Donskoy Salad with Cucumbers for the Winter

Preparations for the winter

The wonderful winter salad "Donskoy" consists of just three ingredients: ripe tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, and plump bell peppers. It's delicious, vibrant, looks appetizing on the table, and is easy to prepare. Choose ripe, but not overripe, vegetables for it.

This is especially true for tomatoes—if they're soft or too juicy, the slices will become overcooked and lose their shape during sterilization. As for cucumbers, if possible, buy smaller, outdoor cucumbers with thin, light-green skin.

If you can't find any, use greenhouse cucumbers, but you'll need to at least partially peel them and trim off some of the tough, tough skin. It's best to use red or mixed-color peppers, and make sure they're fleshy. You can vary the proportions of the vegetables, for example, using more tomatoes and peppers and fewer cucumbers. A recipe with step-by-step photos will help you prepare this salad for the winter.

Ingredients:

ripe dense tomatoes – 1 kg;
fresh cucumbers – 500 g;
red bell pepper – 500 g;
vegetable oil - 1 tbsp per half-liter jar;
vinegar 9% - 1 tbsp;
salt – to taste;
sugar – 2-3 tbsp.

How to make Donskoy salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers

The best tomato variety for this preparation is plum—thick-skinned, fleshy, oval-shaped tomatoes. Halve the tomatoes and cut into 1-1.5 cm wide slices. Slice the cucumbers thinner, about 0.5 cm thick. Remove the stems from the peppers, remove the seeds, and cut the fleshy flesh into strips.

Place the chopped vegetables in a bowl, add salt and sugar. Stir and let sit for about half an hour.

During this time, the vegetables will release juice, which will dissolve the salt and sugar crystals, creating the base for the marinade. Before ladling the vegetable mixture into jars, taste it and make any adjustments if needed.

There's no need to sterilize the jars; just wash them thoroughly and scald them with boiling water. Pour boiling water over the lids and let them simmer for a few minutes. Ladle the salad into the jars, packing them tightly enough to allow for the vegetables to settle as they heat, and the jars won't be full.

Place the jars in a saucepan, making sure to line the bottom with a folded cloth or kitchen towel. Add enough water to reach two-thirds of the way up the jar. Place the lid on top, but don't screw it on tightly. Sterilize for 10 minutes at a gentle simmer.

Open the lid and pour vinegar into the jars.

Add vegetable oil (refined oil only, without flavorings). Sterilize for another ten minutes.

Carefully remove the jars, holding them by the bottom. Screw on the lids or use a rolling machine. Place them under a blanket or cover them with a quilt and let them cool slowly until the next day. Then store them in a pantry, cellar, or basement. Happy canning!