Compote de poires à l’orgeat
( Pear and orgeat syrup compote )
Makes about 800 ml (28 fl oz)
600 g (1 lb 5 oz) firm williams (bartlett) pears (about 4), or any buttery pear
juice of 2 lemons
100 g (3½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar
60 ml (2 fl oz) orgeat syrup
2 vanilla beans, halved lengthways
L Sterilise four 200 ml (7 fl oz) capacity jars and their lids following the method described.
L Peel, core and cut the pears into 2 cm (3/4 in) cubes and place in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the remaining ingredients and use your hands to combine well. Cover the pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the pears begin to break down into a coarse purée. The steam generated and trapped under the lid will provide the heat necessary to break down the fibres in the fruit and will release the water with little or no risk of burning the bottom of the pan.
L Using kitchen tongs, remove the vanilla beans, then scrape the seeds out of the beans into the compote. Stir the compote until the vanilla seeds are dispersed evenly throughout.
L Spoon the hot compote into the sterilised jars, making sure you don’t spill any on the rims, then seal immediately. Label the jars and write the expiry date (1 month from the day they were made) on them. Set aside until cool, then store in the fridge.