Pineapple-Flavored Zucchini Compote for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make pineapple-flavored zucchini compote for winter? Gather your ingredients — the compote comes together fast, and prepping ahead speeds things up. A word about the zucchini: young zucchini, with tender but firm flesh and not-yet-tough skin, work best. Otherwise the zucchini won't be as tasty and won't taste much like real pineapple.

2. Step 2:

   

   First, prepare the jar. This amount needs one 0.7 L (about 1.5-pint) jar. Wash it well with baking soda and rinse thoroughly, then sterilize the jar and lid however you like. For more on sterilizing and other canning tips, see the link at the end of the recipe.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash the zucchini well and peel it. A vegetable peeler is easiest — it's quick and doesn't take off too much flesh. The skin shouldn't show any spoilage or scratches, which could affect the compote's shelf life. Then cut the zucchini into rings of even thickness, about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm).

4. Step 4:

   

   Now remove the seedy center to make the zucchini rounds look like pineapple rings. The easiest way is with a shot glass of the right size, or an apple corer for smaller rounds.

5. Step 5:

   

   Put the zucchini rings in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer the zucchini gently for 5 minutes. Don't let it boil hard, or the rings can overcook into mush — which we don't want.

6. Step 6:

   

   Take the pot off the heat and carefully drain the cooking water without mashing the zucchini.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pack the zucchini into the hot jar right away. Don't cram in too much — the rings should float freely in the juice.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the vanillin and citric acid to the jar — just a pinch (a knife's tip) of each. Too much vanillin turns bitter, and too much citric acid makes the compote too sour.

9. Step 9:

   

   Add the sugar. Any sugar works, but cane sugar adds a caramel note to the rings.

10. Step 10:

    

    Bring the pineapple juice to a boil in a saucepan and pour it over the zucchini to the very top. Seal the jar right away and turn it upside down. If sugar settles at the bottom, gently swirl the jar until it dissolves — but do it very carefully, since the pressure inside is high and the lid could pop off and cause a burn or injury.

11. Step 11:

    

    Set the inverted jar on a towel or wooden board and wrap it in something warm until the compote cools completely. This further sterilizes the lid.

12. Step 12:

    

    Then move the pineapple-flavored zucchini compote to a cool place for at least a month, so the zucchini takes on the pineapple flavor.

13. Step 13:

    

    Enjoy!