My dad has a very hard time with the fact that most national brands of of ketchup list high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as the first or second ingredient. He is on a mission to get people to eat less HFCS without compromising their love for ketchup. Recently, he asked if I would post an entry about this. Here it is, Dad!
You can avoid HFCS by buying the costly organic ketchups, which are made with sugar. But it doesn’t seem practical to recommend them with so many budgets being strained nowadays. So I’ve decided to teach people how to make their own ketchup instead. I hope that doesn’t make you groan. I maintain that it does not take more time to eat healthy, but it does take more planning. Here’s your first chance to see it in action by trying one or both of these two delicious recipes:
The first, called “Excellent Homemade Ketchup,” can be found at Hillbilly Housewife . The website says this recipe contains 60 cents worth of ingredients. Mix a 6-oz. can of tomato paste with 1/3 cup water, 2 tablespoons vinegar, ¼ teaspoon dry mustard, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 pinch cloves, 1 pinch allspice, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper,and 1/3 cup brown sugar. Transfer to a container and let cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate, and use within 3 weeks.
The second recipe comes from http://kissmyspatula.com/2009/05/31/homemade-ketchup/. It uses whole tomatoes, a slightly different selection of spices, and a little more time and attention. Wrap 1 bay leaf, 1 stick cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon celery seeds, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and ¼ teaspoon whole allspice in a cheesecloth bundle(*). Place bundle in a 4-quart saucepan with 2 pounds roughly chopped tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, ½ cup vinegar, 5 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 medium chopped onion, 1 smashed garlic clove, and 1 chopped anaheim chile. Cook on medium high for 40 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion and chile are very soft. Then remove the spice bundle and purée the sauce in a blender until smooth. Strain the sauce through a mesh strainer and return to the saucepan. Stir occasionally over medium heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Add more salt, sugar, or vinegar to taste. Transfer to a container and let cool. Cover tightly and refrigerate, and use within 3 weeks. (*)A cheesecloth bundle is just what it sounds like–spices folded up into a square of cheesecloth, and then knotted or tied up with string.
My dad also said to tell people to try mustard or vinegar on their french fries instead of ketchup. I agree with him. Golden mustard on french fries is truly delicious, but I will need to remind him that it would also be smart to cut down on the fries. By the way, jars full of these ketchup recipes, wrapped with a bit of fabric and tied with a ribbon, make a delicious and appreciated gift for hosts and friends. Attach a note to refrigerate the ketchup and use it within 3 weeks.
Also, as long as you are buying cheesecloth and spices, here is another idea for a homemade gift: To make sachets of spices for mulling wine or cider, fill squares of cheesecloth with a 1/2-inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 cardamom pods, 4 black peppercorns and 1/4 teaspoon of whole cloves. Tie each sachet with kitchen twine and package in a clear jar or decorative box. Drop one into 1-2 quarts of warming cider or red wine at least 1/2 hour before serving. Hearty appetite!
Next week: Scoop at the Coop, the ongoing adventures of raising nine hens in suburban