food | style


Winter pears


Part of the foraging series by Anna Pocock Pears PERFECT PEARS


Close to home, garden fruits are in plentiful supply. According to the Royal Horticultural Society, 2013’s exceptionally cold spring and hot summer helped produce a ‘near perfect’ apple harvest. Pears too are in rich abundance, and gardeners may find they have such a glut of fruit that it can be hard to know how best to use the excess. If you pack the fruit carefully, you can store it over the winter months to enjoy a regular supply of the raw fruit. Another delectable idea is to pickle pears and eat them alongside a cheese board or with cold meats.


Treats from the garden and beyond pickled


Ingredients for 1.5 litres 10 Conference pears 500ml Cider vinegar 250g Caster sugar 2 Star anise 1 Cinnamon stick, broken in half 5 Cloves 1/2 Tablespoon allspice berries 1 Dessertspoon juniper berries 2 Rosemary sprigs 1 Lemon - sliced


Peel the pears, leaving stalks intact.


Pour the vinegar into a large saucepan, with 250ml water. Add all the pickling ingredients, except the pears.


Bring the mixture to the boil, then add the pears gently and simmer for 15 minutes, until the pears are just tender.


Lift the pears out with a slotted spoon and place into a sterilised 1.5 litre jar.


Boil the poaching liquid for another 5 minutes then pour this over the pears and seal the jar.


64 www.styleofwight.co.uk


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