Home Made Tomato Ketchup

If you have some surplus tomatoes then this is delicious.

Ingredients

1kg of ripe tomatoes (roughly chopped)

1 carrot (chopped)

1 small onion (chopped)

1 celery stick (chopped)

Pinch of ground cloves

1 bay leaf

2 mace blades

150ml red wine vinegar

60g light soft brown sugar

Method

1. Put all the ingredients except the sugar in a heavy-based pan. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Discard the mace and bay leaf. Puree the mixture and then rub through a nylon sieve back into the rinsed-out pan.

3. Stir in the sugar, bring back to the boil and boil for 5 minutes, stirring all the time, until the mixture has the thickness of thick cream.

4. Pour into warm, steralized jars with vinegar-proof lids but first cover with a waxed disc, then seal up and cool.

The ketchup can be kept in a dark, cool place for about 3 months. Once opened it should be kept in the fridge and be used within 2 weeks. Shake before use.