bacon & curried onion ketchup
Really folks. This stuff is the bomb. Slathered on a burger…you needn’t anything more.
The inspiration for this creation came from a podcast via KCRW Radio in Los Angeles entitled: The History of Ketchup. Check it out here.
Apparently, as the podcast says, ketchup was a name for a sauce from Indonesia that originally contained fermented soy WITHOUT tomatoes. The podcast does the explanation better, but I guess the English liked this Indonesian sauce so much and they tried to recreate it using all sorts of things. Walnuts, liver…
Well, inspiration took hold and Vwola! Upon seeing a bacon jam product–immediatlely bacon was in the picture. Then a vinaigrette I make using balsamic vinegar and curry powder further built this saucy maddness. And feeling I need something a bit acidic to balance out sweetness and fat I used some pluots (you could use plums) I had hanging in my fridge. Oh and starting with a base of onion marmaladey goodness always helps!
WARNING: You will eat the entire contents of this sauce if you are not careful…think ketchup with cowboy boots and a little black dress
Bacon
Onions
Garlic & Pluots
More Bacon…
Deliciousness
Bacon & Curried Onion Ketchup
makes about 2 pint jars
4 slices of bacon
2 very large red onions cut in quarter moons and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 garlic peeled and sliced very thinly
1 tsp curry powder
1/8 tsp of kosher salt
2 pluots or plums, pitted and diced
2 sprigs thyme
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon peppercorns ground in mortar
Put the bacon over medium low heat and cook until crispy.
Remove to papertowel but save fat!!!
Put fat in a large wide cast iron or stainless steel skillet. Do NOT use nonstick!
Put in onions and cook over medium to medium high heat. When slightly cooked, put on lid with a little water and simmer for 20 minutes till wilted.
Remove top and let the water evaporate a bit (5-10 minutes on medium heat) and then add curry powder, salt and garlic and cook for 5-10 minutes more.
Then add pluots, and thyme and low simmer for 20-30 minutes.
When pan the pan is dry and onions carmelied add bacon (finely chopped) and deglaze the ketchup with vinegar,
Reduce till syrupy (5-7 minutes over medium) and remove from heat.
Remove thyme and sprinkle with cracked pepper.
Eat, indulge and enjoy on some form of burger. We did a bison burger but my roommate used a veggie boca burger and was scrapping the pan for more.
You say “one garlic” – assume you mean one clove and not one head?
This looks fascinating and I might just try it.
Yes, one clove. Let me know how it goes!