the mothership of condiments

It never occurred to me to make homemade ketchup. That is until I tried the one from Ramos House in San Juan Capistrano. Chef and owner John Q’s recipe is a secret, but is for sale, I think he charges about $8.00 a bottle, which, admittedly I have purchased. But for the sole purpose of trying to figure out what he puts in it. His deliciously nuanced ketchup is spicy, sweet and slightly smoky. I have made a few attempts and think I’ve finally come up with a pretty darn good version of my own. It starts with only the best vine ripened tomatoes cooked with some fresh chilies, ginger, and honey and then simmered with a bundle of spices to round out the flavor. It gets finished off with some apple cider vinegar to give it that subtle tang that we all know and love.

Given in old-fashioned, hinged-topped, clear glass bottles, this everyday pantry product is even more special when made from the really beautiful tomatoes found in the farmers’ markets right now. What a great way to preserve summer throughout the dark winter months until they make their appearance again next year.

Enjoy!
Shannon



Homemade Spicy Ketchup
makes about 3cups

Olive oil
5 lbs. red ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 small fresh red chilies, sliced
3 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. yellow mustard seed
1 tsp. allspice, whole
1 tsp. coriander seed, whole
1 tsp. black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Put the vegetables, parsley, garlic and salt in a large pot.

Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 30 minutes. Pass the mixture through a food mill fitted with the fine disk and return the puree to the pot.

Put the bay leaves, mustard seeds, allspice, coriander, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, and cloves on a square of cheesecloth, and then tie with kitchen twine to make a spice bag.

Add to the pot with the honey. Simmer over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has reduced by half, about 1 hour. Remove the spice bag and add the vinegar. Continue to simmer, stirring as needed to prevent sticking until the mixture reaches the desired thickness or about 3cups.

Fill a canning kettle with enough water to cover 2 hinged flask style jars or 3 half pint jars. Bring to a boil. Wash the jars with hot, soapy water; rinse well, and keep upside down on a clean dish towel until you are ready to fill them. Put 3 new lids (never reuse lids) in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water, if you’re using the half pint jars.

Using a ladle and a funnel, and transfer the ketchup to the jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rims clean with a damp paper towel. Top with the lids and secure tightly.

Place the jars on the preserving rack and lower it into the canning kettle. If the water doesn’t cover the jars, add boiling water from a tea kettle. Cover the canning kettle. After the water returns to a boil, boil for 15 minutes. With a jar lifter, transfer the jars to a rack and cool completely. Do not touch the jars again until they are completely cooled. If using the half pint jars you can confirm that a lid has sealed by pressing the center with your finger. If it gives, it has not sealed and the contents should be refrigerated and used within a week. Store sealed jars in a cool dark place for least two weeks before using. They will keep for up to 1 year before opening. Refrigerate after opening.

preserving summer

If you’re anything like me, I find that sometimes the simplest things can be so satisfying. Whether it’s a perfectly pulled shot of espresso poured over a creamy frothed cup of milk in the morning. A handful of fresh fruit, bursting with juice and flavor that can only come after it has finished its course abiding on the vine. Or maybe it’s a crusty loaf of bread that has been doused in extra virgin olive oil and rich sweet balsamic. These are definitely some of my simple “food” pleasures.

With summer now in full swing, produce seems to be overflowing at the farm stands. Berries are plump, lettuces are lush and green and the root vegetables that are showing up are tender and sweet. But more than that, it’s the tomatoes that seem to grab me. As soon as I walk up to my local farm stand I can smell that earthy sweet fragrance that only comes from a freshly picked tomato. They are displayed on large rustic wood tables almost flaunting themselves; they seem to take center stage. Large beefsteak, heirloom varieties that hit a wide spectrum of color from golden yellow to dark purple, even some bright green “zebra” tomatoes boasting their white stripes.

One way to take a little bit of summer and stash it away for later in the year is to take some of those fresh off the vine tomatoes that are at the peak of the season and roast them for those times during the “tomato wilderness”- the long dark time between locally grown tomatoes. For roasting I prefer the smaller roma style tomatoes, their meaty, firm flesh are just right for roasting low and slow.

Simply rinse the ripe plum tomatoes and lay out on a clean kitchen towel. Slice lengthwise and lay in a single layer on ridged cookie sheets. Drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast at 325° for about 1 ½ until the tomatoes have shriveled up a bit and are nicely caramelized. Once they come out of the oven drizzle with a little more olive oil and let cool. Once cool, put in freezer bags or other storage container with a bay leaf or two and seal tightly. These can be stored in the fridge for 1week or in the freezer up to a year.

These are a wonderful addition to sauces and stews, a topping for homemade pizza or even as a hors d’oeuvre served with some goat cheese on a toasted slice of baguette.

Enjoy!
Shannon

 
 
 
 
 

heirloom salad

I am almost giddy when I arrive at the farmer's market and I see an entire length of a table given to a showcase some of the most glorioius tomotoes this season has to offer.  There are so many heirloom varieties now at our fingertips, from the typical deep red Beefsteaks (some literally the size of a porter house) to the purplish black Brandywine tomatoes.  The Green Zebra has green and yellow stripes which not only give it a unique color but it also has a full bodied tomato flavor as well.

Then there is the Golden Queen, a large yellow variety that when ripe has a pinkish hue at the blossom end, and when cut into the color continues with streaks of orange and red.  Honestly, these are so delicious with just a sprinkling of sea salt and a fresh grind of pepper, you don't need much more to enjoy them.

But to take it up a slight notch, I made a preserved lemon vinaigrette to dress some baby greens, slices of tomato and topped it off with a shaving of good Parmesan.

Pretty simple.  But tasty.

Enjoy!

Shannon

Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette

makes enough for a salad for 4

Depending on the salty intensity of your preserved lemons, you may or may not want to rinse them.  Use only the rind for this vinaigrette.

rind of half a preserved lemon

juice of half a fresh lemon

1/2 cup really good extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

Coarsely chop the preserved lemon rind and put into a blender or food processor with the fresh lemon juice, process until smooth.  With the machine still running add the olive oil in a single stream to create a nice emulsion.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Lightly dress salad greens and tomato slices and top off with shavings of fresh Parmesan.