Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons mixed pickling spice
- 1 small stick cinnamon, about 1/4-inch long
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon (scant) freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup cold water
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Preparation:
Force the ketchup through a fine sieve to strain it, pressing down hard on the solids. Rinse out the saucepan and return the ketchup to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and simmer the ketchup, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. (Even if the ketchup seems thin, do not cook it any longer, as the thickening power of the cornstarch lessens with prolonged cooking. The ketchup will thicken a bit more upon cooling.) Remove the ketchup from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Store the tomato ketchup, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Yield: about 5 cups
Source: Fog City Diner, San Francisco, California, USA
Reprinted with permission.

