To tell you the truth, I stear clear of the industrial ketchup because I haven’t managed to make me familiar with its artificial taste. Sure, making your own homemade tomato sauce is not as convenient as squeezing a bottle, but once you taste it, you will never want to buy ketchup. The process lasts a few hours, but don’t take fright. Its flavour and the fact that it doesn’t contain additives win against the industrial recipe. It’s the best choice if you are concerned about your health.
photo: zserbo.com
Ingredients:
- 5 kg (~11 lbs) ripe tomato
- 200 g (~7 oz) celeriac
- 5 large red onions
- 6 garlic cloves
- 5-6 cm piece of ginger
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 7-8 whole allspices
- 1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
- 2 tsp. salt
- a large bunch of basil
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Wash and cut the tomatoes up into quarters.
Pass them through a special machine called passata machine that removes skins and seeds.
Bring the tomato juice to the boil and cook for an hour while stiring occasionally.
Meanwhile peel the celeriac, red onions, garlic cloves and ginger. Cut them up into larger pieces and drop them into a food processor to chop.
Fry the chopped vegetables in the olive oil until they are tender.
In a mortar crush the coriander seeds and the whole allspices.
Add the onion-celeriac-garlic-ginger mixture to the tomato juice, then mix in the spices: salt, pepper, chili powder, thyme, allspice and coriander while stiring continously.
Simmer gently until the sauce reduces by half.
Add the basil leaves, then puree the sauce in a food processor or with a hand blender.
Taste it and if necessary, correct seasoning.
Add the vinegar and the sugar.
Place the sauce on the heat and while stiring continously simmer until it reduces and thickens to the consistency of tomato ketchup.
Spoon the ketchup into sterilized jars, seal tightly and cover them with blankets to cool them slowly.
If the jars get cold, store them in a cool, dark place. After opening store in the fridge.
