Wipe tomatoes, cut in halves, and put in a smooth, clean preserving kettle; add onions sliced, cook slowly for one hour, and press through a sieve; add salt, cayenne, and paprika; tie mixed spices, garlic, and mustard in double cheesecloth, add to tomatoes, and cook rapidly until mixture begins to thicken; boil vinegar and sugar together while tomatoes are cooking; add them to strained tomato; cook until ketchup is thick, or until water will not separate from it when tried on a plate. Remove spice bag, seal in sterilized jars or bottles, and when cool dip tops in melted paraffin.
17.—SMALL CUCUMBER PICKLES (Gherkins)
Wash thoroughly, count, and for every hundred cucumbers allow one cup of salt. Cover with boiling water. Let stand twenty-four hours; then drain. Fill quart preserve jars with cucumbers, then add two tablespoons of mixed whole spices, a piece of alum the size of a pea, and boiling vinegar to fill the jar. Seal, and let stand a week before using. The boiling water should be measured, as an equal amount of vinegar will be needed.
18.—PEPPER HASH
| 6 green peppers | 1 quart vinegar |
| 6 red peppers | 1 cup brown sugar |
| 6 onions | 2 tablespoons salt |
| 1 small white cabbage | 2 tablespoons mustard seed |
Remove seeds from peppers and chop fine with the onion and cabbage. Put in cheesecloth, scald with boiling water, and squeeze dry; heat vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard seed, add vegetables, and bring to the boiling point. When cool, put in a stone crock or small jars.
19.—PICKLED NASTURTIUM SEEDS
Into one quart of cider vinegar put three tablespoons salt and five or six slices of horseradish root. Pour into a jar and cover closely. Add the seeds as they ripen. Use in salads, sauces, or for garnishing as a substitute for capers.