Pears in Mulled Wine - National Cookbook Month

As October is National Cookbook Month we wanted to share with you some of the recipes from Emma’s cookbooks!

The following recipe comes from Emma’s Preserving cookbook and is perfect in the run up to Christmas! Go ahead and treat yourself! 

Christmas is the time to serve these pears, when the smell of mulled wine is in the air. Serve as a dessert, and if you have any left over, they are delicious served sliced with cold turkey.

MAKES ABOUT:1l/34fl oz PREPARATION TIME: 25 minutes, plus bottling (optional)

COOKING TIME: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1kg/2lb 4oz firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered

325ml/11fl oz/scant 1â…“ cups red wine

500g/1lb 2oz/2¼ cups granulated sugar

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 Bay Tree mulled wine spice bundle

1 star anise

Method

1 Put the pears in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and simmer gently for about 5 minutes until almost tender. Drain well.

2 Sterilize a 1l/34fl oz preserving jar so that it is ready to use (see page 14).

3 Put the wine, sugar, lemon zest and juice, mulled wine spice bundle, star anise and 230ml/7¾fl oz/scant 1 cup water in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

4 Add the pears to the pan and continue to simmer gently for about 5 minutes until the pears are just tender. Test if the pears are cooked by piercing with a knife. If it goes in easily, they are ready.

5 Using a slotted spoon, remove the pears from the pan and pack into the warmed, sterilized jar. Remove the mulled wine spice bundle but leave the star anise.

6 Pour the remaining liquid over the pears, covering them completely. Leave a 1cm/½in gap between the top of the liquid and the lid. Tap the jar lightly on the work surface to remove any air bubbles. Fit the rubber band or metal lid and seal the jar. If using a screw-band jar, loosen by a quarter-turn. Label and leave to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator. Eat within 1 month.

7 If you wish to store the preserve for longer, follow the instructions for bottling on page 23.

Emma’s tip:

Mulled wine has been served as a warming winter drink, especially at Christmas and Halloween, for centuries. Originally, spicing wine improved the flavour of good, though poorly stored wines and was not considered a high-class drink. With this in mind, don’t choose a delicate-flavoured wine or the cheapest table wine. A fruity, full-bodied red wine that isn’t too expensive, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Shiraz, would be ideal.

Image:

From The Bay Tree Preserving by Emma MacDonald © Nourish Books 2014, commissioned photography by Toby Scott 

Recipe:

The Bay Tree Preserving © Emma MacDonald 2014 published by Nourish Books, London
Hardback
£20.00

Click here to buy the book: The Bay Tree Preserving by Emma MacDonald.

Banner Images:

From The Bay Tree Preserving by Emma MacDonald, Nourish Books 2014
From The Bay Tree Home Deli Recipes by Emma MacDonald, Nourish Books 2013