Green Tomato Adjika for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make green tomato adjika for winter? Gather all the ingredients. The star of the show is green tomatoes.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cut the stem ends out of the tomatoes, halve the peppers, and clean out the cores and seeds. Peel the onion and garlic. Rinse all the vegetables under clean running water.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash and sterilize the jars and lids however you like. I usually do it in the oven: put the jars and lids in a cold (!) oven, turn on the top-and-bottom heat, set it to 350°F (180°C), and leave them there for 20–30 minutes.

4. Step 4:

   

   Next, purée all the vegetables, using a meat grinder or a blender. In this recipe they were puréed in a blender. So, blend the tomatoes.

5. Step 5:

   

   Pour the purée into the pot you'll cook the adjika in.

6. Step 6:

   

   Put the bell pepper, chili pods, garlic, and onion in the blender. For convenience I cut the vegetables into chunks first so they blend more easily into a purée.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour the blended mixture in with the tomatoes.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the salt and sugar to the pot and pour in the refined vegetable oil. I used Adyghe salt for the adjika—it has dried seasonings mixed in, which definitely brightens the flavor of the finished dish.

9. Step 9:

   

   Stir everything together and set the pot on the stove. Once it boils, lower the heat to its minimum and cook the adjika for about 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Five minutes before it's done, add the dried basil. This time I also added a pinch of khmeli-suneli and a little crushed dried chili flakes. Right at the end, pour in the vinegar, let it boil for about a minute, and take the sauce off the heat.

10. Step 10:

    

    Spoon the hot adjika into sterile jars, seal the lids, and turn them upside down. Wrap them in a warm blanket or towel and leave them to cool completely at room temperature. Then store the jars in a pantry, cellar, or on the bottom shelf of the fridge for the long term.

11. Step 11:

    

    Your fragrant, delicious green tomato adjika is ready!