Preserves for Winter

Russian "Special" eggplant and bean salad for winter is a tasty, hearty and remarkably successful homemade preserve that's especially good for fasting days and for anyone who values variety in their menu. The combination of eggplants, beans and sweet bell peppers creates a salad balanced in flavor and nutrition that works equally well as a standalone appetizer or as the base for hot dishes (for example, as an addition to rice or meat). The main advantage is a simple, quick recipe with no sterilization. Soak the beans for 6-8 hours and simmer until completely tender. Cube the eggplants and sauté in oil until soft. Run the tomatoes through a grinder or blitz in a blender, slice the bell peppers into strips. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, add oil, salt, sugar, garlic and vinegar and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Ladle the hot salad into sterilized jars and seal. Proportions for 3 kg of eggplants inside.

Homemade plum "Nutella" is a surprising little treat that really does taste and feel like the famous nut spread, but it's made from completely simple, affordable ingredients: ripe plums, sugar and cocoa powder. No thickeners, no gelatin, no additives — the silky thickness comes naturally from the plums' own pectin and patient simmering. This spread is perfect on toast, as a filling for crepes and cakes, or simply alongside fresh cheese. Pit the ripe plums, blend them into a smooth puree, simmer with sugar over low heat for 40-50 minutes, then stir in sifted cocoa at the very end and cook for another 5-10 minutes until you get a deep chocolate color. Spoon the hot spread into sterilized jars and seal. Proportions for 1 kg of plums inside.

Homemade tomato and garlic ajika for winter is a famous and incredibly fragrant spicy condiment of Caucasian origin that has long become a favorite in Russian cuisine as well. The main components of authentic ajika are hot peppers, Caucasian spices (khmeli-suneli, utskho-suneli, coriander), fragrant herbs (cilantro, parsley) and plenty of fresh garlic. When putting together her own recipe for this spicy condiment, every cook finds her own favorite proportions, and this version on a tomato base is one of the most popular since it turns out significantly milder and more versatile than the classic Georgian "dry" ajika. Run ripe tomatoes through a meat grinder or blender, add chopped bell pepper and hot red pepper, garlic, spices and salt. Reduce over low heat for 30-40 minutes until thickened. Proportions for 3 kg of tomatoes inside.

"4 by 4" eggplant salad for winter is one of the simplest and most successful vegetable preserves, named for its remarkably easy main-ingredient formula: 4 kg each of eggplants, tomatoes, bell peppers and onions. The proportions are incredibly easy to remember and the result is always reliably excellent — a fragrant, balanced and filling appetizer that works equally well as a standalone dish or as a side with meat or potatoes. Cut all the vegetables into large pieces: cube the eggplants, wedge the tomatoes, slice the peppers into strips and the onions into half-rings. Combine in a large pot, add vegetable oil, salt, sugar and vinegar and simmer everything together over low heat for 40-50 minutes until soft and noticeably thickened. Ladle the hot salad into sterilized jars and seal. "4 by 4" proportions inside.

Melon jam with lemon is a rare and surprisingly aromatic preserve with a delicate, almost creamy melon flavor brightened by citrus — one taste in winter and you're transported back to the hottest days of summer. The lemon plays a double role: it balances the natural sweetness of the melon with a pleasant tartness and helps the jam set thanks to its natural pectin. Peel and seed the melon, cut into small cubes, mix with sugar at a 1:0.8 ratio and let stand 2-3 hours until juicy. Add the juice and zest of one lemon and simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes until thick, stirring often. Pack into sterilized jars and seal. Proportions for 1 kg of melon flesh inside.

Zucchini rings in spicy sauce for winter are a bright, savory and remarkably tasty homemade preserve in which sautéed rounds of young zucchini are covered with a spicy tomato sauce with garlic, bell pepper and spices, then canned in jars. The result is a great appetizer that works equally well as a standalone dish with meat or potatoes, as an addition to side dishes and as a spread for bread. The main advantage is that the preserve turns out rich, fragrant and very appetizing while being made from the most accessible summer vegetables. Slice young zucchini into rounds about 1 cm thick and fry in oil on both sides until golden. Make the tomato sauce: blitz tomatoes, bell pepper and garlic in a blender, simmer with oil, salt, sugar, hot pepper and vinegar for 20 minutes. Pour the hot sauce over the zucchini in the jars, process for 15 minutes and seal. Proportions for 2 kg of zucchini inside.

Russian zucchini caviar with tomato paste is one of the most beloved winter preserves, and this no-sterilization version makes it much faster and easier to prepare. Long simmering with vinegar and a generous amount of oil handle preservation completely — no extra water-bath sterilization needed. Run zucchini, carrot, onion and garlic through a meat grinder or chop in a blender, simmer everything together with oil and tomato paste for 1-1.5 hours until thick and a deep orange color, then add salt, sugar and vinegar and warm for another 5-7 minutes. Pack hot into sterilized jars and seal immediately. Proportions for 3 kg of zucchini inside.

Pickled grapes for winter are an unusual and surprisingly delicious preserve that ends up tasting remarkably like Mediterranean olives — savory, lightly sweet and tangy, with a warm spiced finish. Serve them alongside cheese, charcuterie, grilled meats or as a garnish for cocktails and salads. Use firm grape varieties (dark or light, your choice) since they hold their shape best in the brine without bursting. Pack the grapes tightly into sterilized 1-liter jars with cloves, cinnamon, allspice and bay leaf, then double-pour with a hot marinade of water, sugar, salt and wine or apple cider vinegar. Seal immediately and flip to cool. Proven proportions for 1 kg of grapes inside.

Red currant and apple compote for winter is one of the most successful and well-balanced homemade fruit drinks, in which the natural tartness of red currants is perfectly complemented by the sweetness of ripe apples, and the combination of these two fruits gives the drink a beautiful ruby-amber color and a rich aroma. Compared to single-fruit compotes, this combination turns out significantly more interesting and richer in flavor. Core ripe apples and slice into large wedges, sort the red currants and remove from the stems. Layer the fruit into sterilized 3-liter jars to about a third full and pour over boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain the water back into a pot, add sugar, bring to a boil and pour back over the fruit. Seal and turn upside down to cool completely. Proportions for a 3-liter jar inside.