In season eating: ketchup with heirloom tomatoes recipe

Tomatoes have officially arrived in the Charlotte region. The next few months will bring a bounty of heirloom tomato varieties from local markets and backyard gardens.

After weeks of making BLTs, salads, gazpacho, salsa and tomato sauce, you may want to find another great recipe for tomatoes. How about ketchup? Not only is it easy and delicious to make, homemade ketchup is definitely sustainable eating by saving a trip to the store, as well as packaging and the shipping to get it to the store.

You can use any types of tomatoes. Mix yellow, orange and red tomatoes for a lighter, brighter ketchup. If you don’t have one of the whole spices on hand, try substituting other whole spices (allspice berries, star anise, coriander seed or cardamom).

Ketchup
Adapted from Saveur recipe

Makes 2 1/2 cups

4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 stick cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp. celery seeds
1⁄4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1⁄4 tsp. cumin seeds
4 juniper berries
2 lbs. tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp black pepper
1⁄2 cup white wine vinegar
4 tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed

Directions
Wrap cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, celery seeds, red pepper flakes cumin seeds and juniper berries in a layer of cheesecloth; tie into a bundle and put into a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat along with tomatoes, salt, vinegar, sugar, onion, jalapeno chile and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion and jalapeno are very soft, 40 minutes.

Remove cheesecloth spice bundle and purée sauce in a blender until smooth. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer into a 4-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 30 minutes. Add more salt, sugar, or vinegar to taste.

Transfer ketchup to a glass jar. Set aside; let cool. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.