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Mushroom Ketchup

Erken's mushroom ketchup: 2 kg unwashed mushrooms are rubbed clean with salt, ground, layered with 50 g salt in a jar for 3 days with daily stirring, cooked 1 hour in a water bath, strained without pressing, the juice mixed with whole pepper and cayenne and simmered gently 3 hours in a water bath, strained 2–3 times and bottled cold.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 353 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Mushroom ketchup was an English-inspired seasoning essence used to give body and color to sauces and stews. Erken recommends mushrooms gathered on a dry day, and long steeping in salt before gentle cooking in a water bath.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Clean the mushrooms

    Do not wash the mushrooms; rub them clean with salt.

  2. 2

    Layer in salt

    Chop the mushrooms or grind them once, and layer them with the salt in a jar.

  3. 3

    Steep for three days

    Cover and set in a cool place for 3 days. Stir several times each day.

  4. 4

    First cooking in a water bath

    Pour the mixture into a pot, set this into a larger pot with boiling water and keep it boiling for 1 hour.

  5. 5

    Strain off the juice

    Strain through a clean cloth without pressing. Pour the juice back into the jar and add the pepper and cayenne.

  6. 6

    Simmer gently for three hours

    Set the jar in a pot with boiling water and let the ketchup simmer gently for 3 hours.

  7. 7

    Strain and bottle

    Strain 2–3 times through a thin piece of cloth. Pour into small bottles once the ketchup is completely cold, cork and store away.

Changes from the original

Measurements modernized (grams, knife-point of cayenne kept as "knife-point"). The method is set out in numbered steps; "boils in a water bath" is specified. The original's unclear "stir them at least 3 hours daily" is interpreted as stirring several times a day.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

1914 (proofread, p. 353) → 1949 (proofread, p. 389)~39% of the text changedremovedadded
2 kg. champignons 50 gr. salt 5 gr. hel pepper 1 knivsod cayenne. Champignonerne maa knivsodd kajenne. Champignonene må bli indsamlet paa innsamlet på en tør tørr dag; ikke vask dem, men gnid gni dem rene med salt. Hak Hakk dem eller mal dem 1 gang paa på kvernen, læg legg dem i en krukke lagvis med saltet. Tildækkes Tildekkes og staar paa står på et kjølig sted i 3 dage; dager; rør i dem mindst minst 3 timer daglig. Haves Has i en gryte, denne sættes settes igjen i en større gryte med kokende vand; vann; dette holdes ikok i kok 1 time. Siles gjennem et rent klæde, pres press ikke. Saften haves has tilbake i krukken, tilsæt tilsett krydderier; krukken sættes settes i en gryte med kokende vand vann og koker smaat smått i 3 timer. Siles 2—3 ganger gjennem et tyndt tynt stykke tøi; haves paa smaa has på små flasker, naar når den er ganske kold; korkes og gjemmes.

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Frequently asked questions

Why should the mushrooms not be washed?
Water soaks into the mushrooms and dilutes the juice. Mushrooms should be gathered on a dry day and rubbed clean with salt instead.
How long does the ketchup take?
Count on around 3 days: the mushrooms lie layered with salt in a cool place for 3 days (stirred daily), then 1 hour in a water bath, straining, and finally gentle simmering with spices in a water bath for 3 hours.
What are the ingredients?
2 kg button mushrooms, 50 g salt, 5 g whole pepper and a knife-point of cayenne.
How should the ketchup be bottled and stored?
Strain the juice 2–3 times through thin cloth (do not press), fill it into small bottles only when it is completely cold, cork well and store away.

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