Bell Pepper Juice for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Let's gather the ingredients for bell pepper juice for winter. All you need is ripe bell peppers—any color works: red, green, or yellow. Wash the peppers well under running water. Remove the stems and seed cores. Rinse the peppers once more to wash out any remaining seeds. Drain them in a colander and let the water run off.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cut the peppers into strips or small cubes and put them in a metal pot. Add a little water so the peppers don't scorch on the bottom. Turn on the heat. As soon as the water boils, lower it to medium and simmer the peppers, stirring now and then, for about 15 minutes until they soften.

3. Step 3:

   

   Blend the bell peppers into a purée. Return the mixture to the heat and cook for about 7 minutes. Let it cool, then strain it through a sieve.

4. Step 4:

   

   If you don't have a blender, you can run the fresh peppers through a meat grinder, then cook the purée and press it through a sieve. The juice will come out thick, with pulp. It won't be easy to drink, but it makes a great base for adjika or lecho and for other vegetable dishes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Or, even simpler, run the peppers through a juicer—the juice comes out clear right away. With no solids to strain, you just pour it into a pot and cook it.

6. Step 6:

   

   It's best to use small jars for canning the pepper juice. Wash them in a baking-soda solution, then sterilize them in a 300°F (150°C) oven: set them in while still wet, in a cold oven, neck-down on the rack. Boil the lids and dry them.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour the juice into the sterilized jars, cover with lids, and process them in a pot of water with a cloth on the bottom. Process pint (0.5-liter) jars for 15 minutes from the time the water boils. Seal the jars, turn them upside down, cover with a blanket, let them cool, and store in the fridge. Enjoy!