General principles for preparing salad
Pickled cucumbers are a traditional dish of the Russian feast. However, the homeland of the cucumber is India and Mesopotamia, where they began to grow it more than one thousand years ago. According to archaeologists and their findings, it was there that the first attempts at pickling cucumbers were made. In many countries of the ancient world they tried to pickle fruits. In ancient Rome, vinegar was used for pickling. The result was pickled cucumbers. Emperors and nobles, kings and their subjects loved salted vegetables.
The vegetable appeared in Rus' much later than in the rest of the world. Cucumbers were salted in oak barrels, this gave them a special aroma and a pleasant crunch. Salting of products occurs as a result of fermentation, when lactic acid bacteria are formed. They are beneficial for the human body and are able to cleanse blood vessels of cholesterol and excess fat, as well as prevent some intestinal infections.
If you eat pickles, they can:
- Increase your appetite.
- Improve intestinal function and motility due to the presence of fiber.
- They will help control your figure (moderate consumption quickly satisfies hunger and has a mild laxative effect).
- Improve metabolism in the body (fiber has a beneficial effect on this process).
- Replenish the lack of vitamins C and group B.
However, we should not forget that salty foods can be harmful. Everything requires moderation and common sense.
Calorie content, protein, fat and carbohydrate content
Pickles contain a fairly low number of calories. In moderation, they can be included in meals to maintain or lose weight.
BJU for 100 g | Average of nutrition facts from various sources |
Calorie content | 13 kcal |
Squirrels | 0.8 g |
Fats | 0.1 g |
Carbohydrates | 1.7 g |
Alimentary fiber | 0.8 g |
Water | 92 g |
Pickled cucumbers are rich in vitamins and microelements just like fresh ones.
They contain:
- B vitamins;
- vitamin C;
- vitamin E;
- vitamin A and beta carotene;
- phosphorus and magnesium;
- potassium and sodium;
- iron and calcium.
You should buy pickles in stores or from trusted sellers on the market. Delicious and crunchy, pickles are a versatile appetizer and can be seen in many of the most common and popular salad recipes. They give the dish a light taste and a pleasant aroma.
When preparing salads, different methods of cutting pickled cucumbers are used:
- circles;
- cubes;
- slices;
- with straws.
As a rule, the skin of cucumbers is not cut off. This procedure is necessary if you need to give the dish greater tenderness and softness. Pickled cucumber salad seasoned with sour cream or mayonnaise is best served in deep salad bowls and, preferably, immediately after cooking, as they quickly release moisture and lose their shape. Salads dressed with oil hold their shape longer and better, and can be served on a large flat dish.
To prepare salads you will need the following items:
- cutting boards;
- slicing knives;
- pots for cooking ingredients;
- frying pan or saucepan;
- plates and bowls for recipes;
- colander;
- grater;
- salad bowls.
Vinaigrette, classic recipe
There are many recipes for this salad, which is traditionally prepared with pickles.
Pickled cucumber salad is the most famous one and is a vinaigrette.
And they differ precisely in the ingredients. The classic set of products is unchanged in each recipe, but it is prepared differently. Some people add beans to the vinaigrette, others add herring. Some people - apples, and others - smoked fish and mushrooms. But each of the famous recipes contains pickled cucumbers. The classic vinaigrette recipe is the most popular.
Ingredients
Have to take:
- pickled cucumbers - 300 g;
- sauerkraut - 150-200 g;
- beets - 300 g;
- potatoes - 200 g;
- carrots - 200 g
- peas - 1 jar;
- onion - 150 g;
- aromatic oil (preferably sunflower) - 4-5 tbsp. l.;
- spices (pepper, salt - optional).
Step-by-step cooking process
The cooking process includes several stages:
- Rinse the vegetables well.
- Boil: carrots and potatoes without peeling them.
- Cook the beets separately in another container.
- Allow the cooked vegetables to cool completely and then peel.
- Cut the beets into medium cubes, place them in a separate deep plate and pour oil over them. This preliminary procedure will prevent the salad from coloring too much, and the dish will look more appetizing and beautiful.
- Cut the remaining boiled vegetables and cucumbers into cubes of equal size.
- Let the cabbage drain well and, if it is coarsely chopped, cut into smaller pieces.
- Cut the onion into medium pieces (the same as other vegetables).
- Place the prepared vegetables (except beets) in one bowl, add peas.
- Pour oil over the mixture. Add beets last. Mix everything together carefully. Pepper and salt if desired.
This is a dish that can be used as a side dish for meat, fish, or eaten on its own, without any additions.
It is advisable to add beets to the dish immediately before serving, and let the chopped cucumbers drain in a colander before adding to the salad. This will remove the wateriness from the vinaigrette.
Salad with pickled cucumbers: 210 homemade recipes
Such a universal product as pickled cucumbers (already in this form an ideal snack) feels great with almost any ingredients, from cereals, vegetables to meat and eggs. Moreover, the final taste of a salad with them can be influenced not only by the strength of the marinade, but also by the cutting method: into strips, cubes, circles, semicircles, cubes, grated. And also whether the skin of the cucumbers is cut off or not.
The five most commonly used ingredients in pickled cucumber salad recipes are:
Product | Calories kcal per 100g | Proteins g per 100g | Fats g per 100g | Carbohydrates g per 100g |
Pickles | 16 | 2.8 | 0 | 1.3 |
Carrot | 33 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 6.9 |
Potato | 80 | 2 | 0.4 | 18.1 |
Eggs | 157 | 12.7 | 10.9 | 0.7 |
Bulb onions | 41 | 1.4 | 0 | 10.4 |
You can add them to various salad recipes with pickled cucumbers, both store-bought and homemade, prepared in the summer. Ideally, these should be strong, crispy fruits with a bright taste. Since the softer ones in a dish are most often simply “lost”, suppressed by other components (although not always).
There are a lot of recipes for this salad with a minimal selection of products, consisting of several items. For example: meat + potatoes + cucumbers; eggs + cucumbers + boiled rice; carrots + cucumbers + sausage - and so on. For the most part, all these salads are seasoned with mayonnaise or a similar sauce. The most popular Olivier salad in post-Soviet countries is prepared with pickled cucumbers. They can also be found in ten more salad recipes loved by millions.
They can be very different in appearance: flaky, mixed, with smaller or, conversely, coarse cuts. They can be served in one large common dish or in portioned salad bowls and glasses. This salad often complements heavy meat dishes like oven-baked ham. Thanks to its bright taste, it will always remain an ideal snack for strong drinks (especially vodka or moonshine).
Five quickest pickled cucumber salad recipes:
Name of the dish | Cooking time | Calories kcal per 100g | User rating |
Quick Paris salad | 5 minutes | 76 | +129 |
Salad with sausage and paprika | 10 min | 156 | +28 |
Salad with hot smoked cod and pickled cucumbers | 10 min | 73 | +95 |
Korean-style salad with smoked sausage and carrots | 10 min | 141 | +12 |
Salad with beans, smoked sausage and croutons | 10 min | 257 | +125 |
Do I need to peel pickled cucumbers? If it is noticeably tougher compared to the pulp, then yes, it is better to do it. If the skin is tender, leave it, because it makes the cucumbers in the salad look prettier and hold their shape well. Especially if you cut them into strips.
Pickled cucumber salad with butter
Pickled cucumber salad with butter is the easiest and fastest to prepare.
They call it Five Minutes.
Ingredients
Have to take:
- pickled cucumbers - 7 pcs.;
- onion (leek or onion possible) - 100 g;
- aromatic oil (sunflower is better) - 60 g;
- pepper (salt if needed).
Step-by-step cooking process
The cooking process includes several stages:
- Cut the cucumbers into circles (if desired, you can cut them in half again).
- Place the cucumbers in a colander to drain the brine. Then the salad will not be watery.
- Peel the onion and rinse. Cut it into thin half rings.
- In a deep bowl, combine all the vegetables and pepper.
- Drizzle with oil.
The salad goes well with meat dishes. You can make it spicier by adding more pepper or replacing black pepper with hot cayenne pepper.
Quick Korean cucumber salad
I recommend Korean cucumber salad to all lovers of bright, piquant taste. It's bright, crunchy and very flavorful. This appetizer is tongue-in-cheek. The dish is perfect for the holiday table and for dinner with the family; it will come in handy during barbecues and outings. These cucumbers are always the first to leave the table because they are spicy, juicy and taste harmonious with any dish.
To prepare we will need:
- Cucumbers – 500 gr.
- Carrots – 1 pc.
- Vegetable oil – 50 ml.
- Soy sauce – 2 tbsp. l.
- Hot chili pepper to taste
- Garlic – 5 cloves
- Paprika – 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt - to taste
- Vinegar 9% – 1 tbsp. l.
- Green onions – 3 pcs.
1. Cut the cucumber crosswise and cut each part into thin strips. Place the cucumbers in a deep bowl for marinating.
2. Cut the green onions into long pieces and add them to the cucumbers. Be sure to choose tasty and juicy carrots for this salad. It is advisable to grate it on a grater for Korean dishes. Pour the carrots into a container with the cucumber and onion. Chop the garlic and add it to the rest of the ingredients.
3. For dressing, heat up the vegetable oil and add paprika to it. Mix well and quickly pour hot oil over the chopped vegetables.
4. Now add soy sauce and vinegar, apple or lemon juice and mix well. You don't need to add salt because soy sauce is quite salty.
5. Cover the salad with cling film and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. The result was an incredibly tasty and aromatic salad.
Pickled cucumber salad with sour cream
A salad of pickled cucumbers and sour cream is very easy to prepare. It's good as a snack.
It can be served with meat, fish or poultry dishes.
Ingredients
Have to take:
- pickled cucumbers - 250-300 g;
- eggs - 2 large;
- peas - 250 g;
- cheese - 100-150 g;
- garlic - 2-3 cloves;
- sour cream - 50-70 g (2-3 tbsp.)
- pepper, salt.
Step-by-step cooking process
The cooking process includes several stages:
- Cut the cucumbers (can be into cubes or strips), let them drain in a colander.
- Boil the eggs and cool in cold water. Peel and cut them like cucumbers.
- Coarsely grate the cheese.
- Finely chop or grate the garlic with a knife.
- Place the ingredients in a bowl, adding the peas.
- Salt the dish, if necessary, and pepper.
- Add sour cream to the dish.
You can decorate the salad with the greens you like.
Salad with pickles, chicken and cheese
Photo: elena.hramova / Depositphotos
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons rice;
- 200 g chicken fillet;
- 2 eggs;
- 1 processed cheese;
- 2 pickled cucumbers;
- ½ can of canned peas;
- salt to taste;
- pepper to taste;
- 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise.
Preparation
Boil the rice and chicken until tender, about 20–30 and 15–20 minutes, respectively. Hard boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Cool.
Cut the chicken, cheese, eggs and cucumbers into small pieces and place in a bowl. Add peas. Salt, pepper and season with mayonnaise.
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