Every week, a DIY expert spares us a trip to the grocery store and shows us how to make small batches of great foods at home.

Today, former Top Chef contestant Camille Becerra keeps the condiment love going with her own recipes for ketchup and mustard. Camille is currently a chef at Reynards, in Williamsburg, and more of her work can be found on her blog, My Personal Feast.

- Camille

'Tis the season for hot dogs and barbecues, and with these things come condiments. As a mother of a ketchup fanatic, I used to constantly have to deny my daughter's requests for bread with ketchup when she was younger. I do cringe slightly every time we lather on the Heinz 57, but what dog is complete without sauerkraut, sweet relish, and most importantly mustard and ketchup?

I like to stir up a batch of the summer’s dynamic duo forgoing some of the not-so-natural ingredients. I like my mustard to be sweet to contrast with the spice but not nearly the overkill sweetness of honey mustards we are used to.

Both of these recipes yield enough to share, so gather up the empty jam and pickle jars you saved, fill them up, and hand them off to those special people who will invite you over to their homes for a summer gathering.

Ketchup

Makes 1 quart

1/4 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 onion, diced
3 teaspoons salt
(2) 14-16 ounces cans tomato puree
1 1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup white balsamic or white wine vinegar
1 bunch thyme
1 pinch black peppercorns
1 pinch coriander seed
1 pinch fennel seed
1 pinch whole mace

Sweat onion and garlic through without gaining any color. Add remaining ingredients including your sachet. Bring to a boil and simmer on low for 2 hours. Remove sachet. Whiz in a blender or with an immersion blender and strain.

Brown Beer Mustard

Makes 1 quart

1 1/4 cup brown mustard seeds
2 teaspoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup dark or amber beer
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon allspice
2 teaspoons salt

Soak seeds overnight in vinegar, beer, and sugar. Add remaining ingredients and whiz in a blender. Add additional honey to preferred sweetness.

See the full recipes at FOOD52.

Like this post? See last week's Small Batch topic: Homemade Potato Chips, Two Ways.

Stay tuned for next week's Small Batch, in which Ashley Rodriguez will share her best tricks for pickles.