Tomato Sauce/Ketchup
This is pure bliss, what better then a homemade tomato sauce with out the shiny un-natural glaze or the excess sugar and salt. Its cheap to make and completely simple. So whether you splat yours over chips or serve with a B.B.Q you’ve just got to try the real thing.
Preparation time: 10 - 20 minutes Quantity: Makes just over a pint Cooking time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 red onions approx. 220g / 8 oz - peeled and roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic – sliced or crushed
1 tin good quality plum tomatoes in juice – broken up a little
1/2 tin water from above approx. 200 ml
150g / 5 oz light brown sugar
200 ml red wine vinegar
Spice – 1/4 teaspoon mixed spice, 1/2 teaspoon paprika and tip teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons good quality tomato puree
Seasoning
Method
- Heat up the oil in a large thick bottomed pan
- Add the chopped red onions, cook for 2 minutes on a low flame until soft
- Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds
- Add the tomatoes, water, sugar and vinegar along with the spice
- Place a lid on top and cook on a rapid heat for 5 minutes
- Remove the lid and hard simmer for 15 minutes
- Turn of the heat and leave for 5 minutes
- Whiz / puree or liquidize until smooth
- Whisk in the tomato puree and season to taste
- Pour or spoon in to sterilized jars or bottles and cover with a wax disk
- I haven’t tested the longevity of this sauce but it should keep in a cool, dark store cupboard for several weeks and once opened store in the fridge
Tips – To steralize jars either dishwash or pour in freshly boiled water screw the lid on and set aside for several minutes – if your worried about the glass jars breaking, add a metal spoon to the jar while pouring in the water, this will absorb the heat and prevent accidents in the same way as making Irish Coffee.