The Recipe Box

Plum Ketchup

Really good with pork, turkey, or game. This will keep for one week in the fridge, six months in the freezer.

3lb. red or black plums, pitted and halved.
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/3-2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (depends on your taste and sweetness of plums)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 inches of cinnamon stick

Combine everything in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally until the plums are mush - use a potato masher if you want to speed things along, or a heat-resistant hand blender. Remove from heat, fish out the cinnamon stick, and pour it unto a pan for better cooling, then into your containers.

If you need a thicker ketchup to use as a spread, try adding one tablespoon of grated apple per pound of fruit at the start of cooking.

You can also make this with cherries, apricots, or peaches - try the cherry over grilled duck and the apricot or peach as a glaze on chicken.