Making your own homemade ketchup is so rewarding, and a millions times healthier than the bottled crap. Find below one of the original recipes from 1906.
It’s Food ‘n Flix time again! In this monthly group a host picks a movie of their choice that pertains to food. Everyone watches the movie and then makes a recipe which the film inspired. It can be any recipe you want. This month’s pick is hosted by Elizabeth at The Lawyer’s Cookbook and she picked a really original movie: Popeye! No, spinach was not the main inspiration for my recipe but there is some in there. I was actually inspired by a book I was reading and by ketchup, the condiment. That turned into a Ketchup and Beans Salad with Spinach!
Wow this summer is turning into an insanely busy one. I think I am booked for 7 weekends in a row and right now one of my favorite film festivals is happening in town. Oh and my laptop died so I was off the net for the last few days! Please bare with me during my sparse posting schedule 🙂
The 1980 film Popeye is based on the comic strip we all know from childhood. This was one of Robin Williams’s first movie roles, he was still doing Mork and Mindy. I think it is the first time I seem him in a film since his passing so it had a sad element for me. As Popeye he was truly fantastic. You see his genius budding. The other actors who portrayed the famous cartoon characters – Olive Oyl, Bluto, Wimpy, etc – were spot on.
The film itself was trippy. I don’t do drugs but I wish I had some acid lying around to see the movie because seeing it sober was a bit weird. Now I may be off on this but to my childhood recollection Popeye loved spinach. In the movie he hates them and is forced to eat them by his long lost dad. Was it the case when I was a kid too but I missed it? What do you remember?
Some foods I spotted (or inspired me) during this film were : fish, chicken, meatball, hamburger, carrots, canned broccoli, canned spinach, olive oil, olives, milk, ketchup, mustard, punch, pop corn, soup burger, sweet peas, and octopus.
Of course we all go straight to spinach when we think of Popeye. But I could not get over how many bottles of ketchup and mustard you see in this movie…because they are always eating hamburgers! Really the food selections of the movie were plentiful… but not the most inspiring. Still I was just reading about the origins of ketchup in a book and it even gave the recipe for one of the original tomata sauce recipes: Alexander Hunter Tomata Sauce from Culina famulatrix medicinæ: or, Receipts in modern cookery, published in 1906.
I made just enough for the recipe. Three tomatoes gave me almost 4 tbsp of ketchup. But did it ever taste good and fresh. And you will not find any need to add sugar – big brands often add loads of corn syrup. Just compare in this pic below: on the left a store brand ketchup vs on the right my recipe. The left one has lots of cornstarch in it, see the perfect smooth thickener sheen? You realise that is a filler too so they use less tomatoes in it….cheapskates lol!
On the left a store brand ketchup vs on the right my recipe
Now we can use a freshly made ketchup for Jules bean salad. I do have my salad served on a bed of spinach so I won’t get into trouble with Popeye. But he really should have added delicious navy beans to his diet too! Beans in general are so good for you and a great source of protein. Navy beans in particular offer excellent nutrional value like fiber, magnesium, folate, and iron.
Gorgeous smoked paprika I bought recently in Budapest
This salad is so easy to make. Just fry up some onions and add the beans with ketchup and spices till warm. You really should let the beans sit for at least 2 hours before sevring. Right out of the pan the beans where bland but a couple of hours later the ketchup and smoked paprika really enhanced the flavor.
Tomato Sauce Beans with Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 14 oz can white beans drained
- 4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- A few handfuls baby spinach
Instructions
- In a frying pan heat some olive oil on low to medium heat. Cook the onions until soft. Now add the white beans, ketchup and smoked paprika. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes just to heat everything up. Season with salt and pepper.
- Let the flavors develop for a couple of hours. Serve on a bed of baby spinach.
Your homemade ketchup looks perfect! And I totally felt the same way about the movie! A bit confused about the spinach element, but loved the casting!
Thanks Amy, and glad I was not alone on how I felt about the movie!
I am not a big ketchup user but when I do use it I like to make my own–sometimes with fresh, sometimes with canned tomatoes–regardless, it always tastes fresher/better than store-bought. I like to sneak some curry in there too. 😉 Your salad looks delicious–I adore smoked paprika and would happily make a meal of it!
Oh I like the idea of curry there, actually if you make your own you can experiment will all sorts of spices. Great idea!
I’ve never made homemade ketchup, but now I want to. I would have never thought to mix those ingredients, but it sure sounds good, and looks good.
I was really surprised bu the salad recipe too but with the homemade ketchup it made a few great dinners 🙂
I agree, In fact I made some home made tomato sauce a day ago and I so loved it. I can control it and adjust to the taste I want. I guess my next project will be ketchup, Thanks for the inspiration.
So cool you made tomato juts recently. Let me know how the ketchup turns out if you make it and hope we’ll your sauce on your blog soon.
I had stopped using ketchup altogether in the last few years because of the flat-sweetness, and you’ve made me want to whip some up. Great idea, great inspiration.
Thanks Kimberly I am glad you have found a potential alternative to the exed ketchup from your food choices. Roasting the tomatoes really brings out their natural sweetness.
That is crazy how much redder your homemade version in. I’ve read that (besides all the corn syrup) that most ketchup companies add lots of food dye. Really simple and delicious recipe. (I have to agree about watching the film sober—-it was a bit trippy.)
Yes lots add color for sure, apparently not my no big name brand. Fresh is best for sure. Ha glad I am not alone that think this movie sober was odd lol.
I bet this ketchup was amazing…smoked paprika is pretty much my favorite spice! Love that you pulled your inspiration from the many ketchup bottles seen in Popeye (there really were a lot).
Thanks Heather. Love smoked paprika too and this one I bought in a market i Budapest, it is the real deal.I actually just walked by the bag which is on my kitchen table and could smell it 🙂
One of my all time favorite actors, Robin Williams, he was so funny and so full of life… what a loss. I’ve never tried making my own ketchup before although my kids can easily go through two big bottles in one month!!! Lovely and new recipe.
Wow well you really should give this recipe a try if your kids eat so much Amira lol.
I completely forgot that he was in a version of Popeye! Now that I’m on holidays I should watch it! 😀
Most people have forgotten, enjoy the viewing 🙂
Wow! Your homemade ketchup looks way better than the store bought ones. It looks so tempting and delicious that I want to run to kitchen now.
Thank you so much! I challenge you to ake your keptchup and put it in a cake lol.
that ‘old’ recipe is just amazing! I love making my own ketchup and should do so again as it tastes so much better than the store bought stuff!
Thank Tandy, yes I was pleased with that old recipe find! So cool you make your own normally.
This looks pretty tasty!
I love to add spinach to my food. Very tasty is lentil soup with spinach, ahh!
Oh yes love spinach in lentil soup too 🙂
One of these days I need to make homemade ketchup. Thing is, I don’t think we go through a bottle a year, so there hasn’t been much motivation. But now I have this bean recipe! And I love beans. So I’ll bet my ketchup use will skyrocket. 🙂 Really nice — thanks.
Thanks John! I am in the same boat as you are, barely use the stuff. Like I said 3 medium tomatoes gave me enough for the recipe, almost 1/4 cup…so it gives you an idea of how many tomatoes you may need to make the quantity of ketchup you want.
Homemade ketchup has a REAL tomato colour..This is a wonderful salad with simple and healthy ingredients, Evelyne.
Thanks Angie, yes like real tomato red lol 🙂
What a great recipe Evelyne. I have been enjoying the ketchup from True Made Foods which is made only from veggies and contains no corn syrup. Your ketchup looks absolutely amazing. I’m going to have to try making my own.
Thanks Wendy. Oh that ketchup you buy sounds great too. Let em know if you try the recipe!
KETCHUP IS AN ADDICTION! I found a sugar-free one that I am OBSESSED with and I eat it with spinach, ha! I totally would eat it with beans if I could eatthem!
Thanks Gigi. Would love to test try your sugar-free one. by roasting the tomatoes the natural sugars come out on their own. I will fart for you for the ban you cannot eat.
I love how we can play with the flavors when we make condiments at home. The beans look delishh!!
Thanks so much glad you like the dish 🙂
I had no idea Robin Williams played Popeye in the 1980 movie. Interesting and would have been totally sad to see it now given his passing. What a great idea to make homemade tomato sauce. Great easy recipe, and you are totally right….much healthier!! Been eating lots of salad this Summer and I’m always looking for new ideas. I’m going to have to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Rosemary. yeah is was a shock to see him again but it was nice. You will love this salad I am sure!
Wow, your homemade ketchup looks amazing. My hubby will not let me buy any ketchup besides his favorite brand, but I’m sure I could work this into some lovely recipes without him fussing 🙂
Thanks Liz! Ha ha that woudl be amazing if hubby went for it. maybe add a tiny bit of sugar and he really will not know the difference.
What a good idea of making a homemade ketchup! The bean recipe looks appetizing. I’m sure it tastes great because of the homemade ketchup 😀
Thanks Nagi it is fun to make! The smoked paprika really develops the flavor of the salad too.
I haven’t seen Popeye in forever.
I love homemade ketchup!
This dish looks really good!
I am going to have to make it soon!
Thanks Krysten hope you do try the recipe!
This bean dish looks delicious and so easy…I am sure that it tastes much better using homemade ketchup…thanks for the recipe Evelyne!
Have a wonderful week 🙂
Thanks Juliana. it is so easy and delicious. Have agreat week too!