PEARS IN GINGERED WHITE WINE
½ bottle dry white wine
1 vanilla bean
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced in thick slices
2 kg pears
Halve pears, then scoop out seeds with a ¼ t metal measuring spoon. Use a knife to cut out stem and blossom end. Dip cut side in lemon juice to keep from discoloring.
Add wine, water, sugar and ginger to a medium saucepan. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and add both the seeds and the pods halves to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then turn down heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Remove vanilla bean and ginger chunks.
Add the pears to the hot syrup and poach for about 5 minutes. Fill sterilized jars with hot fruit and cooking liquid leaving 1cm headspace. Remove any trapped air bubbles by sliding a knife or spatula between the food and the sides of the jar. Add more liquid if needed to obtain the proper headspace. Wipe jar rim with a clean, dampened cloth to remove any food particles. Place preheated lid on the jar and screw down the metal band fingertip tight. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 – 25 minutes. Check seals after removal. If any jars don’t seal, refrigerate them and eat within a few days.
Recipe posted by Sonja Young
