FOOD NEWS
Mushroom Ketchup: How To Correctly Use The Umami-Packed Sauce
By Elias Nash
Mushroom ketchup gained popularity in the West when the first "English Katchup" recipe appeared in Eliza Smith's cookbook "The Compleat Housewife."
Smith's recipe includes the clear liquor that comes from the mushroom, as well as shallots, anchovies, horseradish, ginger, mace, lemon peel, and cloves.
Mushroom ketchup is often fermented in vinegar, making it a rich source of umami — the fundamental flavor of savoriness. Smith advised to serve the ketchup with "any dish of meat."
This pairing works so well because mushrooms and red meat both contain glutamate, an essential amino acid that also happens to be the basis of umami.
You can freely douse it on any of your favorite meat dishes, like a thick steakhouse-style burger or succulent lamb chop dish.