Blueberry Ketchup

Ketchup is one of America's favorite & most popular condiments. It first originated in China around the 1600's , but wasn't anything like the ketchup we know today. It was called "ketsiap", extremely salty and made from the brine of pickled fish & spices. There were no tomatoes in this version or any version of ketchup until the early 1800's.

Today, artisan ketchup's are popping up everywhere. If you've only had tomato based ketchup, here's an opportunity to try something delicious & new. This recipe uses fresh blueberries and white-balsamic to make a tart & tangy ketchup. It was inspired by a recipe from the Seattle times, Food & Wine. 

Blueberry Ketchup is very versatile and can be used on pork dishes, chicken dishes, burgers & even as a topping for dessert. I used mine as a condiment on hamburgers I made with Brie cheese. Brie & Blueberry ketchup are the perfect combo. Here's an opportunity to turn a boring plain burger into a fabulous gourmet treat.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Ketchup :

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1 cup packed golden brown sugar

1/3 cup white- balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup white onion finely chopped

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Use a spoon to peel the ginger. Mince the ginger & finely chop the onion.

Place the blueberries, sugar ginger, onion, white-balsamic and salt in a medium sized sauce pan on the stove over medium-high heat. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients.

To make the ketchup, stir the mixture constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Once the sugar has dissolved, turn the heat down to medium low or low, so the mixture is simmering. Continue to simmer 20-25 minutes or until the blueberries have popped and the mixture has thickened in texture.

Remove from heat. The mixture will continue to thicken as it cools.

Be creative! Use this innovative condiment in your favorite dishes. Here's a shot of my Brie & Blueberry Ketchup burgers.

Enjoy!