As anyone who plants a summer garden knows, there are four Ws of the garden season: the ‘Work’, the ‘Wait, the ‘Whoa Thatsalotta Produce’, and ‘What Can Be Done With the Stragglers?’.
This time of year, our garden between the third and fourth stages with our tomatoes. We have at least a couple of dozen of the gorgeous beauties in our kitchen, some waiting to be chopped and cooked and devoured, others waiting to be sliced and salted and sandwiched.
Tomatoes are some of the most wonderful fruits. There are hundreds of varieties that come in different colours, sizes, shapes, and flavours. All of them are wonderful, every single one.
A very delicious way to use up an abundance of garden tomatoes is through making ketchup. After all, there are only so many sandwiches a person can eat. Here is our recipe for homemade ketchup.
Ingredients: 3-4 lbs of ripe tomatoes, chopped into quarters or sixths, depending on size
2 large onions, cut into quarters
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
salt and pepper
Begin by roasting the tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 375F. Toss the tomatoes, onions, and garlic in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread them on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan. Roast them, uncovered, for 45 minutes to an hour, until the vegetables are very soft and have started to brown:
Remove from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool slightly.
While waiting for the vegetables to cool, prepare the brine by adding the vinegar and brown sugar to a dutch oven over medium heat.
Once some of the brown sugar has dissolved in the vinegar, add the roasted vegetables. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow it to simmer for 45 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavours:
After the mixture has simmered, add the spices and one teaspoon of salt. Process with an immersion blender until smooth. If desired, add additional seasoning to taste.
