Walnut Ketchup
Ingredients
Directions
Steep the shells
Put the walnut-shells into a pan, with the water, and a large quantity of salt.
Let them stand for 10 days.
Break the shells up in the water, and let it drain through a sieve.
Put a heavy weight on the top to express the juice.
Boil and bottle
Place the liquor on the fire, and remove all scum that may arise.
Boil the liquor with the shalots, cloves, mace, pepper, and garlic.
Let all simmer till the shalots sink.
Put the liquor into a pan, and, when cold, bottle and cork closely.
Let it stand 6 months before using.
Should it ferment during that time, boil and skim it again.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures. See the original page.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Walnut-shells
- Provide the main flavour and dark colour of the ketchup as they steep in brine.
- Salt
- Draws out juices from the shells and helps preserve the liquor against spoilage.
- Shalots (in the method)
- Add savoury, aromatic depth to the boiled liquor.
- Garlic (in the method)
- Adds pungent aroma and savoury flavour to the liquor.
The step that matters
Let it stand 6 months before using. The liquor needs long aging for flavours to mellow and blend. If it ferments, it must be boiled and skimmed again, since uncontrolled fermentation can spoil the batch.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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