Gingered Pear Currant Chutney Food

GINGERED PEAR & CURRANT CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, combine the first eight ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until mixture becomes syrupy., Stir in pears. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 1-3/4 hours or until fruit is tender and mixture has thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. , Ladle hot mixture into six hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place the jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 15 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

GINGER PEAR CHUTNEY

Steps:

• In large preserving kettle or dutch oven, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 1 1/2 hours, continuing to stir occasionally.
• Remove from heat and pour into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/8 inch headspace. Add lids and rings and process jars in a boiling water bath in a canner for 15 minutes. Take the canner off the heat and let water stop boiling before removing jars. Carefully remove jars and let sit. As they cool, the jars will seal themselves with a"pop". Label, and store in cool, dry, dark place.
• To prepare the jars, I first wash them in the dishwasher, or in the sink with very hot, soapy water, then rinse them well and put them in a warm oven, taking the jars out one or two at a time when filling them.
• I soak the lids in very hot water and put them immediately from the hot water onto the filled jars, making sure the rims of the jars are clean, then add the rings (which I've also soaked in hot water) and screw them on the jars just finger tight.

REDCURRANT & ROSEMARY CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Remove stalks from redcurrants and place in a heavy bottomed pan with the sugar and vinegar. Place on a medium heat and warm through.
• Add the chopped onion, red pepper, garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper and the rosemary. Stir all together.
• Bring to the boil then boil on a medium heat for 30 minutes. The chutney may appear runny but will thicken/set when cooled.
• Pour the chutney into warmed jars and leave to cool.

GINGERED PEAR AND CURRANT BREADS

Steps:

• Into a bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the cinnamon. In a small bowl toss together the pears and the lemon juice. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream the butter with the brown sugar and beat in the vanilla and the eggs, 1 at a time. Add the ginger and the pear mixture and beat the mixture until it is combined well. Beat in the flour mixture and beat the mixture until it is just combined. Stir in the currants, divide the batter among 4 buttered and floured loaf pans, each 5 3/4 by 3 1/4 by 2 inches, and bake the breads in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until they are pale golden and a tester comes out clean. Remove the breads from the pans and let them cool, right sides up, on a rack. The breads keep, wrapped well in plastic wrap and foil, chilled for 1 week or frozen for 1 month.

CRANBERRY-GINGER CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Increase heat to high and boil 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Cool. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Refrigerate in airtight container.)