This is my adaptation of Nigel Slaters recipe for mushroom ketchup, which he published in the Observer magazine last week. Nigel said it’s a fantastic accompaniment to steak or lamb so I used it first as a burger relish and then to go with fillet steak and thrice-cooked chips. OK, it doesn’t look wonderful but it tastes superb: chunky, earthy, sweet and sour. Pure umami. This recipe makes around 400ml. Seal it in a jar and keep in the fridge for around a week.
Ingredients
3 large field mushrooms (or 250g small mushrooms)
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tbsp cider (Nigel used cider vinegar, but I didnt have any)
3 tbsp caster sugar
5 spring onions, finely chopped
15 anchovy fillets
3 large gherkins
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
1. In a food processor, whiz the mushrooms, garlic and cider (or vinegar) to a coarse puree and then scrape into a heavy saucepan over a moderate heat.
2. Stir in the sugar and spring onions and simmer, stirring regularly until the onions have softened.
3. Roughly chop the anchovy fillets and gherkins, then add to the pan with a generous grinding of black pepper. Continue to cook for a further 10 mins, stirring regularly.
4. Add the mustard, stir, and leave to simmer for a further 5 mins.
5. Adjust the seasoning: Nigel says it should be sweet, sharp and salty. Serve with steak or lamb.
