Homemade ketchup

• good-size onions4

  very roughly chopped

• celery↗250g g

  very roughly chopped

• vegetable or olive oil5 tbsp tbsp
• garlic cloves↗4

  sliced

• ground coriander↗1 tsp tsp
• short cinnamon stick1
• allspice1 tsp tsp
• ground black pepper tsp
• celery↗2 tsp tsp

  salt

• ripe tomatoes↗2kg kg

  roughly chopped

• tomato purée↗3 tbsp tbsp
• Tabasco sauce tsp
• white wine vinegar↗200ml ml
• golden caster sugar↗200g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the onions and celery into a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Heat the oil in a very large saucepan, add the onions and celery, cover, then soften over a low heat for 5 mins. Add the garlic, cook 5 mins more, then tip in the spices and cook for 1 min.

2. 2

   Now stir in all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Keep on a bubbling simmer, uncovered, for 1 hr until the tomatoes are squashy and the liquid has reduced by several inches. Discard the cinnamon stick.

3. 3

   Whizz the mix with a stick blender until smooth, then sieve into a bowl. The ketchup will thicken a little when it cools, but if yours seems very runny (this will depend on the juiciness of your tomatoes), put it back on the heat and cook a little longer, stirring often, until reduced. Keep the ketchup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months, or freeze in batches. If you like, keep in sterilised bottles or jars for up to 6 months - see tip, below.