Content
Most of the lecho recipes we know are unconventional cooking options that have been improved over time. Now all kinds of vegetables (eggplant, carrots, zucchini) are added to this salad, as well as apples, beans and even rice. In the classic version of this preparation, only bell peppers and juicy ripe tomatoes were present. This salad is much easier to prepare. In addition, it will cost less, because you do not need a large number of all kinds of vegetables. So, let's take a look at how the classic lecho salad was previously prepared.
Basic rules for making lecho
This salad came to us from Hungary itself. It was there that skilled Hungarians once cooked pepper in tomato sauce, after which this dish quickly gained popularity in other countries. For the classic recipe, predominantly red bell pepper is chosen. Although other colors can be used if desired. The second main ingredient is tomatoes.
We make lecho from what is available. They can add and bow, and carrots, and any other vegetables. Many people like to add garlic to the salad for spice, as well as herbs to their liking. Thus, you can prepare a delicious salad for every taste and budget.
Although the Hungarians cook lecho only from tomatoes and peppers, they manage to make this dish simply incredibly tasty. They use lecho as a side dish for meat dishes or pasta. Also Hungarians can simply eat salad with fresh white bread.
The classic recipe for lecho
To prepare traditional lecho, you need to prepare the following components:
- sweet bell pepper - 3 kilograms;
- ripe fleshy tomatoes - 2 kilograms;
- granulated sugar - 100 grams;
- table salt - 2 tablespoons;
- table vinegar 9% - 2 tablespoons;
- sunflower oil - 100 ml.
Preparation of lecho begins with the preparation of vegetables. The first step is to wash the bell pepper. It must be cut and all seeds and stalks must be removed. Then the vegetable is cut into large slices.
Now you can proceed to the prepared tomatoes. They are also washed and the stalks are removed. Then the tomatoes are cut into slices and chopped with a blender or meat grinder. Before that, you can remove the skin from the fruit. To do this, the tomatoes are dipped in boiling water for a couple of minutes, and then poured with cold water. After such procedures, the skin will be very easy to peel off.
The grated tomatoes are poured into a saucepan, after which salt, granulated sugar and sunflower oil are added there.
Now it's time to add the sliced bell pepper. Mix the vegetable mixture and put on a small fire.
After the dish boils, it is boiled over low heat for 30 minutes. During this time, the bell pepper should soften well. Now the required amount of vinegar is poured into the lecho and the salad is mixed again.
When the lecho boils again, turn off the fire and start rolling. To do this, you must first prepare sterilized jars. They can be boiled in water, kept over steam, or sterilized in any way you are familiar with. The dish is poured hot into completely dry jars. Then the containers are closed with sterilized lids.
Rolled up jars must be turned upside down and wrapped in a warm blanket. So, the lecho should stand for at least a day until it cools down completely.The salad containers can then be moved to a cooler storage area. If all the rules are followed, the salad must stand for at least a year.
Ready lecho is used as a sauce, dressing for stews or soup, as an addition to side dishes. The dish goes well with pasta, meat dishes, potatoes, rice.
Important recommendations
To make the lecho tasty and fragrant, it is important to follow these rules:
- The taste and consistency of the salad will be better if the skin is removed from the tomatoes. This advice can be ignored, but then small pieces of skin will come across in the finished dish. A quick and proven way to do this is described above.
- To your taste, you can add your favorite herbs to lecho. For example, many housewives add basil, thyme, dill and parsley to the salad. You can add other vegetables (garlic, onion, eggplant, and others). But this will no longer be a classic lecho.
- You should not add more vinegar to the lecho than the recipe requires. It is only used to keep the salad longer in winter.
Classic lecho - option number 2
In our area, the recipe for Hungarian salad was slightly improved and received no less tasty, but more spicy and rich lecho. The main ingredients in this dish have not changed, just some spices and vegetables have been added.
For such a lecho, you need to prepare:
- juicy fleshy tomatoes - one kilogram;
- large bulgarian pepper - two kilograms;
- medium-sized onions - 4 pieces;
- garlic - about 10 medium cloves;
- vegetable oil (refined) - one glass;
- greens to taste (parsley, dill, cilantro) - 2 or 3 bunches;
- granulated sugar - one glass;
- ground sweet paprika - 1 teaspoon;
- table vinegar - one glass;
- salt to taste.
Preparation of lecho begins with the preparation of vegetables. Peppers are washed and peeled first. Then it needs to be cut into large pieces of any shape. You can simply cut the fruit lengthwise into four equal parts. Then you can wash and chop the tomatoes. Previously, it is customary to remove the skin from them.
Peeled onions, washed and cut into half rings. Next, the prepared vegetable oil is poured into a deep saucepan, heated up and chopped onions are thrown there. Bring the onion to transparency and add the tomatoes to the dish. At this stage, you can salt the lecho and continue simmering for about 20 minutes.
Then, pieces of bell pepper are thrown into the pan. Cover the saucepan and cook the salad for another 15 minutes. Garlic is passed through a press or finely chopped with a knife, then it is also added to the container. Sugar and table vinegar are thrown in immediately after it. Simmer for another 20 minutes.
At the final stage, add finely chopped herbs, paprika and pepper to the salad. Lecho is thoroughly mixed and cooked for the last 10 minutes. The prepared salad is poured into sterilized jars. Lecho is ready for the winter!
Conclusion
No matter how over the years they have improved and changed the composition of the lecho salad, the classic version still remains the most delicious. It is in this form that it best reveals the taste of fresh tomatoes and bell peppers. How nice it is to open such a jar on winter evenings. This is a worthwhile recipe to make.
Lecho is also made by Bulgarians and Romanians.