MY SWEET TOMATO SCENTED KITCHEN

Home made sweet tomato ketchup with toms from the garden, first batch of the season.

large pan full to brim with tomatoes
1 large onion roughly chopped
1 red pepper roughly chopped
1 chilli whole (pierced)
8 whole cloves
3 garlic cloves peeled whole
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp mace
10 black peppercorns
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 fresh bay leaf

Put all the above ingredients in a large heavy based pan and simmer until soft and saucy, pierce the tomatoes so that they don't burst when hot.  Push the tomatoes through a sieve and return to the pan.

Add the following and reduce to a thick pulpy consistency, season with salt and pepper and adjust the sweet/sour to taste if needed.

100ml cider vinegar
200g soft brown sugar

Sterilize old jam jars and lids in the oven 180 degrees for 5 minutes and jar up the hot sauce immediately, the tomato ketchup should keep for up to a year, once opened keep in the fridge.