Next, you need a bowl of water - to put the cut pears in after you've peeled and cored them - it helps wash them and keeps them from going too brown.
A sharp knife is beary important.
Righto - so our first pear is a beauty - snow-white flesh and not a worm or bruise to be seen.
The next pear is not so good - there are some worms in the middle - but we just cut around those... That's what makes them organic!
This one has worms and a bad bruise on one side - but again... we just cut those bits out.
Before you know it - we have a big bowl of cut pears...
And an equally big bowl of peels and icky bits.
We put some pears in the big stock pot with a bit of water - maybe 1/2 inch on the bottom... and turn it on high... there are a few more pears to cut but these can get going...
Uh-huh... and when you turn your back on your cutting board, you find it usurped by the toaster! Apparently someone is making lunch...
...if there was a Jerry in the house, I would definitely suspect him!
What's for lunch? Ahhh... tuna melt sandwiches...
Mmmm... with mozza and tomatoes... yummm... while those are baking, I'll finish the pears...
Oh dear - this one is in bad shape.
Sometimes the nicest looking pears have the worst insides... and the icky looking ones are actually OK on the inside.
Alright... big pile of compost...
And big pile of pears...
Once it boils, you turn it down to simmer...
Add a bit of cinnamon... three or four generous shakes...
Put the lid on and walk away and let it simmer happily - you can stir it every once in a while...
When it's done - after a few hours - and the pears have softened up, you take a potato masher and mash them up - this makes for a slightly lumpy pear sauce, but we like it that way. You could run it through the food processor too.
Then it goes into zip-loc bags and into the freezer... with some kept out in jars in the fridge. It is excellent in plain, unsweetened yogurt! Yum!
P.S. - Last year we did the same thing - but I just noticed that we used lemon juice and a splash of vanilla extract as well. We didn't add those this year - and the pear sauce looks a bit pink instead of yellow - oh well. It tastes yummy!
That is SOOO true about Jerry. Hehe. The pear sauce looks yummy! Do you ever make pear tartes? You can slice pears, arrange them on a pate brisé, add a little sugar and dabs of butter, spread a little apricot jelly over them, and bake. Yummy.
ReplyDeleteWell... I have to say, in some respects Jerry is just a tad predictable! Mention lunch and Jerry is there! We haven't made pear tarts... I will have to look up the pate brise... hmmm... I know that pate can be liver, but I don't think that is what it is... (thank goodness for Google!)... Ahhh... a pastry crust - that would be scrumptious!!
DeleteWell, true, food - Jerry, it's a good combination. Ben always appreciates having a willing taste tester around. And if there is baking going on, at least everyone knows where Jerry is...he isn't playing outside. Hehe
DeleteThat's an easy way to keep track of a little bear! How is Jerry's garden doing?? Have you had snow yet?
DeleteWe've had a beary lot of tomatoes and a lot of zooKeyknee too. We will shortly harvest basil (we put it in a blender with a little water, then pour it into ice cube trays to freeez), and dry other herbs. We have to start to get the garden ready for winter, and there will be a lot of leaf raking to do. How is your garden doing? No snow yet (thank goodness!).
DeleteOur zookeeknee plants got white powdery mildew - but we did get 3 fairly good sized ones from them. We harvested the majority of the basil last week - and are trying to encourage more growth from the stubbies left over! Swiss chard is still happily producing leaves. Not sure if our accidental tomatoes (they sprouted from the compost we spread in mid-summer) will get ripe... oh well. We also planted some spinach and beets to grow over the winter (under a cloche when it gets below freezing). Oh, and we have Walla Walla onions in the ground.
DeleteWe heard from a pal, last night, in northern Minnesota, they had some snow. NOO! It's way too early. Jerry made our sekretary drive to the store to stock up on honey, salmon and hot chocolate, along with plenty of baking supplies, just in case!
DeleteSNOW??? Oh no!!! You definitely better stalk up on that food - it wouldn't be good to run out. I think with that list of three things, you have a well-balanced little-bear diet.
DeleteWhat, no peanut butter and jelly for lunch? Did you finish all the peanut butter you made a few days ago?
ReplyDeleteA little bear can not live on peanut butter alone! Although I think we should have made pear jam or marmalade or something...
DeleteAnd the PB is disappearing quickly... it seems some humans keep dipping into it with spoons and eating it plain. Hmph!! That is a little bear's job!
Yumm that sounds good, maybe Chef Sandy (and taster Jerry) can do a segment on that dish.
DeleteChef Sandy and Chef Ben could cook the food for the stuffie convention... with taster Jerry making sure that everything was up to snuff.
DeleteSandy, you have been cooking up a beary big storm lately! Any fish recipes coming up anytime soon?
ReplyDeleteWell, it is harvesting and preserving season, so I have been beary busy. I do hope there will be some fish recipes in my future... or at least another smoked salmon episode!
DeleteIt is beary yummy!! And so easy to make too!
ReplyDelete