Issue 27Hawthorn and Apple Ketchups

COLUMNIST: JANICE CLYNE
Ketchup Know-HowKetchups are really versatile and work so well with burgers, sausages, on a cheese toastie, with cheese and crackers, or added to any savoury dish for a wee hint of sweetness.
Here are two of my favourite ketchup recipes, one using foraged hawthorn berries, and the other using apples and dates.
Apple and Date KetchupThis is a delicious way to use a glut of apples. Packed with fibre from the apples, dates, and onion, although it is fairly sweet, it still has nutritional value. If you are using organic apples, the skins can be included for extra fibre. Compare this to shop bought ketchups which are full of emulsifiers, sugar, artificial colours, and flavours - and not much else!
Fruit Ketchup
This recipe is from talented chef Joe Bartlett but I reduced the amount of sugar added by half and it is still sweet enough for me.
What you need:

1 onion, finely diced

1 tbsp olive oil or EVOO

600g apples, cored, then grated or chopped

300g dates

1 tsp allspice or Chinese 5 Spice

250ml apple cider vinegar

200ml apple juice or cider

50g sugar or maple syrup

Salt and black pepper

What to do:

Sauté the diced onion with the oil and a big pinch of salt on a medium heat until soft.

Add the grated apples, dates, and the teaspoon of spice. Also add the apple cider vinegar, apple juice, sugar, and a good grinding of black pepper.

Simmer gently until the liquid is roughly halved in volume and the apples are cooked.

Blitz in a blender until totally smooth, I blitzed mine in 2 batches in my Vitamix, which produced a velvety smooth ketchup.

If the ketchup is not totally smooth, push it through a sieve with a wooden spoon or if it is too thick, add extra apple juice or water to thin to the desired consistency.

Pour into sterilised bottles or jars and store in the fridge (the ketchup will keep unopened for up to 6 months and would make a lovely foodie gift). N.B. To sterilise bottles/jars, fill with boiling water and leave for 15 minutes or put them in the oven at 150℃ for 15 minutes, remember to remove any rubber seals first. Alternatively, put your bottles and jars through a hot cycle in the dishwasher.

Hawthorn KetchupHawthorn is a wonderful plant. Classed as an adaptogen, which supports the heart and the circulation, the flowers and leaves are edible, as well as the lovely berries in the autumn. Hawthorn ketchup is one of my favourite things to make with the ripe berries. It is so delicious and has a unique almost smoky flavour.
The berries are best picked when they are a deep shade of red and soft between the fingers. I freeze them in 500g amounts, so you can make this delicious ketchup whenever you want - I always have a stash of rosehips, elderberries, brambles, haw berries, and sloe berries in the freezer to use throughout the year.
Always be 100% sure of correct identification when you are collecting any wild berries, as there are similar ones which are not edible and can make you rather ill. Look at the leaf shape as well as the berries, there are many plant apps which you can use to identify plants correctly.
You can vary the flavour of the ketchup by adding different spices, chilli flakes, and garlic, or go down the warming spice route with allspice, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, for a deliciously fruity, rich, and intense ketchup, which is what I prefer.
Again, this is delicious served with burgers and sausages, stirred into casseroles, blended with chickpeas and tahini for a delicious dip, or mixed with natural yoghurt to serve with falafel. It tastes almost like HP sauce but without all the additives!
Ketchup Bottle
What you need (makes around 350ml):

500g hawthorn berries

300ml apple cider vinegar

350ml water

150 to 175g brown sugar

¼ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground ginger or 1 heaped tsp fresh finely chopped ginger

½ tsp of nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Remove all the stalks from the haw berries and give them a wash, then place berries in a pan with the apple cider vinegar and water.

Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the berries start to soften and split. This can take from 30 minutes to nearer an hour if the berries are not fully ripe - you may need to top it up with hot water.

Push the mixture through a sieve to remove all the stones and skins, using a wooden spoon to really push it through. If the mixture looks dry then add extra boiling water and give it a good mix before you sieve it - you need around 300 to 350ml.

Return the pulp to a clean pan and add the sugar, spices, salt and pepper.

Heat gently to dissolve the sugar, and then simmer gently for around 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then transfer to a sterilised jar or bottle.

Enjoy!
Trellis ProfileAs a qualified food scientist, gut health guru, supporter of plant-based locally sourced seasonal food, a fermentista, and foraging fanatic, Janice Clyne is passionate about inspiring, informing, and motivating change in health and eating habits - delivering vibrant good health, through her Wellness Hub and 'Nourished by Nature' skills, expertise, and experience.Curious about eating weeds and how good they are for gut health, listen in to Janice's wisdom on the Scotland Grows Show.Scottish GardeningNavigationEditor's WelcomeContentsLivingreen DesignWhat's Gorgeous in the Garden?Festive Decorations from the GardenChristmas Wreath-Making TipsThe Christmas RoseFestive FolkloreSean Batty's Christmas BookNorth Scotland Garden Show5 Festive HouseplantsScottish Winter WandersSnowdrop FestivalJim McColl - A Gardening Inspiration to Us AllCompassionate GardenersOne Garden ThingWelcome Songbirds this WinterBeautiful BarkCome and Chat About PlantsCardboard for Winter ProtectionClayton's BookThe Cold Container MonthsScotland_Grows_Show_Top_Gardening_TipsScotland Grows Show TestimonialsScots Pine: Scotland's National TreeImpossible InvereweNTS ROOTSTart and Tasty LingonberriesThe Indonesian CookScotland Grows websiteHawthorn and Apple KetchupsFruit Filled FifeGrow Your BusinessPlanning Next Year's Cutting GardenScottish Garden Design CompetitionScone Palace Garden Fair 2025Down’s Syndrome Scotland GardenGrowing for ShowsWildflowers at Westfield ParkScotland's Garden SchemeEdinburgh City Centre Welcomes First Public Garden in 200 YearsFeature Your GardenWhat's On In ScotlandJobs AheadGardening NewsScotland Grows SubscriptionThe Last WordNext Issue advertArchives