Sweet and sour summer zucchini preserves

Take advantage of summer and the fruits and vegetables that flood us with flavor, and keep small portions in jars for the winter months… August is the time of year when everything explodes in our gardens and on the market stalls.

It’s the perfect time to make preserves and treat yourself once the cold weather returns!

Sweet-and-sour zucchinis are a must with a good raclette, fondue or cheese crust. And with this recipe, you can easily make 6-7 large jars.

If your garden is particularly generous and you don’t know what to do with all those zucchinis, double the quantities!

The marinating process and rest periods take place over 4 days, but implementation is simplicity itself, taking just a few minutes at each stage.

Ingredients

2 kg zucchini (green, yellow, round, your choice!)

1 large onion

salt

5 dl apple vinegar

400 g sugar

3 tablespoons curry powder

2 tsp peppercorns

100g sugar

How to proceed

Day 1

Wash the zucchinis, peel if necessary and trim the ends. Cut into small cubes, removing the central part with the seeds if the zucchinis are very large.

Cut the onion into thin rings.

Place in a large bowl, sprinkle with 2 tbsp salt, mix well and leave to drain for a day, covered and chilled if possible.

Day 2

Transfer to a colander, drain and rinse in cold water. Drain well again.

In a large saucepan, bring 5dl water, 5dl apple vinegar, the 400g sugar, curry powder and peppercorns to the boil. Pour the boiling “syrup” over the zucchinis, in a large heatproof bowl.

Cover and leave to marinate in a cool place for one day.

Day 3

Sprinkle with 100g sugar, cover, chill and marinate for a further 1 day.

Day 4

Start by washing the jars thoroughly, or even sterilizing them. Bring the zucchinis to the boil in the syrup and simmer for 5 minutes.

Transfer while still boiling to the jars, close tightly, and place your jars on the lids, to sterilize the lids.

Once warm, turn the jars right-side up and leave to stand for 15 days before tasting.

These jars keep for months in a dry, dark place. Once opened, keep in a cool place and eat quickly!

This recipe was inspired by Germaine Cousin, Valais herbalist and author, with her son Raymond Cousin, of “Saveurs et vertus des plantes sauvages”, published by Editions Alternatif.