SUE ANN'S PEARS

         PEARS

Pears sometimes get pushed to the back of preserving.....they are not the easiest to peel, can be too soft for some things, too hard, Many people just eat them fresh. There are several easy things you can do with pears. Can the slices in a simple syrup, the same syrup used for apple slices, pear sauce, made the same as apple sauce, less sugar added, or no sugar, pear compote, the same as apple compote, pear mincemeat, the same way made as faux mincemeat using apples,pear juice, made as any other fruit juice. Pear jam, pear jelly. This is just the start of preserving pears! They are coming in now, and will, til the end of September. They do not store well, like apples do, wrapped individually in newspaper and on a tray in a dark cool room. But you can store a LOT of them in the fridge, in the veggie drawer, for a period of time. I have a few easy recipes for the "eat here and now" pear, and also a few for canning.
 
                                             CARAMELIZED PEARS
(think fried apples)
3 T butter
1/3 c packed light brown sugar
4 pears peeled, cored, chopped ( you decide the "chop" size)

In a medium non stick pan, melt butter over low heat. Add brown sugar, stirring to combine. Cook 1-2 mins., until brown sugar dissolves. Add pears, and cook over low heat until pears are tender and and light brown, about 5 mins. Remove from heat and serve warm with cream, or whipped cream.
                                     
                                               SPICED PEAR COMPOTE

1/4 c water
1/4 c sugar
2 t ginger, fresh, or 1 t dried ground
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1/2 t whole cloves
1/4 t fennel seed
1/4 t black peppercorns
1/8 t ground cardamom
1 T butter
1 t light brown sugar
2 c peeled, cored, pears

In small saucepan combine water, sugar, ginger, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, fennel seed, peppercorns, and cardamom. Bring to just a boil, stirring until sugar melts. Remove from heat, cover and steep 15 mins. Strain thru a mesh sieve, discarding solids. Set aside.
In a skillet, combine butter, brown sugar, cook over medium heat until sugar melts, add pears and gently toos to coat well.Cook over low heat 2-3 mins.,Add spiced syrup, stirring to combine. Cook until pears are soft and tender, and mixture has thickened more, about 5 mins.
Serve warm, plain, or with cream, or whipped cream.
                                      
                                                  PEAR MINCEMEAT

7 lbs pears
1 lemon ( or 1 T lemon juice)
2 , 14 oz. packages raisins
1 T cloves
1 T ground cinnamon
1 T ground nutmeg
1 T ground allspice
1 t ground ginger
1 c white vinegar

core and quarter pears( some peel them, I did not- they will "cook out")
Put pears, lemon juice, raisins in a food processor and chop.
combine remaining ingredients in a large pot, add chopped fruit mixture. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, simmer for 40 mins.
carefully pour into canning pints, and seal as for hot water bath, leave 1/4 " head space. Process 25 mins.
Yields about 9 pints.
This is good as a side on a plate with meat and veggies, can use as a pie filling .