What do you do with a glut of pears?
Well, you could try caramelising it, and serving it with a mascarpone mousse – see Mont Blanc look-alike mascarpone mousse with caramelised fruit.
Or you could make this charming pear and apple chutney, which is laced with Stone’s ginger wine – if you don’t have this to hand, you can simply substitute with fresh ginger and a little maple syrup.
It goes well with almost any cheese, but it’s particularly good served with camembert (or even better, Tunworth) fritters.
It makes a great gift at Christmas
Here’s what to do.
Charming Pear and Apple Chutney Laced With Stone’s Ginger Wine
Makes about 2-3 x 250ml/1 cup jars
Ingredients
- 500g/1 lb 2 oz/about 3 pears
- 80g/3 oz/about 8 prunes (dry, ready to eat ones; not the type in syrup)
- 150g/5 oz sultanas – or a mix of dried cherries, cranberries, raisins and sultanas
- 100g/4 oz/about 4 banana shallots
- 1 apple
- 135g/5 oz/⅔ cup soft brown sugar
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 60 ml/¼ cup Stone’s ginger wine; or about half a thumbnail’s length of fresh ginger and 2 tbsps maple syrup
- 300ml/1¼ cups cider vinegar
Instructions
- Sterilise your jars – follow this link to find out how.
- In a big saucepan bring the sugar and vinegar to the boil.
- Peel, core and slice the pears and apples into rough chunks and add to the simmering sugar-vinegar mix.
- Peel and chop the shallots and add them.
- Add everything else. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until thick and glossy – about an hour.
- Allow to cool to room temperature, and then put into the sterilised jars.
- Keeps in the fridge for about three months.