Mushroom Ketchup

* Exported from MasterCook *

MUSHROOM KETCHUP

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Condiments Sauces
Vegetables Dips
Vegetarian

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 lb Mushrooms, firm & fresh
1 1/2 tb Pickling salt
1 oz Dried boletus mushrooms
3 c Hot tap water
2 c White wine vinegar
3 lg Shallots, peeled -ÿÿ
1 sm Onion, peeled
1 ea Garlic clove, peeled
10 ea Whole allspice -ÿÿ
1/4 ts Ground allspice
4 ea Whole cloves
3 lg Mace blades
2 ea Bay leaves
1/2 ts Ground ginger
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
1/4 c Medium or dry sherry

Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp cloth, or brush them
clean. Avoid washing them if possible; if it is
necessary, swish them rapidly through a bowl of water
and lift and drain them promptly. Trim off any
discolored stem ends or damaged portions. Slice the
mushrooms thin (a food processor fitted with the
thin-slicing disc makes short work of this task) and
mix them thoroughly with the salt in a ceramic bowl.
Cover mushrooms with a cloth and let them stand 24
hours, stirring occasionally. They will become very
dark (the finished ketchup will be approximately the
color of black bean soup). At least an hour before the
end of the salting period, combine the dried boletus
mushrooms with the hot tap water; let them stand,
covered, until completely soft. Lift the soaked
mushrooms from their liquid with a slotted spoon (this
is to eliminate any grit that may be in the liquid)
and place them in the container of a blender or food
processor. Let soaking liquid settle for a minute or
two, then carefully pour it over the mushrooms,
stopping before any grit is poured out. Puree the
soaked mushrooms, then pour the puree into a
preserving pan. Without rinsing the blender
container, puree the salted mushrooms; add this puree
to that in the pan. Place about 1/2 cup of the vinegar
in the blender and add shallots and garlic; process
them to a puree. Add this puree to the mixture in the
pan, together with the rest of the vinegar, the
allspice, cloves, mace, bay leaves, ginger and pepper.
Bring the mixture to boiling over medium-high heat,
lower heat, and simmer the ketchup, uncovered,
stirring it often, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the
tiny fragments of mushroom are very soft, almost
jellylike, and the ketchup is thick. To test for
correct consistency, pour a spoonful onto a saucer and
let it stand 10 minutes, with the pot off the heat; if
very little or no liquid seeps from the solids, the
ketchup has thickened enough. If it does not pass this
test, resume the cooking for as long as necessary.
Press ketchup through a sieve to remove the bay leaves
and whole spices, then puree it again, in batches if
necessary, in a blender or food processor, running the
machine until the texture is velvety smooth.
Return ketchup to the rinsed-out pan and bring it to a
full boil again over medium-high heat, stirring it
constantly. Stir in the sherry.
Ladle the boiling-hot ketchup into hot, clean
half-pint or pint canning jars, leaving 1/4" of
headspace. Seal jars with new two-piece canning lids
according to manufacturer's directions and process for
15 minutes (for either size jar) in a boiling-water
bath. Cool, label and store the jars. Let ketchup
mellow for a few weeks before serving it. Keeps for at
least a year in a cool pantry.



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