Perfect squash caviar with mayonnaise, tomato paste and onion: a quick and delicious recipe

Squash caviar is one of the most soulful dishes of Russian cuisine, which is associated with summer, summer cottage and comfort. It is simple in composition, but surprisingly rich in taste. In Soviet times, a jar of homemade caviar was an indispensable attribute of every pantry — it was served to neighbors, brought as a gift, and necessarily opened in winter with hot potatoes or a piece of bread. In recent years, interest in old recipes has been returning, and more and more housewives choose the version with mayonnaise and tomato paste.: it perfectly combines tenderness, piquancy and rich taste. How this famous caviar is prepared and why it has become a culinary symbol of the past decades — in the material of Izvestia.

How did squash caviar appear

The history of the dish goes back to the last century. The first industrial recipes for squash caviar appeared in the USSR in the 1930s and 1940s. They were developed by food technologists who sought to create an inexpensive, nutritious and easily stored vegetable dish. The basis was zucchini— an unpretentious and productive vegetable that was actively grown on collective farms. By the 1960s, squash caviar was sold in glass jars according to GOST and became a classic of factory canned food. Its special softness and sweet-sour taste appealed to millions of Soviet families.

The addition of mayonnaise and tomato paste to the homemade version appeared later — this recipe spread among housewives in the 1980s. Mayonnaise made the caviar more creamy and dense, and tomato paste replaced seasonal tomatoes, giving a rich color and taste.

Ingredients for the perfect squash caviar

To make the dish fragrant and thick, it is important to choose high-quality products. Here are the optimal proportions:

— zucchini — 2 kg. Young fruits with thin skins and without large seeds are best suited.;

— onion — 400 g . Adds sweetness and flavor;

— carrots — 300 g. Adds juiciness and natural sweetness;

— tomato paste — 3 tablespoons. Replaces fresh tomatoes out of season, enhances flavor;

— mayonnaise — 3 tablespoons (fat content 50-60%). It serves as a source of softness and light creamy texture.;

— sunflower oil — 100 ml. For frying;

— salt, sugar, black pepper — to taste;

— vinegar 9% — 1 tablespoon. It is only necessary if the caviar is intended for winter storage.;

When choosing zucchini, give preference to elastic fruits with smooth skin without cracks and spots.

The step-by-step process of cooking squash caviar

1. Preparation of vegetables

Peel the zucchini if it is dense. Remove the seeds (especially from ripe fruits). Cut into cubes. Peel and finely chop the onion, grate the carrots on a coarse grater.

2. Roasting

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan. First, fry the onion until transparent, about 5 minutes. Then add the carrots, stir and cook for another 7-10 minutes until soft. After that, add the zucchini. Simmer the vegetables on low heat for about 25 minutes under the lid, stirring occasionally, until the mixture begins to boil.

3. Adding flavors

When the vegetables are soft, add the tomato paste and mayonnaise, mix thoroughly. If desired, adjust the taste: a little sugar will balance the acid, pepper will add a slight piquancy. After that, simmer for another 20-30 minutes without a lid so that the moisture evaporates.

4. Bringing it to consistency

Cool the mixture slightly and grind it with an immersion blender until smooth. Return to the stove and cook for 5 minutes to remove excess liquid and get a dense texture.

5. For the billet

Add vinegar, stir and arrange the hot caviar in sterilized jars. Roll up the lids, turn over and wrap until completely cooled.

If you like it spicy, add a pinch of hot paprika or a little crushed garlic at the end. For a dietary option, you can fry the vegetables without oil — just put them out in a small amount of water. Lovers of a richer taste should try adding a spoonful of soy sauce — it will emphasize the tomato notes.

It is better to store squash caviar in the refrigerator for no longer than 5-7 days, if it is not preserved.

Why is squash caviar popular again

Today, interest in traditional homemade dishes is growing. Squash caviar is a universal solution: it goes well with meat, fish, pasta and is great for toasts. The dish contains many valuable substances: zucchini contains potassium and magnesium, carrots contain beta-carotene, and onions contain antioxidants. At the same time, the caloric content is low — about 80-90 kcal per 100 g.

Modern housewives appreciate this recipe for its simplicity, delicate structure and the ability to improvise: add spices, garlic or fresh herbs. And mayonnaise makes the texture especially soft, so that the caviar turns out "like in childhood."