The Real Red Stuff

You’re as likely to get the flavor of fresh tomatoes in a squirt of tomato ketchup as you are to get oysters in oyster sauce. Most ketchup labels list at least one sweetener, and often two: corn syrup and sugar. But if you love tomato taste on a grilled burger, you’ll do better making it yourself.

Relax--you don’t need to get out the canning equipment. If you can make a simple spaghetti sauce, you can make tomato ketchup. It takes no longer to cook than it does to pound the last inch of ketchup out of the bottle (a slight exaggeration).

This is ketchup for grownups. It isn’t syrupy and smooth. Instead, it is a chunky mixture of fresh tomatoes and a little tomato paste (for body and color), aromatic with cloves and ginger.

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When you plan your back-yard barbecue for Memorial Day, cook up a batch of ketchup to add to the table. Your condiment will taste especially good with lamb burgers--ground lamb seasoned with oregano and shallots.

LAMB BURGERS WITH HOMEMADE TOMATO KETCHUP TOMATO KETCHUP 1 large tomato

1 teaspoon oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 (1/4-inch-thick) slice ginger root

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons honey

4 cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon hot water, optional

Peel tomato by dropping it into pan of boiling water for 30 seconds. Skin will slide off. Core tomato. Seeds may be removed, if desired. Dice remaining flesh. Set aside.

Heat oil in small pan. Add minced shallot and slice of ginger root and saute 2 minutes. Add diced tomato, lemon juice, cider vinegar, honey, cloves, salt and tomato paste. Cook over low heat at low boil, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. If mixture is too thick, add hot water. Remove cloves and ginger root before serving.

LAMB BURGERS

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound ground lamb

2 hamburger buns

Combine oregano, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, salt and ground lamb in bowl. Knead few times to mix. Do not overwork mixture. Shape into 2 patties.

Grill patties 4 to 6 inches from heat until done, about 5 minutes per side.

Toast hamburger buns on grill, if desired.

Place patties on buns and arrange on serving plates. Pass ketchup separately.

Makes 2 servings.