Season: Late August to October. It always amazes me just how much fruit a gnarled old pear tree can bear in a good season. However, it’s still a little tricky to catch pears at their point of perfect ripeness–somewhere between bullet hard and soft and woolly. Never mind, should you find yourself with a boxful of underripe specimens, this recipe turns them into a preserve “pear excellence.” These pears are particularly delicious served with thick vanilla custard or used as a base for a winter fruit salad. Alternatively, try serving them with terrines and pâtés, or mix them with chicory leaves drizzled with a honey mustard dressing and crumbled blue cheese.
Recipe information
Yield
makes two 32-ounce jars
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Step 2
Start by making a cider syrup: mix the sugar with 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of water in a pan and bring slowly to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat, add the cider, cover, and keep warm.
Step 3
Peel the pears, keeping the stems attached. As you do so, place them in a bowl of lightly salted water to stop them from browning. When all the pears are peeled, cut them in half and stud each half with a clove or two. Pack them into warm, sterilized jars (see p. 152), adding a piece of cinnamon to each. Pears are very bottom-heavy, of course, and I find the best way to pack them is head to toe.
Step 4
Bring the cider syrup to a boil and pour over the pears. Cover the jars with lids, but do not fasten the clips or put on the screw-bands. Place the jars 2 inches apart, in the oven for 1 hour (see p. 158).
Step 5
Remove the jars, seal with the screw-bands or clips immediately, and place on a wooden surface, newspaper, or folded cloth. Leave undisturbed until completely cool, and check the seal the following day (see p. 158). Use within 1 year.
VARIATION
Step 6
Try replacing the cider with red wine, and add a star anise to each jar if you like.
