Green Ketchup

This is amazingly good: complex, sweet, tangy, faintly spicy. It reminds me of a good BBQ sauce. I have to confess to adding a few drops of food coloring.... If something's called "Green Ketchup," it should be green, right? This takes a while, but isn't that labor intensive; most of the time you just walk by and stir the pot.

Green Ketchup

Recipe from How to Cook Everything, 10th ann. edition

• 2 T. pickling spices
• 3/4 c. cider vinegar
• 2 T. neutral oil (canola, corn, etc.)
• 4 cups cored, chopped green tomatoes
• 2 cups peeled, cored, chopped tart green apples
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. water
• salt, to taste (I used very little)
• cayenne, to taste

1. Heat the pickling spice and the vinegar in a nonreactive saucepan until almost boiling. Put it aside to steep (for at least 45 minutes--but you won't need it for that amount of time, even if you proceed right away with the recipe).
2. Heat the oil in large pot over medium high heat; when hot, add the onion, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft (about 10 minutes). Add the tomatoes, apples, and water; stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot to prevent sticking. Adjust heat so the mixture bubbles gently and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 45 minutes, being careful not to let the tomato stick to the bottom and burn.
3. Strain the vinegar and stir it into the tomato mixture along with the sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper (I added just a touch--you can always add more at the end!). Continue cooking for another 45 minutes or so. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree. Taste, adjust seasonings, and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks or freeze.

Makes about 1 quart