Ingredients
- 1 lemon or orange
- 10 cloves
- 2 tsp black peppercorn, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp allspice berries, lightly crushed
- 5 cm piece fresh root ginger, sliced
- 1 litre/1¾ pints cider or white wine vinegar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1kg bag caster sugar
- 2kg small pears
Method
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Pare the zest from the lemon or orange and put in a pan with the cloves, peppercorns, allspice berries, root ginger, lemon or orange juice, vinegar, cinnamon sticks and sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved.
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Peel, core and halve the pears, then add to the pan and simmer for 15 mins, until the pears are tender. Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and put in a colander to drain. Meanwhile, increase the heat under the syrup and boil rapidly for 15 mins, until the syrup has reduced by about a third and slightly thickened.
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Pack the fruit into warmed jars and pour over the hot syrup to cover. Seal, label and store in a cool dry place for a month before using.