Tomato Catsup is a traditional British recipe, based on Eliza Acton's recipe of 1845, for a classic Victorian store sauce made from a base of slated tomatoes cooked with capsicums and shallots. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Tomato Catsup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Eliza Acton's 1845 volume Modern Cookery, the first classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
BOTTLED TOMATAS, OR TOMATA CATSUP.
Cut half a peck of ripe tomatas into quarters; lay them on dishes and sprinkle over them half a pound of salt. The next day drain the juice from them through a hair-sieve into a stew-pan and boil it for half an hour with three dozens of small capsicums and half a pound of eschalots; then add the tomatas, which should be ready pulped through a strainer. Boil the whole for thirty minutes longer; have some clean wide-necked bottles, kept warm by the fire, fill them with the catsup while it is quite hot; cork, and dip the necks into melted bottle-resin or cement.
Tomatas, 1/2 peck; salt, 1/2 lb.; capsicums, 3 doz.; eschalots, 1/2 lb. 1/2 hour. After pulp is added, 1/2 hour.
Obs.—This receipt has been kindly contributed by a person who makes by it every year large quantities of the catsup, which is considered excellent : for sauce it must be mixed with gravy or melted butter. We have not ourselves been able to make trial of it.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
4.5l ripe tomatoes, quartered
225g salt
36 small capsicums (cherry-sized peppers with no heat)
225g shallots, peeled
Method:
Arrange the tomato quarters in non-reactive dishes and sprinkle over the salt. Set aside over night then, the following day turn the tomato mixture into a fine-meshed sieve and allow to drain. Set the liquid aside.
Using the back of a spoon press the tomato pulp through the sieve to puree the flesh (ensure that the skins and seeds remain behind). Set the tomato pulp aside.
Pour the tomato liquid into a saucepan, add the capsicums and shallots, bring to a boil and continue boiling for 30 minutes. Now stir in the tomato pulp, bring back to a boil and continue boiling for 30 minutes more.
Take off the heat and pour the mixture into wide-necked bottles that have been sterilized and warmed in the oven. Stopper the bottles securely then set aside to cool. If desired, process in a boiling water bath, but they keep quite well if not opened.
As soon as the ketchup is opened, store in the refrigerator.
