Brown sauce

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger
• 10 Juniper berries
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 6 whole allspice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 750g tomatoes, cored, chopped
• 2 green apples, peeled, cored, chopped
• ½ cup (110g) brown sugar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 150g medjool dates, pitted
• 2 tbsp tamarind puree
• 1 cup (250ml) malt vinegar
• ¼ cup (60ml) Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper
• Tobasco, to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until softened.
2. Add spices and cook a further 1-2 minutes, until aromatic.
3. Stir in tomatoes, apples, sugar, molasses, dates and tamarind puree. Pour over vinegar and Worcestershire, mix well and bring to a simmer.
4. Season with salt and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Uncover and simmer for a further 30 minutes.
6. Remove from the heat and let it cool a little.
7. Blend sauce until very smooth, then pass through a sieve. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Tobasco, then pour into a sterilised jar or bottle.