The Best Ketchup is…Homemade!

by Tzippi Martina, Clinton Chronicle

       I always wanted to write a piece about the best hamburger in Hell’s Kitchen. Naturally, in order to make an informed choice I would have to sample the burgers in every restaurant in the neighborhood. But despite the tempting nature of such an assignment, I never could do it. Oh, I enjoy burgers in many local spots, but the very idea of “the best” is so subjective that if I selected one over all the others I would probably touch off a neighborhood-wide donnybrook. I have to say that there are some world class burgers in this neck of the woods, and they’re all affordable to boot, from the elegantly simple one served over at Druids to the hugely garnished burgers at Mercury Bar and Island Burger which attracts folks from all over town. But that is not  to knock the sensational Bacon Cheeseburger at 1050 restaurant or the traditional Burger Deluxe at Westway and Georgio’s Country Grille or the sensational creation offered up at Jake’s Saloon… see the problem? You already may be wondering why I left your favorite burger out. Writing about the best burger in Hell’s Kitchen is a no-win proposition; a mug’s game for sure. Apologies are in order because I am sure I probably left out one of your favorite burger spots. And I didn’t even get to mention the Fries. I thought of copping out and writing only about neighborhood places that no longer exist, like the oh so juicy burger on an English muffin at Jimmy Ray’s, or the sirloin packet of delight at Armstrong’s Saloon, but as I said, that was a cop out which left me bristling with an aching nostalgia. So I shelved the project.

     I did learn one thing of import on my rounds of burger tasting: Ketchup in this country has gone all to hell. I mean it. There must be a new process used by the industry, because these days at a 99¢ shop under a generic label you can get gallons of a red substance which to my palate tastes just as bland as today’s name brand stuff. But what are fries and a burger without ketchup? So if you want the best, you’re going to have to make it yourself at home. This is not so hard as it seems. While tooling around the internet recently, I came across a wonderful site called “Top Secret Recipes” which held the answer to a ketchup lovers prayers. For at this site I found a simple recipe that yielded a tangy, tasty ketchup filled with flavor like we used to have in the old days. I contacted the good people at TSR and they were quite eager to share the recipe with you. So here it is: 

“Top Secret Recipes version of Heinz Ketchup by Todd Wilbur” (Reprinted with permission) 

One 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup water 1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder 

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until smooth.
2. When mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
3. Remove pan from heat and cover until cool. Chill and store in a covered container.

Makes 1 1/2 cups. 

    When I made this ketchup it smelled so mouthwatering that I immediately French-fried some Yukon Gold taters I had gotten at Mazella’s and dipped away. Yummy! Since discovering this recipe I have not bought one single bottle of prepared ketchup, that’s how good this is. Ever the food scientist, I tried the recipe with several brands of tomato paste and by far the best in this recipe was La Squisita tomato paste available at the Big Apple Market on 9th between 42nd and 41st. Big Apple has a whole array of La Squisita products, including the best pasta sauces in a jar, bar none, at low, low prices. More about La Squisita in another column.  

     This recipe is delicious and so simple a child can do it. Since it is well known that kids like ketchup on everything, perhaps this can be a fun family project that gets the young ‘uns interested in the kitchen. At least they will have a quality condiment for perhaps the first time in their lives… who knows where that could lead? And they’ll have a really swell website to visit after doing their homework. For more Top Secret Recipes, please visit the newly refurbished website http://www.topsecretrecipes.com. You will be amply rewarded.