Mushroom ketchup

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix the mushrooms and the salt together and cover with clingfilm for 24 hours. Every so often, press down the mushrooms and stir with a wooden spoon until they start to release their juices and break up slightly.

2. Reconstitute the porcini mushrooms in 125ml of boiling water, leaving to soak for an hour or so.

3. Pour the water through a fine sieve into a jug to remove any grit or particles.

4. Place the sliced mushrooms along with any liquid they have released into a large pan, add the porcini mushrooms along with the water they were reconstituted with and the nutmeg.

5. Put the ginger, bay leaf, peppercorns and allspice in a piece of muslin tied with a string and place in the pan. Bring to the boil and then simmer for around an hour and a half uncovered. Stir the mixture regularly until it has started to thicken.

6. Discard the spices and their bag, and place the rest of the pot’s contents into a food processor and blitz until smooth. You can also use a hand blender for this but make sure you blitz the ingredients enough so that you are left with a very smooth sauce.

7. Return the smooth sauce to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to the boil, allowing to simmer for 5 minutes.

8. Pour into sterilised jars and leave for around 1 week before using. It should keep for 3 months, unopened and kept in a cool place.