Mushroom ketchup anyone?
Who isn't interested in the history of ketchup? Everybody is, of course, which is why I went to the trouble of looking it up -just for you.
The name 'Ketchup' is derived from an ancient Chinese word meaning "brine of pickled fish or shellfish", and had no tomatoes. It was first introduced to the West in the 17th century by seamen returning from voyages to the Far East, and has since evolved into the tomato-vinegar based sauce we know today.
Although not too common in stores, there are many versions of tomato-less ketchup, and this homemade mushroom ketchup recipe is just one of many. It is excellent with fish, chicken, meats or pasta, and, as usual, when you make it yourself you control the ketchup ingredients, so you get it preservative and gunk free, you control the sugar levels, and you can even prepare it as organic ketchup. Real 'gourmet ketchup'! So why not go ahead and give this great homemade ketchup recipe a try?
Care to give the other great ketchup recipes on this site a try?
Give it a try it - homemade ketchup is a treat!
Ready to try my homemade mushroom ketchup recipe?
Makes about 2 lbs ketchup
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 lbs. Fresh mushrooms (you can use a mixture of different varieties, if you like)
- 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup unrefined brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and ground
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
PREPARATION:
- Slice the mushrooms into thin slices.
- Place in a bowl and mix with the salt.
- Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand un-refrigerated for 24 hours.
- Transfer to a cooking pot and add all the other ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and simmer with no covering over low heat for about 1 ½ hours.
- Remove the bay leaf, and finely blend the remaining ingredients in a food processor.
- While still hot, transfer the mushroom ketchup to sterilized storage jars and seal. Move to a cool storage place and leave to settle for about two weeks before using
Sealed and stored in an airtight food saver container such as a preservative jar or a ziplock storage bag, the ketchup should keep for at least three months. Once opened, store in a refrigerator.
