Mushroom Catsup
Ingredients
Directions
Salt the mushrooms
Break the mushrooms into small pieces and place them in a deep earthen pan.
Strew ¾ pound of salt among the mushrooms, reserving some for the top.
Let them sit for two days, stirring gently with a wooden spoon occasionally.
Cook and strain
Transfer the mixture to a large stewpan or enameled saucepan.
Heat slowly and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
Strain the liquid closely from the mushrooms.
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.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Mushrooms
- Release their liquid, which becomes the body of the ketchup.
- Coarse sea salt
- Draws moisture out of the mushrooms and preserves the liquid during the two-day rest.
The step that matters
Salting the mushrooms for two days. Salt must be spread evenly through the mushrooms so they draw out liquid uniformly. Stirring occasionally keeps the salt in contact with all the pieces, and too little salt lets the mushrooms spoil before enough liquid is extracted.
“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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