What can I do with millions of pears?

[Ihopeyoudance]

The pear trees in our garden are laden down this year and we're never going to get through them all! Does anyone have any good recipes to use them up or interesting ways to preserve them? The wasps are having a field day with the ones that have fallen off and I don't want the buggers to have anymore
I'm thinking jams, chutneys, cakes.... Yum! anything really!
I have a 7 month old DD so anything I can get her to eat too would be good.

[KurriKurri]

I've got the same problem!

I have poached them in wine (or fruit juice for children), eat withpalin yog. or rice pudding.

I sometimes slice them up and bake in a pyrex dish - adding a bit of fruit juice and cinnamon/mixed spice, maybe add a few raisin- tastes a bit like fruit compote, nice for breakfast, or you can top it with crumble for a pudding.

I used to make this - its lovely for a special pudding.

You could probably do a tarte tatin with pears as well.

pears, endive (or other leaves) walnuts and blue cheese make a yummy salad.

And you can always puree them and use as a sauce for ice cream, or to stir into yogurt or custard - really nice

[Ihopeyoudance]

I like the sound of poaching them in wine! Do you use red or White?
And pear and almonds is always good.
Thanks for the suggestions

[KurriKurri]

I use red Ihopeyoudance, but white would work too. The red gives them a nice colour, and if you want a syrupy wine sauce, remove the pears, add some sugar and reduce until it thickens.

[Ihopeyoudance]

I found this recipe for storing pears which I thought I'd share. It sounds lovely! Belgian Pears
Apparently it works best on rock hard pears, which I wouldn't know what to do with otherwise.
Does your poaching work on hard pears KurriKurri or do they have to be ripe ones?

[KurriKurri]

I've never tried it with really hard ones, but they don't have to be totally ripe, - it rather depends on the variety, if its a rather grainy type, I think they'd need to be a bit riper.

The belgian pears do sound lovely. I presume a Le Parfait jar is like a Kilner jar?

[acsec]

My DP told me that his grandma used to make pear hippos! She used peeled pear halves and added little currant eyes and nostrils and flaked almond ears and the sat on pool of green jelly! :o

[Ihopeyoudance]

Looking at the Lakeland website, it seems Le Parfait jars are the same as Kilner essentially but Le Parfait is a French brand and they're apparently 'the best'! I don't suppose it makes a blind bit of difference!

Pear hippos! Love it!

[Katisha]

Just thought I'd mention I have had a go at the Belgian Pears recipe linked below. It got shot of two kilos of hard pears into two half-litre jars.
Haven't tasted yet, but the left over syrup was very nice!

[Ihopeyoudance]

Ooh Katisha! I still haven't got round to it. Is there really enough liquid in the recipe?
How did you manage to simmer it really slowly? I always find even the lowest gas is too strong for a slow simmer.
Let me know when you taste them too!

[highriggs]

Pickled pears would be nice, lovely with cold meats, Delia has a good recipe as has Good Food magazine.
I am going to make them for Christmas presents

[Katisha]

Yes you get enough liquid as when you cook with the lid on the condensation generates the liquid.

I suspect you dont need to do the full 6 hours though. I did about 2 hours lid on and then about another 2 hours lid off. Occasionally the simmer got a bit fast but to didn't seem to matter. Was a bit worried it might set as toffee but hasn't.

They are very sweet and soft. You would def want some cream or marscapone, and probably a slice of a nice dense dark chocolate cake or something.

[tb]

Bottle them
Make wine?