Quick, scrumptious vegetable lecho can be ready in just 5 minutes, making it an ideal tasty treat for any occasion.
Preserving Summer's Bounty: The Delightful Zucchini Lecho
Discover a delightful way to preserve your summer zucchini harvest with the popular method of Zucchini Lecho. This flavourful vegetable stew is a perfect addition to winter tables, ensuring you can enjoy the taste of fresh zucchini all year round.
Preparing the Vegetables
Start by washing and cutting your zucchini into sticks 1 centimeter thick, bell peppers into strips 2 centimeters wide, and onions into half-rings. Fresh tomatoes are peeled and chopped, or you can use canned diced tomatoes with their juice.
Cooking the Lecho
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil or vegetable broth. Add thinly sliced onions and sauté until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook briefly to release its aroma. Next, add the chopped bell peppers and cook until they soften. Stir in spices such as smoked paprika, hot paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, marjoram, thyme, and black pepper; cook for 2-3 minutes to bloom the flavors. Pour in the prepared tomatoes and their liquid, add the chopped zucchini, and mix well. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat, cover, and let stew cook slowly for about 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and flavors meld.
Variations and Storage
For a spicier Lecho, add more hot paprika or chili flakes. Incorporate other vegetables like mushrooms, asparagus, or yellow squash for variation. Add protein such as tofu cubes for a vegan stew variation. Use olive oil for a richer flavor or vegetable broth for a lighter version.
Properly canned Lecho can be stored for up to a year in a cool, dark place. After cooking, ladle hot Lecho into sterilized jars leaving appropriate headspace, seal with lids, and process in a boiling water bath or pressure canner according to your altitude and jar size.
Alternatively, store Lecho in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or cool completely and transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving space for expansion. Freeze for up to 6 months, thawing in the fridge before reheating.
The Essence of Zucchini Lecho
The base of the Zucchini Lecho sauce includes tomato juice, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Optional additions to the sauce include spices such as peppercorns, paprika, cloves, or coriander. It's important not to overcook the vegetables to maintain their texture. The sauce brings out the flavour of bell pepper.
Zucchini Lecho is a versatile, ready-to-use vegetable sauce or side dish throughout the year, effectively using a large zucchini harvest while preserving its flavour and nutritional value. Enjoy!
- This flavourful Zucchini Lecho, a delightful vegetable stew, is a part of the food-and-drink lifestyle, particularly suited for preserving summer's bounty.
- Home-and-garden enthusiasts can expand their recipe repertoire by incorporating the zucchini Lecho recipe into their collection, offering a unique addition to their food-and-drink offerings.
- This cooking method, Zucchini Lecho, transcends seasons, providing a taste of summer's fresh zucchini through winter tables, improving the lifestyle food-and-drink offerings at home-and-garden gatherings.
