These are easy to make. Use hard conference pears to produce deliciously tender gently fragrant, sweet and vinegary pears. They are particularly good with cheese on toast, or you could add them to a selection of cheeses. Stilton or Binham Blue or a good strong Lincolnshire Poacher would all work exceptionally well
Enough to fill a 1.5L jar *
For the pickling liquid: –
600mls white wine vinegar
200ml water
200g golden caster sugar
A pinch of sea salt
3 or 4 strips of lemon peel from a medium lemon
A 5cm piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced into 3 chunks
6 black peppercorns
4 or 5 hard conference pears
*You will also need a 1.5L sterile preserving jar.
- Put all the ingredients for the pickling liquid in a pan set over medium heat and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring from time to time to help the sugar dissolve.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, let the bubbling mixture cook for 5 minutes and then remove it from the heat. Leave the mixture to infuse in the pan whilst you deal with the pears.
- Use a potato peeler to peel the pears and cut each one in half lengthwise leaving the stalk intact if you like. Pack the pears into the 1.5L *sterile jar.
- Drain the pickling mixture through a sieve into a clean jug and then pour the strained liquid over the pears in the jar. Make sure they are completely covered. You could use a very clean flat stone to weigh them down if you have one.
- Leave in a cool place for a week before using and, once opened, they will keep well in the jar in the fridge for up to 3 months.
*To sterilise jars:
Preheat the oven to 120c
Wash the jars and lids in hot soapy water and then rinse them in clean water.
Put the jars upside down on a baking tray together with the lids and place the tray in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Remove them from the oven.
Let them cool before using.
See also Pear Chutney and Baked Pears with Amaretto, Almonds, Blackberries and Clotted Cream in these pages.
