5 examples of how Russians turn vegetables into desserts

1. Carrot jam

You don’t have to wait for summer to make carrot jam. In the old days, it was prepared in the fall as a winter supply. It was also made in the spring, when cellars were cleared of everything that took up extra space to prepare for the new harvest. Originally, it was cooked with honey, but, over time, sugar replaced it. Elena Molokhovets' cookbook contains several recipes for this dessert. The simplest and most popular one is made with lemon juice and zest.

How to make it: Peel and slice 1 kg of carrots into rounds or strips. Boil in water until tender and soft. Make a syrup from 500 grams of sugar, pour it over the carrots and cook until the liquid becomes clear. Then add lemon juice and finely chopped lemon peel.

2. Pumpkin jam

This squash isn’t just used to make pancakes, soups and porridges, but it’s also great for desserts.

How to make it: Peel and cut 1 kg of pumpkin into small pieces, add the zest of one lemon and cover with 800 grams of sugar. Next, let it sit and steep. Prepare the syrup, add the lemon (or apples, if desired) and simmer until the pumpkin is tender and soft. For a more piquant and aromatic flavor, you can add cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.

3. Cucumber jam

Suzdal is famous for this jam. Cucumbers have long been grown in this ancient and historic city and the locals have learned to use them not only in salads and lemonades, but also in sweet dishes. For this jam, be sure to choose sweet varieties – bitter ones won’t work. The result is a dessert that has an unusual flavor and an incredible deep green color. It could even be mistaken for Alexander Pushkin's favorite jam – gooseberry jam.

How to make it: Peel 1 kg of cucumbers, remove the seeds, cut them into small cubes, cover with sugar and wait until they release their juice. Then, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until done. After that, you can add lemon juice if desired and simmer for another 15-20 minutes, until the cucumbers become translucent.

4. Radish jam

The most common recipe for a cheap and cheerful dessert using this root vegetable calls for dried and then ground radish, which was simmered with molasses or honey and spices. After a long simmer, the result was a thick delicacy known as ‘mazyunya’ (a thick paste). But, there is also a classic recipe for radish jam.

How to make it: grate black radish, squeeze out the juice and pour orange blossom water over the resulting mixture. Let it steep for several days until the radish takes on a pleasant orange aroma. Then simmer in sugar syrup until soft and tender.

5. Rhubarb Jam

Rhubarb is used to make compotes, kissels and even ‘borsch’ soup. Why not use it to make jam, as well? It’s made from the green-pink stalks that resemble celery. The result is a refreshing dessert with a pleasant tartness.

How to make it: Peel the outer skin off 1 kg of rhubarb stalks and cut them into small pieces. Add 1 kg of sugar, stir and let sit for several hours until the rhubarb stalks release their juices. Then bring to a boil, skim off any foam and remove from the heat to cool completely. Afterward, bring it to a boil again and let cool. You can also make "five-minute" rhubarb jam. Bring it to a boil twice, skimming off the foam each time and reduce the heat to simmer for five to seven minutes each time.