Bottled Strawberries and Bottled Pears

Bottled Strawberries

Have ready a preserving jar — ¾ litre capacity*. The jar should be hot and sterilised — see the Cooks Book recipe for Tomatsina Chutney for instructions for sterilising jars.

8fl.oz (225ml/1 cup) water

8oz (225g) sugar

1lb (450g) strawberries, hulled

Heat the water in a pan, add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add the strawberries and simmer slowly until the fruit is soft, 3-5 minutes. Bring to just under a boil and then bottle immediately. The jar should be filled to the very top — seal according to the instructions on the jar.

Bottled Pears

6 pears

1 lemon

4oz (110g) sugar

Halve or quarter the pears, peel thinly and core carefully, keeping a good shape. Put them in an enamelled cast-iron pan (eg Le Creuset) which will just fit them nicely. Add the sugar, thinly-pared rind and the juice of the lemon. Cover with a well-fitting lid and cook gently in the oven 200F/100C/gas ¼, for 2½-3 hours until tender and translucent.

Bottle immediately as for the strawberries.

* Le Parfait preserving jars are available from the Ballymaloe Shop at Ballymaloe House.