Kuban Salad for Winter with Cabbage

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   First, prep all the vegetables. Use a mature head of cabbage, not a young one — it's denser and crunchier. Choose meaty, juicy peppers, which make the salad tastier, and use peppers of different colors if you can, so the salad looks more appetizing and pretty in the jar.

2. Step 2:

   

   Trim and wash all the vegetables well, then pat them dry with paper towels. Halve the peppers and remove the cores, white ribs, and seeds.

3. Step 3:

   

   Cut the cabbage into thin strips — a mandoline works too, whatever's easiest for you. Add about half the salt (regular table salt), scrunch the cabbage with your hands, and let it sit a while to release its juices.

4. Step 4:

   

   Move on to the other vegetables. Cut the pepper into long wedges or half-rings.

5. Step 5:

   

   Cut the young, juicy cucumbers into thin rounds.

6. Step 6:

   

   Halve the tomatoes, cut out the stem ends, and cut them into small wedges as you would for a fresh salad. Use firm, meaty tomatoes so they hold their shape best in the finished salad.

7. Step 7:

   

   Now the carrots and onion. Cut the onion into medium half-rings (not too thin, not too thick). Cut the carrot into batons by hand or grate it coarsely. I like a Korean-carrot grater — the carrot looks more appetizing in the salad that way.

8. Step 8:

   

   Put all the vegetables in a pot. Add the remaining salt, plus the sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns, then pour in the vegetable oil and a third of the vinegar (about 25 ml).

9. Step 9:

   

   Mix the salad thoroughly but gently — it's easiest by hand (wear gloves; any cuts will sting from the salt and vinegar). Let the salad sit at room temperature for about an hour, stirring a couple of times.

10. Step 10:

    

    While the salad rests, sterilize the jars however you like (water bath, microwave, or oven). I usually use the oven: I put the washed jars neck-down into a cold oven and leave them for 20-30 minutes at 350-375°F (180-190°C).

11. Step 11:

    

    Sterilize the lids in the oven too, or boil them for 5-10 minutes.

12. Step 12:

    

    After an hour, the vegetables in the pot will have released plenty of juice.

13. Step 13:

    

    Now cook the salad. Set the pot over the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a touch below medium and simmer, covered, for about 7 minutes (stirring a couple of times). At the end, pour in the remaining 50 ml of vinegar, stir, and turn off the heat.

14. Step 14:

    

    Pack the hot salad into the sterilized jars.

15. Step 15:

    

    Seal the jars. Turn them upside down and leave them at room temperature under a blanket or towel until completely cool. Then move the jars to a cool spot (cellar, pantry, or refrigerator) for long-term storage.

16. Step 16:

    

    Delicious, fragrant Kuban salad is ready!