In the Devil's Garden

Found a recipe for Banana ketchup in Stewart Lee Allen's In the Devil's Garden:

1 dried ancho chile
6 very ripe bananas, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/3 cups cider vinegar, divided
1/2 cup raisins, preferably golden
1/3 cup coarsely chopped onions
2 garlic cloves
2/3 cup tomato paste
2 cups water
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili pepper
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nugmeg
Big pinch ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Big pinch of black pepper
6 tablespoons dark rum

1)Soak ancho chile in warm water for 15 minutes. Remove the stem and seeds.

2)Puree the bananas with 1/2 cup vinegar and put into a heavy saucepan. Puree raisins, onions, garlic, ancho chile, tomato paste, and remaining vinegar in the same processor and add to saucepan.

3)Add 2 cups water to the saucepan. Stir and bring mixture to simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for an hour. If mixture becomes too thick, add water to dilute.

4)Add the corn syrup and sugar and all the spices, including salt and pepper, and simmer for another 30-40 minutes, or until it leaves a thick coating on the back of a spoon. Stir in the rum.

5)Remove from heat and allow to cool. Puree again and strain through a fine sieve to remove solids. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Sounds interesting.

Stumbled across an almost lewd episode of food porn from "chez pim" yesterday, detailing her 10+ course meal at French Laundry, complete with a picture for almost every course.

Now reading about food+sex+chocolate in Allen's book, and contemplating culinary orgies.

Back to work.