On a recent trip down to my mothers, she gave us a carrier bag full of pears. I had intended to make pear chutney with them, but a free leaflet I had gave a couple of fab looking recipes, one for pickled pears, and one for pear and vanilla jam.
the leaflet came with the November 2009n issue of cook veg magazine.
The jam is delicious – a pale toffee colour, with flecks of vanilla beans through it.
the pickled pears are even better. The syrup is ever so slightly spicy, with overtones of the star anise, and allspice.
The recipe:
500ml cider vinegar
600g sugar
juice and rind from 1 lemon. I used a peeler to peel the lemon, and thinly slice the rind
5 whole allspice berries
2 star anise
2 dried red chillies
6 black peppercorns
1.5kg pears.
pop everything except the pears into a jam pan, over a low heat to dissolve the sugar
peel, core and quater the pears and add them to the pan, to poach in the syup.
simmer gently for about 30 mins or until the pears are softened and tender. lift the pears out with a slotted spoon and pop into sterilised jars.
boil the syrup until it has reduced by half, then pour over the pears. Seal and leave to cool.
the recipe suggests using the pears with cold meat and cheese, and the leftover syrup as a dressing for a goats cheese salad!
pics to be added asap….
