Bret's Thick and Savory Mushroom Ketchup

Makes 9 8-oz jars worth of mushroom ketchup
Requires at least 12 hours of letting the mushrooms sit in salt.  24 hours is better

Ingredients:

3 lbs of button, baby portobella or similar small cheap mushroom
24 oz white wine vinegar
3 tbsp salt
1 tbsp whole allspice berries
12 oz. of chopped shallots
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp fresh ground pink pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 c. dry sherry

Equipment:
Blender
Rubber spatula
Large saucepot
canning jars
canning kit (optional)
food processor (optional)
slow cooker (optional)

This mushroom ketchup recipe is different than some.  The traditional mushroom ketchup as I understand it is a loose watery sauce like worcestershire sauce.  I prefer to make mine a thick sauce like tomato ketchup that can be squeezed onto hamburgers, pork chops, baked potatoes, anything that needs a zing really.

Pre-Process:
24 hours in advance of main preparation: Chop all the mushrooms into medium-small pieces (use a food processor to just mince them quickly as they're all going to be pureed eventually) and put into the large saucepot.  Sprinkle with the 3 tbsp salt.  Thoroughly mix and let it sit for 12-24 hours to leech the juices out of the mushrooms.  24 hours is best, but 12 hours will work.

Main preparation
Fill blender with the mushroom and salt mix.  Add enough white wine vinegar to make it all blend smoothly.  Blend until smooth.  Transfer into another bowl.  Repeat until all mushrooms are pureed. 

Chop the shallots.  Add the shallots, garlic and all the spices to the blender.  Add enough white wine vinegar to puree it smoothly.  Add this to the mushroom puree, along with any remaining white wine vinegar and the dry sherry.

Cooking Option 1 - Stovetop:
Put the entire volume of pureed mushrooms, shallots and spices should then go into the large saucepot.  Put the pot on the stove, cover with lid and simmer on a very low fire for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

Cooking Option 2 - Slow Cooker: use a slow cooker on the low setting to simmer the ketchup and cook it for 3-4 hours.

Ladle the mushroom ketchup into sterilized jars, seal them with lids and immerse in a hot water bath.  Boil jars for 30 minutes.  Remove the jars and label.  These should store on a shelf very well for quite some time. 

Pumpkin Beer and Mushroom Mac and Cheese

http://tideandthyme.com/porcini-and-pumpkin-ale-mac-cheese/

Porcini and Pumpkin Ale Mac & Cheese
1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 shallot, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 pound (16 oz.) small pasta shape, such as shells
6 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup Pumpkin ale (such as Dogfish Head’s Punkin Ale)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Fontina cheese, grated
1 cup breadcrumbs or panko
kosher salt
Boil water and 1 tbsp kosher salt in a large stockpot. Once boiling, add pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Drain, rinsing pasta with cold water, and set aside until ready to use.
Place the dried mushrooms in a microwavable-safe bowl and cover with water. Cook on high for 30 seconds, and let sit and rehydrate for 10 minutes. Strain, and rougly chop.
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 6 tablespoons of the butter. Add the cremini mushroom and shallot, and saute for about 3 minutes, until starting to brown on the edge. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour, and let cook, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the beer, as well as the milk, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens. Add in cheese and chopped porcini mushrooms, and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add pasta to the saucepan with the cheese sauce, and mix to combine. Place in 2 quart cassarole dish, sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the top, and bake for 1 hour or until browned and bubbly.