash the physalis;
• place in boiling water for a few minutes;
• divide into equal halves;
• fill the container with cut berries;
• Place the pan on the stove and prepare the marinade, consisting of water, pepper, bay leaves, salt, and granulated sugar. Remove the pan from the stove once the marinade has boiled for about 5 minutes.
• after the marinade has cooled, add vegetable oil and vinegar;
• pour the marinade into jars and roll up the lids;
• turn the jars over and put them in a warm place, wrapped in a blanket for 24 hours;
• We put the jars in the cellar or basement.

Please note! This recipe is convenient because the jars do not require sterilization.

With pepper and butter

Ingredients:

To prepare the recipe you will need:

• sweet pepper – 1 kilogram;
• physalis – 1 kilogram;
• 1 liter of water;
• 1 tablespoon of salt;
• granulated sugar – 60 grams;
• vinegar 9% – 50 milliliters;
• bay leaf;
• peppercorns – 6 pieces.

Preparation: First, place the berries in boiling water for 2 minutes. Next, cut the peppers into 4 equal pieces and remove the seeds. Place the peppers and bay leaf in a jar, then layer the main ingredients. Prepare the marinade and pour it into the jar. Store the prepared peppers in a cool, dark place.

With tomatoes

The recipe has several interesting features:

• If you don't have tomatoes, you can replace them with cucumbers;
• the ripeness of the tomatoes does not matter – you can even use green vegetables;
• The marinade used in this recipe has a special, spicy taste.

For the recipe you will need to prepare:

• water;
• tomatoes;
• physalis;
• cinnamon – 4 sticks;
• cloves – 10 pieces;
• salt and sugar – 2 tablespoons;
• tarragon;
• currant leaves;
• allspice – 8 grains.

Recipe:

• divide the spices into 2 equal portions and place them in jars;
• fill the remaining space with the main ingredients;
• pour boiling water over it and leave to infuse for 10 minutes;
• carefully pour the resulting brine into a saucepan and bring to a boil again;
• pour boiling water back into the jars;
• This operation needs to be repeated 3 times; after which add vinegar and roll up.

With cloves and spices

The recipe is identical to the tomato method. The only differences are:

• Whether to add tomatoes to the jar or not is up to you – they are not the main ingredient here;
• You can add cherry leaves and chopped horseradish root to the basic spices.

Otherwise, you can use the cooking algorithm described above.

A combination of physalis and plums

This recipe is perfect for those who enjoy the flavor of olives. The resulting preserve will be similar in taste, but much more affordable. You can make this dish using:

• physalis – 500 grams;
• 1 liter of water;
• 250 grams of plums;
• 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and salt;
• 1 teaspoon of acetic acid;
• bay leaf;
• cinnamon – 1/3 teaspoon;
• 3 allspice grains;
• a pair of carnation buds.

Preparation:

• blanch the berries and rinse them with cold water;
• While the berries are drying, place the spices in jars;
• fill the containers with the main ingredients and pour in the marinade;
• cover the jars with a lid and sterilize for 10 minutes;
• We roll up the sterilized jars and put them in a specially prepared place.

Candied fruits and jam

The jam is prepared according to the following algorithm:

• blanch and then rinse the berry (dessert) physalis in cold water;
• cook the syrup;
• As soon as the syrup is ready, remove it from the heat and add the berries;
• let the jam sit for 2 hours, then add another 0.5 kilograms of granulated sugar to the bowl and return the container to the stove;
• As soon as the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the bowl from the heat and leave it alone for 6 hours;
• after the specified time, place the container on the fire and cook for another 15 minutes after boiling;
• the jam is ready!

Candied fruits are made using fresh jam. To make them:

• drain the syrup, leaving only the berries;
• take a baking sheet and line it with baking parchment;
• Place the berries on a baking sheet and cover them with a second piece of parchment;
• Next, we dry the berries at room temperature or in the oven at 40 ^O;
• The dried candied fruits are sprinkled with granulated sugar and placed in a specially prepared container for storage.

Please note! A regular cardboard box can be used as a container.

Compote

Ingredients:

• berry physalis – 500 grams;
• granulated sugar – 250 grams.

Recipe: Peel and blanch the fruit. Place them in a container and pour boiling water over them. Let the compote steep for 2 hours. Pour the liquid back into the pan, add sugar, and cook until the water boils. Once boiling, wait 5 minutes and pour the syrup back into the jar.

Seal the finished compote with a lid. You can add additional ingredients to the compote. For example, adding a few strawberries will create a pleasant strawberry flavor that pairs well with the physalis.

Raisin

You can easily confuse the taste of dried physalis with raisins. To prepare it, you need to process the berries and put them in the oven to dry at 40 ^OYou can dry berries at room temperature, but it will take a little longer.

Physalis caviar

You will need:

• 400 grams of carrots;
• 250 grams of onion;
• 70 grams of tomato paste;
• 1 kilogram of vegetable physalis;
• vegetable oil – 80 milliliters;
• sugar – 15 grams;
• salt – 10 grams.

Recipe:

• blanched, washed physalis, divide into 4 parts;
• put through a meat grinder;
• Fry finely chopped onion and grated carrots in a frying pan;
• combine the ingredients together and simmer the resulting mixture over low heat for 20 minutes;
• distribute the finished dish into sterilized jars and roll up the lids;
• We put the cooled preparation in the cellar.

This recipe is classic and, if desired, you can vary it with various spices to taste.

How to properly store blanks

Physalis, in its unprocessed form, is stored in small ventilated containers at a temperature of +14 ^OThe shelf life is 2 months, provided the storage temperature is dry and cool. If stored above this temperature, the product expires one week after harvest. Canned products have a much longer shelf life, and the shelf life depends on the preparation method.