The Best Guide for the SG4 & SG5 Area

Recipe: Tomato Ketchup

Much better than anything you can buy in the shops, and you know exactly what's in it, no nasty E numbers, colours or preservatives.

Makes: 1kg
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1.5kg ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 2 red onions, sliced
• 1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped
• 40g soft brown sugar
• 125ml cider vinegar
• 1 tsp English mustard
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp whole allspice
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1 tsp blade mace
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 3-4 heaped tsp cornflour
  

Method:

1. Combine the tomatoes, onion, chilli, garlic and peppers in a large heavy pan over a medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until very soft.
2. Blend in a food processor until smooth and return to the pan with the sugar, vinegar and mustard.
3. Tie the cinnamon, allspice, cloves, mace, black peppercorns and bay leaf in a square of muslin and drop it into the pan. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.
4. Season to taste with salt and continue to cook, allowing it to bubble gently, stirring often and carefully, for at least 10-20 minutes, until thoroughly blended and quite thick.
5. You can add 3-4 heaped teaspoons of cornflour to thicken the mixture if you like. Mix the cornflour with a little cold water to form a paste before adding to the mixture.
6. Leave to cool. Remove the muslin bag of spices, pour the mixture through a funnel into suitable bottles.

Stored in the fridge this ketchup will keep for a month. If you bottle in sterilised jars and seal well, the ketchup should keep for a year.

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