Pickled pears or peaches

Ingredients

6 pears or peaches (if using pears: peel core and cut into quarter lengthways, for peaches: pour over boiling water and skin before cutting in half)
275ml/½ pint white (cider) vinegar
225g/8oz sugar
1 lemon, pared rind only
1 small stick of cinnamon
6 cloves
4 small pieces root ginger

Method

1. Keep prepared fruit in bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice to prevent discolouration.
2. Put spices, vinegar and sugar into a pan, bring to the boil and simmer. Add fruit and cook gently for 2-5 minutes until fruit is just tender.
3. Remove fruit carefully and put into warm jars. Bring syrupy vinegar to the boil and pour over fruit making sure the fruit is covered. Put on a screw top lid, label and store in a cool dark place. Best kept for at least a week and will keep for up to 6 months, improving flavour all the time.