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In the KG pantry

Ever wondered what to do with your surplus produce? KG's resident cook, Roxanne Warrick, suggests ways of storing your bumper harvests

PEARS

Project of the Month
Ripe pears can be beautifully preserved in a light sugar syrup which will not only improve flavour, but help stabilise the colour and retain the shape of the fruit. As a guide to a basic syrup, allow 500g caster sugar per litre of water. To prepare, heat the water in a large pan and slowly add the sugar, stirring continually until dissolved. Once it reaches the boil, remove from the heat. Peel and core the pears and cut into quarters lengthways. Squeeze over a little lemon juice to prevent discolouration. Blanch the pears in a large pan of boiling water so they just begin to soften at the edges, but are still firm; this makes them tender and nicer to eat. Pack the pears into large sterilised jars and carefully pour over the hot syrup so the pears are completely immersed. Run a skewer between the fruit and the glass to release any trapped air bubbles and seal tightly.

Shelf life and uses:
Eat straight from the jar with desserts or a good cheese. Best used within four months.

QUince

TomatoesQuinces will keep for several weeks stored loosely packed in dry, dark boxes. However, their scent is very strong so should be stored well away from other fruits. The classic use for an abundance of ripe quinces is a delicious fruit ‘cheese’; a preserve reduced to the point where it sets almost solid and can be sliced. This is perhaps the easiest way of preserving a glut; a large amount of fruit is simply cooked down with sugar to a stiff puree, so no need to worry about setting points.

Select ripe quinces, rinse and cut into small chunks (there is no need to peel or remove the cores). Place into a large heavy-based pan; just cover with water, pop a lid on and simmer until the fruit is very soft, tender and a rich ruby colour. Remove from the heat and blitz with a hand blender then push through a metal sieve. Weigh the fruit puree and put it back into the pan over a low heat to warm through. Add an equal quantity of sugar to the weight of the puree (500g quince puree = 500g sugar) and stir until dissolved. Gently reduce to a very thick consistency – this may take some time but don’t be tempted to turn up the heat. Pour into your desired mould or jar. Once set, it can be turned out and wrapped in greaseproof paper. Because of the amount of sugar used, fruit cheeses keep well and improve with age.

Shelf life and uses:
Slice with a knife and serve with (or instead of) cheese. Store in an airtight container for up to 12 months.

• See page 31 for more great quince recipes


For more advice, see this month's issue, available to buy online!