12 Best Homemade Winter Greens Recipes

In summer, you want to stock up on as many different preserves, vegetables, berries, and herbs as possible. Summer preserves will ensure your winter diet is just as varied. Preserving herbs for the winter is very simple, and there are many ways to do it.

Specifics of preparing greens for the winter

Preparing herbs for the winter is easy. There are a variety of ways to do this. They can be frozen, dried in various ways, and even canned. Various sauces and adjika are also made from herbs for the winter.

The containers in which the workpiece will be stored are thoroughly washed and dried beforehand. If there is any liquid left in them, the product may become moldy.

Harvesting and preparing greens

It's recommended to cut fresh herbs for winter storage on a cool, cloudy day to prevent them from wilting. Early morning or evening is best.

After the herbs have been cut, they need to be prepared. First, sort through and discard any dried, yellowed, or wilted sprigs. Then, rinse the herbs thoroughly under running water and lay them out on a towel. Allow them to dry completely. Further preparation depends on the method chosen for preserving the herbs for the winter.

Raw material procurement options

There are many ways to prepare herbs for the winter at home.

Freeze in the freezer

The easiest way to preserve the vegetables is to freeze them. To do this, dry the vegetables after washing them, chop them finely, and place them in plastic bags or containers. Then, place the prepared vegetables in the freezer.

We preserve

To keep herbs fresh for as long as possible, they are canned.

Preparing preserves:

1. For canning you will need vinegar, water, salt, sugar, herbs, and black peppercorns.
2. Prepare the brine, place the raw materials in jars, and add a little pepper.
3. Pour in the prepared brine.
4. Sterilize jars in hot water for 10 minutes.

Cover the jars with lids and roll up.

We pickle in jars

For the winter, greens can be pickled using dry salting or in brine.

Dry salting

Layer the herbs in sterilized jars, sprinkling each layer generously with salt. Once the jars are full, compact the herbs with a masher and seal the lid.

Pickling in brine

How to prepare spices in brine:

1. Prepare the marinade in any way.
2. Sterilize the jars and fill them with herbs.
3. Pour in brine.

Cover with lids and roll up.

Drying

If you don't want to spend a lot of time preparing herbs for the winter, you can simply dry them. This can be done in the oven or naturally in the sun.

In the oven or electric grill

Prepare the raw materials in the same way as for natural drying. Preheat the oven to 70 degrees Celsius (168 degrees Fahrenheit). Spread the raw materials on a baking sheet and dry at 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), stirring regularly. It's best to leave the oven door slightly ajar to monitor the process.

Outdoors

The herbs are chopped and laid out on newspaper. The newspaper is then placed on a sunny window. The mixture is stirred regularly to ensure even drying. Once the herbs are completely dry, they are transferred to glass jars.

Recipes

Various recipes for preparing herbs for the winter.

Parsley and dill for the winter - a classic and quick recipe

Chop the parsley and dill. Transfer to a large bowl and add salt. Knead the mixture with your hands for a few minutes to release the juices. Then transfer the mixture to the jars.

Cilantro for the winter in vegetable oil

Wash and finely chop the cilantro. Pour vegetable oil over it. Then pour into an ice cube tray and freeze.

Instead of vegetable oil, you can use melted butter.

Pickling green onions

How to make pickled green onions:

1. Wash and chop the onion.
2. Prepare the brine.
3. Add sugar and salt to the water, bring to a boil, and finally add vinegar. If desired, add bay leaves and black peppercorns to the brine.
4. Place the onions in jars.
5. Pour in brine.

The finished preserves are cooled and then stored in a cool place.

Spicy adjika with herbs and chili pepper

Unusual The recipe for greens for the winter is green spicy adjika..

What you need for cooking:

• a bunch of parsley;
• a bunch of dill;
• sweet pepper;
• hot pepper;
• garlic;
• vinegar;
• salt;
• sugar.

How to prepare the appetizer:

1. Chop the parsley and dill.
2. Grind the pepper and garlic in a blender. Then add the chopped herbs and blend again. The mixture shouldn't be too runny, so blend for no more than 1 minute.
3. Then add salt and sugar. Stir.
4. Then pour in the vinegar and stir again.
5. Place the finished adjika into jars.

This adjika recipe is very aromatic and spicy. It can be served as a sauce for various dishes or spread on bread.

Canning and sterilizing sorrel

But it's not just spices that are preserved for the winter. Sorrel can also be preserved.

What you will need for canning:

• a bunch of fresh sorrel;
• salt;
• water.

How to prepare the preparation:

1. Rinse the sorrel in water and then chop it. Alternatively, the leaves can be left whole.
2. The jars are sterilized before adding the sorrel. Then, they are filled with the sorrel.
3. Bring the water to a boil and cool to room temperature.
4. Add a few spoons of salt to the jars. Fill with water. Cover with lids and seal.
5. You can also sorrel in cold salted water or boiling water. Just remember to add a small amount of salt. Vinegar is optional. Thanks to the acidity of sorrel, the preparation can be stored for a long time without additional preservatives.

Canned sorrel is suitable for making green cabbage soup, soups or salads.

Rules for storing greens

The preparations can be stored for about 1 year, regardless of the preparation method. The blanks are stored in a cool, well-ventilated place. The jars should not be exposed to sunlight. The preserved food can be stored in a cellar or in the refrigerator.