Another way to make catchup is a traditional British recipe, based on Hannah Glasse's recipe of 1747, for a classic method of making mushroom catsup (ketchup) from mushroom juice blended with stale beer flavoured with spices, herbs and horseradish that's boiled down to thicken before being bottled and which was a typical flavouring for the Georgian age. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Another way to make catchup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Hannah Glasse's 1747 volume The Aft of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, the classic Georgian cookbook.
Another way to make catchup.
TAKE the large flaps, and ſalt them as above ; boil the liquor, ſtrain it through a thick flannel bag : to a quart of that liquor put a quart of ſtale beer, a large ſtick of horſe-raddiſh cut in little ſlips, five or ſix bay-leaves, an onion ſtuck with twenty or thirty cloves, a quarter of an ounce of black and white pepper, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs beat, a quarter of an ounce of black and white pepper, a quarter of an ounce of all-ſpice, and four or five races of ginger. Cover it cloſe, and let it ſimmer very ſoftly till about one third is waſted ; then ſtrain it through a flannel bag, when it is cold bottle it in pint bottles, cork it cloſe, and it will keep a great while : you may put red wine in the room of beer ; ſome put in a head of garlick, but I think that ſpoils it. The other receipt you have in the Chapter for the Sea.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
2kg (or more) large white open cap mushrooms (these do not have to be completely fresh) [you can also use portobello mushrooms, St George's Mushrooms, Field Mushrooms, Brown Wood Mushrooms and Horse mushrooms]
salt
Wipe the mushroom caps clean, remove the stalks and lay in a deep dish. Scatter salt over the top then set aside to extract the excess liquid until the following morning.
Scrape off the excess salt then break the mushroom caps into chunks. Bring a pan of water to a boil, add the mushroom pieces and blanch for 2 minutes. Turn into a fine-meshed sieve and allow to drain.
Place the sieve on top of a clean bowl then press the mushrooms through with the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer the mushroom pulp into a clean tea towel then wring out as much of the mushroom liquid as you can.
Turn the liquid into a measuring jug then, to each 1l of the liquid add 1l stale beer, a stick of horse-radish, shaved, 6 bayleaves, 1 onion, stuck with 20 cloves, 7.5g black pepper, 7.5g white pepper, 7.5g mace, 7.5g nutmegs, beaten in a mortar, 7.5g allspice berries, 5 generous bulbs of ginger.
Combine all these ingredients in a pan, bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the volume has reduced by a third. Strain through a jelly bag or a fine-meshed sieve lined with muslin or cheesecloth.
Set the liquid aside to cool then pour into washed and sterilized bottles or jars. Seal securely then set aside in a cool, dark, cupboard until needed.
