Fruit Ketchup
Summer brings an abundance of fruit and I have developed this delicious recipe for a ketchup which will keep for at least a year. It takes a few hours but is well worth the effort. It is a firm favourite with adults and children in our family – with sausages, burgers, pork pie and cold meats. Makes just over 1 litre. I try to think ahead and save glass sauce and ketchup bottles – you will need four or five.
Ingredients
2 kg Plums, damsons and blackberries (I had about 200g blackberries, 500g damsons and the rest were plums)
120g Raisins
250g Onions
25g sea salt crystals
225g soft brown sugar
300ml white wine vinegar
300ml malt vinegar
50ml balsamic vinegar
For the spice bag
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 thumb piece fresh ginger finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 star anise
4 whole cloves
1 tbsp juniper berries crushed lightly
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Preparation
Start by taking a very large pan and stone the fruits and place into the pan. Chop the onions small and add them along with the raisins. Place all the spices in a muslin bag and tie with string. In a large measuring jug pour the three vinegars and give a stir then add to the pan with the fruits. Pop in the spice bag then put the pan over a medium heat, bring to the boil then simmer for half an hour until the fruit is cooked and the onion is softened.
After the cooking time remove the spice bag and set aside. I use a stick blender then to liquidise the contents of the pan. Take another large pan and add the sugar and salt then pass the liquidised fruits through a sieve or strainer into the second pan containing the sugar. Discard the skins, pips etc. You will now have a smooth puree to which you now add the spice bag. Stir well over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat until the ketchup boils then turn down and allow to simmer and cook for one and a half hours – stirring from time to time to prevent sticking.
The ketchup needs to reduce down to just over 1 litre. I pour it into a measuring jug to ensure the ketchup has reduced sufficiently – if not pour back into the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes or so.
Whilst the ketchup is cooking and reducing prepare the bottles. Give them a good wash in warm soapy water, rinse then place in a cold oven. Switch the oven on to 100 degrees c and leave the bottles in there to sterilise until you are ready to fill them.
Fill your hot bottles with the hot ketchup – I use a small plastic funnel for this. Seal the tops and label when cool.
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