Ketchup

I've been wanting to try this Saveur recipe for a while, but when I opened the fridge and discovered that my ketchup had expired last year (!), I decided NOW was the time. This is spicier and hotter than commercial ketchup, which I like. I would definitely make this again, although what to do with all this ketchup? (I'm actually more of a mustard person!)

4 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 stick cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
2 pounds tomatoes, rough chopped (I used a combination of whole canned tomatoes and large cherry tomatoes, since big tomatoes are not in season)
1+1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar (orig. recipe called for 5 tablespoons)
1 onion, chopped
1 anaheim chile, chopped (I could only find a poblano)
3 cloves garlic, crushed (orig. recipe called for 1 clove)

Wrap cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, celery seeds, pepper flakes and allspice in a layer of cheesecloth; tie into a bundle and put in a 4-quart saucepan. [FYI, a lot of my celery seeds fell out of the cheesecloth so I just added them to the pot as is.] Add remaining ingredients and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until onions and chiles are very soft, about 4 minutes. You may need to turn down the heat and/or stir more often if it looks like it's starting to scorch.

Remove spice bundle and puree sauce in a blender until smooth. Strain sauce through a mesh strainer back into saucepan. [This takes forever, and I ended up adding about 1/3 of the solids back in because there's quite a lot left over and I couldn't bear to throw it all out. So mine is not super smooth, but I'm fine with that.] Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Add more salt, sugar or vinegar, if you like. Transfer to a glass jar and let cool. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Bubbling away... (sorry about the flash!)