Every year I attempt to preserve some of the summer bounty to enjoy through the cold, hungry months. Some summers I am better at this than others. This summer I stumbled across a book at Costco that has drastically expanded my repertoire of preservation. I was asked to share this recipe, which I will be making on Sunday for the first time (so I'll post pictures soon, along with a taste review), but feel free if you beat me to the creation of the ketchup to let us all know how it turns out!
As an aside...I have not included the basics on home preserving. If you are unfamiliar with it, please consult The Ball Blue Book or The National Center for Home Food Preservation (an awesome website!). You'll need to read up on the basics before beginning...but there really isn't much to it.
4 lb (2kg) tomatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) cider vinegar
2/3 cup (5 oz/155 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
1 can (7oz/220 g) chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
Salt to taste
Makes 6 half-pint (8-fl oz/250-ml) jars
Have ready hot, clean sterilized jars and their lids.
Blanch, peel, and core the tomatoes, then cut into chunks. In a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, and sugar and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the chiles in half and remove some or all of the seeds, depending on how spicy you want the ketchup. Reserve the adobo sauce and chop the chiles. When the tomatoes are ready, stir in the chiles and 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) of the sauce. Let cool briefly.
Working in batches, transfer the tomato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Ladle the hot ketchup into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch (6 mm) of headspace. Remove any air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary. Wipe the rims clean and seal tightly with the lids.
Process the jars for 15 minutes in a boiling-water bath. The sealed Jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. If a seal as failed, store the jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
