Catching up to Ketchup
One of the things I appreciate the most about Thermomix is the fact that you can chop, cook, stir and blend all in one bowl with just one blade. This means that you not only save heaps of time and energy (both physical and electrical), you also save on washing up. And yes, as you must have heard by now, Thermomix cleans itself, too! As you’ll see below, this is why I love to make homemade ketchup in my Thermomix 😉
It’s now late summer and while my own crop of tomatoes may never completely see the likes of the colour red (or yellow, or orange, or black, as I have planted several varieties), there are literally truckloads of very ripe tomatoes in markets everywhere . It’s time to go out and get a flat of very ripe tomatoes and make some of that thick red stuff that has made its mark – if not its indelible stain – on cultures – and clothing! – around the world.
Thermomix is such a clever kitchen tool that it is perfect for making ketchup while you go and do something else. Here’s an updated adaptation of former UK Thermomix Director Janie Turner’s recipe for ketchup as published in Fast and Easy Cooking, the 300-recipe cook book available from Thermomix in the UK. A great way to use up a glut of tomatoes from your garden (or store- or market-bought ones) as well as some of those delicious plums you may find along the roadside, this recipe also has far less sugar than typical commercial varieties.
This is a great recipe to make with your kids, too, as it will give them a sense of satisfaction at having created something, every time they reach for a bottle of homemade ketchup rather than the store-bought kind. Even more, you don’t have to peel or seed the tomatoes because Thermomix blends so fine, they’ll disappear!
Ingredients
- 400 g ripe tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 120 g ripe plums
- 100 g sugar
- 50 g white wine vinegar or malt vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 small dried chilli pepper seeds removed (or not, if you want a really fiery ketchup!)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes, cut in half and leave to drain, cut sides down, in a colander for about an hour. Wash and stone the plums.
- Put the garlic, tomatoes and plums in the Thermomix bowl and chop 30 seconds/Speed 7.
- Add all the other ingredients. Cook 30 minutes/100° C/Speed 1, placing the simmering basket on top of the lid to allow steam to escape and to stop spattering. During this time, sterilise your bottles, caps or lids. Don't forget to sterilise your funnel as well.
- Cook again 15 minutes/Varoma setting/Speed 2 to reduce and thicken your ketchup.
- At the end of cooking take out the bay leaf and cloves if you can find them. Carefully taste (beware, it will be hot!) and add more salt if required. Blend 1 minute/Speed 8. (Notice Thermomix’s Soft Start safety feature as you blend a hot liquid.) Pour into sterilised bottles, cover with sterilised lids, label and store in the fridge.
Bon appétit !
Thanks, Tenina! It’s just the tomato season in our part of the world so let’s get cooking some ketchup in our Thermomixes!
I LOVE thermomix ketchup, and can no longer eat any other version. Beautiful pics as well Jane!