Friday Fungus: 2011 Vintage!

This year's vintage looks especially fine thanks to Kathryn who did the labels and hats (or whatever we're supposed to call those cloth covers over the lids).

Mushroom ketchup - the original ketchup - is lovely stuff, more subtle that its tomato-ey offspring. It's also really easy to make - and what great Xmas gifts for mushroom loving friends and family!

The recipe is here.

...

The perfect condiment?

I was quite tickled by the things for which Encona West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce is "ideal". Quite the perfect condiment*

Ideal as a cooking ingredient, condiment or spicy seasoning to give a delicious flavour to all meat, chicken, fish or vegetables. Great added into soups, stews and stirred into dips for a fiery kick.

Wonderful!

*The perfect condiment is, of course, mushroom ketchup

....

Friday Fungus - mushroom ketchup

The word ketchup - or catsup as it was often spelled in times past - once described a malay fish sauce (a bit like the Korean kimchi) and had nothing to do with tomato at all. There is a delicious irony though: the fish sauces all originate from chinese cooking and the cantonese word keh jup means tomato sauce today!

There are plenty of recipes around for mushroom ketchup -some originals from the 18th century and others updated to make use of such modern innovations as ovens, gas and food processors! My recipe is a bit of a mix up featuring flavours I like, varying quantities and cooking slowly in the oven rather than on the hob.

1lb 8oz Mushroom - the ordinary white ones are fine
3oz Dried Porcini Mushrooms - I guess you could use fresh ones as well
Coarse sea salt
6oz chopped shallots - again you could use red onions or even green onions
2 inch fresh ginger (chopped)
Clove of garlic
1 tsp Allspice - I've used ground but the berries might be better
6-10 Juniper berries
Glass red wine - I kept an unfinished one from a previous night - can't waste the good stuff!
Glass "mushroom water" - this is the hot water in which you've soaked the dried porcini
Half Glass white wine vinegar - I'm not fussy about this bit except not malt vinegar
Black pepper

On the spice front go for stuff you like - some recipes have nutmeg, cloves or cinnamon and you might think about replacing the red wine with soy sauce.

What to do:
1. Chop or slice the mushrooms, mix with plenty of salt and leave to stand (not in the fridge) for 24 hours. Some recipes ask you to do this for 5 days - I lack the patience!

2. Mix the salted mushrooms with all the other ingredients, put in a large pot and cook on a low temperature (150 degrees) for about 90 minutes.

3. Allow to cool and then blend - use a food processor if you'd like some little lumps of mushroom, a blender if you want it smooth. Cool it right down and then bottle - should keep in the fridge for a couple of months. (some recipes want you to force it through cheesecloth - definitely pre-blender recipes and I'm not a purist!)

Or you could use Heston's recipe (a right faff!)

Mushroom Ketchup - the doings!

A little taster for tomorrow's Friday Fungus - mushroom ketchup!