Mom's Ucrainian Pickled Tomatoes
The history of this recipe is really interesting - when I was a child I used to drive to Ukraine to my grandparents and my mother's relatives. One of them was an aunt who lived in a village so to speak historical, where it is very difficult to reach by car, without asphalt roads, with the nature of that Bio, exotic to say, a village with traditions and a peace.
Then, during these visits, my mother took the recipe of the marinated tomato aunt and made a fuss with her - all her relatives and neighbors took it over time.
I reproduced the recipe last year, I tested if it is that taste that I remember, I adapted the marinade and the ingredients to what is found here in the market in Romania and I got exactly what I need. Tomatoes are perfect to taste, not too sour, a little sweet, a little salty, very fragrant. If you also choose the right tomatoes for canning (from the longer and stronger ones), I guarantee that you will be successful with them.
Wash and clean all vegetables, wash and drain the jars of water.
At the bottom of each jar put 1-2 sprigs of parsley and 1 sprig of celery leaf. Fill the jars with tomatoes halfway.
Put the carrot slices and onion cut into 4-6 between the tomatoes, to fill the empty spaces. Onions, carrots and peppers in addition to taste and marinade are also very good marinated - choose the first on the plate for food.
Then fill the jars with tomatoes to the mouth, add sliced or long peppers.
Boil those 2600ml of water, pour the boiling water in jars, cover them lightly with some lids and let them cook for 30 minutes. If there is water left from the 2600 ml, do not throw it away, leave it in the pan and you will use it further.
Then after 30 minutes drain the water in the pan, boil it again and pour it back into jars, let it simmer for another 30 minutes.
And after those 30 minutes, drain the water in the pan, put it on the fire with salt and sugar, when it starts to boil add the vinegar, let it boil for another 2-3 minutes.
In each jar add 5-6 black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 2 allspice berries and 1 clove. Pour boiled marinade into jars and seal them tightly.
Check that the jars do not leak air, turn them upside down and allow them to cool completely. Preferably keep them cool, I keep them in the pantry from the balcony in winter.
So 2 rules for these tomatoes must be followed:
1. Scald twice with water, pour the marinade a third time and staple.
2. Observe the proportions of the marinade - 2600ml of water, 4 tablespoons of sugar, 4 tablespoons of salt and 10 tablespoons of vinegar.
In about a month they are good, then open them and enjoy them with any food - potatoes, rice, meat, etc.
You can use jars that you like, the 800 ml ones are perfect for our family, because we open one for a meal. It eats absolutely all the vegetables in it, even the marinated greens. And the die, the marinade is so good and flavorful that no compote will be lost :)
And if you are in the country and you have some currant leaves, to put 2-3 pieces then together with parsley and greens, it will be the perfect option. I don't have it now without them.
Good appetite!
