I’m back home, in Brighton, after spending two lovely months in Lebanon. I am always so torn between where home lies for me. I feel I belong here and there and I love each place for entirely different reasons. When I’m here I want to be there and when I’m there I want to be here. Now, if I could just get it right…
One of the very wonderful aspects of Lebanon that I cherish so much is the natural bounty that abounds. Lebanon is a very blessed country in that respect. And, as a family we are very blessed to have our own little piece of that bounty, growing and supplying us with all the wonderful tastes of the rich summer season. When I’m in Lebanon I truly know where my food comes from and the very hands that tended it with care and love. Working with produce that is local or homegrown and that has been endearingly cooked from scratch, conjures one of the best feelings in the world.
Our farmlands in the village have been passed down for generations. My grandfather, whilst a very accomplished Lawyer working in Beirut, never left his land bare and every summer he was back to nurture it. My father learned to do the same, even built a farm during the civil war and now he passes his knowledge on to my brother. And so these very tomatoes were skillfully grown by my brother. We don’t call him tomato boy for no reason.
Every week for the last three weeks big carts of freshly plucked, sun-kissed, plump tomatoes have made their way into our kitchen. There really is something romantic about a homegrown tomato and I do love it in the simplest of forms; for example try tomato slices sprinkled with a little salt, sumac and a drizzle of olive oil. And then when you need to hang on to them for a little longer well they can be beautifully cherished in a bottle.
For this month’s Blog of the Month, I have chosen Jul’s Kitchen written by the sweet and bubbly Jul’s herself from her Tuscan kitchen. I was lucky enough to have had the pleasure of meeting her in person and she’s as wonderful as she seems on the blog. Head on over there, where you’ll find beautiful photography, luscious recipes and pleasant stories. I know you’ll enjoy it.
- 5 kg of Tomatoes
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 5Β garlic cloves (more or less to taste), smashed
- about 1-2 chili peppers, seeds removed & finely chopped
- about 8 rosemary stalks
- ⅓ cup of high quality balsamic or red wine vinegar
- ⅓ cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
- salt & pepper to taste
- 40ml or 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 250ml of water or about 1 cup
- About 3 (500g) canning jars
- Prep the tomatoes like you would for a tomato concasse- procedure here
- Add the olive oil to a deep, heavy bottomed pot and when hot add the onions, cover and sweat for a few minutes till soft and translucent. Stir often.
- Add the smashed garlic, chopped chili, coriander and rosemary and saute all together for a further 2 minutes.
- Add the balsamic or red wine vinegar and reduce for about 4-5 minutes, or until thick.
- Add the chopped tomatoes that have been prepped according to the instructions linked to above, and also add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add about 1 cup of water and cover bring to a boil on medium heat then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about 1 hour or until it reaches a ketchup consistency.
- When desired consistency is reached, remove off heat and set aside to cool for a bit about 15 minutes or so itβs not too hot. Remove the rosemary stalks and then run through a food processor until very smooth.
- Drizzle the ketchup through a sterilized funnel into sterilized bottles/jars, then seal tightly and store in the refrigerator until needed β it should keep for 3 months or more.
- Adjust seasonings as you wish- You can get creative with the spices and herbs you want to include.
Β
Ooooh Bethany … welcome back! This looks so make-able. Project for next week as I have all the ingredients {for once}, including a half dead rosemary plant that’s struggling between drought and floods!
I’ve never seen a recipe for ketchup, however ’tis the season to put ripe tomatoes to work. I like the list of high quality ingredients, this recipe is truly gourmet which is a nice surprise for the common ketchup.
Welcome back home, first!
Then… I was dreamingly reading your story about these so beautiful and home feeling tomatoes when I stumbled upon my name! I read it twice! π WOW, Bethany! Thank you once again for your sweet words! you made my day… better say you made my month!
Last but not least, it’s a few months I’ve been thinking about making my own ketchup, and this seems the right recipe to use with my sun kissed tomatoes!
Once again, you rock girl! Hugs
Pleasure π
Welcome back dear. I’ve never made tomato ketchup but I have some gorgeous heirloom tomatoes staring mew in the face – who knows??????
I rarely go for ketchup on my fries, as the taste of most bottled versions is too simple and sweet, but this recipe brings a whole new level of flavor to the table!
I don’t as well. But this is a totally different experience.
Oh, my! This ketchup looks divine! I’ll be adding it to my list of things to cook during our Southern Hemisphere summer. Funny, I’ve just posted a blog about omurice, and how, a little confusingly, ketchup is the traditional sauce to put on it. Needless to say, this would be so much better!
Hi Beth!
When I see bloggers report on the price per pound of heirloom tomatoes in US Farmer’s markets I truly feel privileged here to have literally mountains of them here at our disposal, for a fraction of the cost; I have been thinking of making ketchup soon and your post is a great motivation to get going!
Joumana- I was back to that reality yesterday. I bough tomatoes; small, pale ones that tasted of nothing. I paid nearly 2 pounds for a measly 4 (very small ones) π
Thanks everyone for stopping by and the welcoming messages π Glad to be back even though I’m now paying through the roof for tasteless tomatoes…
This recipe zooms up on my list of bookmarked recipes….. π
Love the way the produce was used and the story which makes this Ketchup even more special.
Cheers,
The Variable, Crazy Over Desserts – Nachiketa
Catch me on facebook @ Crazy Over Desserts
Tomatoes. Love them so much, fresh from the garden, still warmed by the sun! And the smell…amazing! This ketchup recipe will leave me tired of ketchup from the store. Thanks so much for sharing a bit of Lebanon with us!
I worked on this recipe the whole afternoon and we just tried it now with some fries… Unanimously delicious!
Ketchup looks delicious!!! I will definitely try your recipe and Congrats on the Top 9!!! π
The ketchup sounds great, I love the combo of flavours. A great use of all the tomatoes at this time of year.
I adore making homemade ketchup. I make a really spicy one that my friends and family love. Thanks for this version. It sounds yummy.
How wonderful! What a great idea. I’ll definatley have to give this a try.
I’m loving all of your recipes, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Gwen. Do let me know how you get on π
Enjoying heirloom tomatoes here in So Cal while they last! Beautiful post and recipe π
Thank you Priscilla π
What a wonderful recipe for a new twist on Ketchup. Plus, your photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!
This is exactly what I have been looking for. I am slowly eliminating most store bought, jarred provisions ( marinara, bbq sauce, etc) and ketchup was next on my list!! thanks!
I love this post, Bethany. π My family are gardener’s too. Even though they’re in a retirement facility, my grandparents still grow tomatoes on their balcony. π Love this delicious recipe!! Welcome back to your other home. π
Oh, there is nothing most wonderful than fresh tomatoes. I often take bites of it and sprinkle salt as i go biting it. never tried with sumac, so next time something new to do.
hi first I want to tell u that im from lebanon and second i want to thank u for this wonderful recipie i made it with my grandma and the entire family loved it