Grandma Hoffman's Tomatoe Catsup

Serves:

Ingredients:

8 lb Firm ripe tomatoes
Coarsely chopped
4 Lg onions, sliced
1 Clove garlic, finely minced
2 Bay leaves
2 Red pappers, fresh or dried
3/4 c Firmly packed brown sugar
2 tb Whole allspice
1 1" length of stick cinnamon
1 ts Ground cloves
1 1/2 tb Salt
1 ts Freshly ground black pepper
2 c Cider vinegar

Method:

Place the tomatoes in a large kettle with the onions, garlic, bay leaves and red pepper pods.
Cook until soft and strain through a seive or put through a food mill.
This should yield about 2 quarts of tomato puree.
Return the puree to the kettle and add the brown sugar.
Tie the allspice and cinnamon in a small cheesecloth bag and add it to the kettle along with the cloves, salt and pepper.
Cook quiickly, stirring frequently, until reduced to about half the original volume.
Season the mixture to taste with additional salt, if needed.
Remove the spice bag and add the vinegar.
Simmer ten minutes longer and pour at once into hot sterilized bottles.
Seal the bottles with paraffin.
SOURCE: "An Herb and Spice Cook Book", by Craig Claiborne, Copyright 1963