Mushroom Ketchup

Choose full‑grown mushrooms and ensure they are freshly gathered when the weather is tolerably dry; if picked during heavy rain, the ketchup will be musty and will not keep long.

Put a layer of mushrooms in a deep pan, sprinkle salt over them, then another layer of mushrooms, and so on alternately.

Let the mushrooms remain for a few hours, then break them up by hand; place them in a cool place for 3 days, occasionally stirring and mashing them well to extract as much juice as possible.

Measure the quantity of liquor without straining, and to each quart add the proportion of spices (cayenne, allspice, ginger, pounded mace).

Put all into a stone jar, cover it tightly, place it in a saucepan of boiling water, set over the fire, and let it boil for 3 hours.

Prepare a clean stewpan; pour the contents of the jar into it, and let the mixture simmer gently for ½ hour; pour it into a jug, let it stand in a cool place until the next day; then pour it into another jug, strain into very dry clean bottles, and do not squeeze the mushrooms.

Add a few drops of brandy to each pint of ketchup.

Do not shake the contents; leave all sediment behind in the jug; cork well, and either seal or rosin the cork to exclude air.

If a very clear bright ketchup is desired, strain the liquor through a very fine hair‑sieve or flannel bag after gently pouring it off; repeat until the liquor is clear.

Examine occasionally; if it is spoiling, reboil with a few peppercorns.