7 Best Recipes for Zucchini and Dried Apricot Jam for the Winter

A culinary connoisseur deserves to indulge in zucchini jam with dried apricots. Traditionally, these green, cucumber-like fruits are used in pickles. Sweet dishes made with them are also quite successful, as you can easily test. Raw zucchini contains potassium, iron, and a range of vitamins (C, B, and A). They are easy to grow and not so difficult to prepare. Let's explore ways to use zucchini together.

What's special about dried apricot and zucchini jam?

At first glance, green zucchini and the amber, delicately sweet flesh of dried apricot seem incompatible. It turns out they pair beautifully, enhancing each other's flavor in jam. The seemingly unappetizing, grassy-colored zucchini takes on a pear-like appearance in the finished product. It's pure magic.

It's best to soak dried apricots before cooking. The moisture will make them juicier.

What you need for cooking

The uniqueness of this jam lies in the simplicity of its ingredients. Choose zucchini and dried apricots from a market or grocery store. You'll also need sugar and lemon (as an optional ingredient). Make sure the zucchini is not overripe (they have hard seeds) but medium-sized. Remove the stems and tops. Any dried apricots will do, as long as they're not rotten or stale.

Preparing the container

Preparing the jars is no less important than choosing the jam ingredients. Jars are selected based on your needs and whether you have a sweet tooth. The minimum capacity is 0.5 liters. The maximum is 3.

Washing and sterilization are mandatory procedures. The neck is carefully inspected to ensure there are no cracks, chips, or casting defects.

Recipes and step-by-step preparation

A step-by-step recipe makes cooking easier. And the best pre-selected cooking methods will be a great help to novice cooks. Whether you prefer classic jam, lemon, orange, or nuts – the choice is endless. Add mint and ginger, let your imagination run wild, and begin making this delicious jam.

Classic version

A classic requires only the bare minimum of components. Nothing extra, just the essentials:

• zucchini – 1 kilogram;
• dried apricots – 150 grams;
• granulated sugar – 1 kilogram.

It's recommended to soak the dried apricots in water before making the jam. Then, squeeze them out and, along with the stemless zucchini, grind them in a meat grinder or food processor. Place the mixture in a saucepan, add sugar, and simmer over low heat for about 40 minutes. Then, place them in jars and seal.

With lemon

This is a modified version of the classic dish. Add lemon to the ingredients mentioned above at the very end. You don't need much; half a lemon will do. Grate the pulp and peel, mix with the jam, and simmer for another 15 minutes. The dish is ready.

Fragrant assortment with orange

Orange combines tartness and sweetness, with a hint of tartness. To create this masterpiece, you'll need:

• zucchini – 600 grams;
• dried apricots – 100 grams;
• sugar – 600 grams;
• medium sized orange.

Preparation with walnuts

Spicy walnuts in zucchini jam, rich in vitamins and fatty acids, will require more sugar. Prepare the following in advance:

1. Early and mid-season zucchini – 3 kilograms;
2. Dried apricots – 800 grams;
3. Walnuts (kernels) – 500 grams;
4. Sugar – 3 kilograms.

Amazing taste and admiration of family and friends for the hostess’s talent are guaranteed.

Let's prepare a delicacy with dried apricot pieces

In this recipe, dried apricot slices are not used chopped, but rather cut into small pieces. The amber-colored nubbins floating in the green mass are a stunning sight. And it's delicious, too.

Lemon and mint recipe in a slow cooker

For a refreshingly sweet cocktail, add mint to the zucchini and dried apricots. The ingredients are as follows:

1. Medium-sized zucchini – 1 kilogram;
2. Dried apricots – 500 grams;
3. Lemon – 1 piece;
4. Granulated sugar – 50 grams;
5. Mint - a couple of leaves.

Place in the multicooker bowl, set to “Cooking” (or “Stewing”) mode, and cook for 30 minutes.

A healthy recipe with ginger

Zucchini jam with ginger. Why not? Combine 1.5 kilograms of zucchini with 300 grams of dried apricots, add 150 grams of ginger. You'll need 1.5 kilograms of sugar.

Storage terms and conditions

Jam has a shelf life of six months or longer. A dark pantry or closed cupboard is ideal. Exposure to air causes oxidation, which degrades the product. Therefore, the contents of opened jars should be consumed as quickly as possible.