Wardonys in Syryp


Take wardonys, and caste on a potte, and boyle hem till the ben tender; than take hem up and pare hem, and kytte hem in to pecys; take ynow of powder of canel, a good quantyte, and caste in on red wyne, and draw it thorw a straynour; caste sugre thereto, and put in in an erthen pot, and let it boyle: and thanne caste the perys therto, and let boyle togederys, and whan they have boyle a whyle, take pouder of gyngere and caste therto, an a lytil venegre, and a lytil safron, and loke that it be poynaunt an dowcet.  (Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books)


Take pears and put them in a pot and boil them till tender.  Then take them and peel them and cut them into pieces.  Take enough cinnamon powder - a good quantity - and add it to red wine and draw it through a strainer.  Add sugar, and put it in a pot and let it boil.  And then add the pears and let boil together and when they have boiled a while, take ginger powder and add it, and a little saffron, and look that it be spicy and sweet.


(The pears look more attractive if left whole, but if you slice them, cut into halves or quarters, retaining the stems but discarding the seeds and cores.)

2 lb fresh, ripe, unblemished pears
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1 TBSP red wine vinegar
optional: pinch of saffron, 6-8 whole cloves

Parboil the pears in a large pot of water about five minutes; remove and peel.  Mix cinnamon and red wine and strain the mixture into a non-reactive (i.e. enamelled) pan.  Add sugar and stir over heat until sugar is dissolved.  Then add the pears and cook covered over very low heat for about 3 hours (or in the oven in an enamel dish at 250F), turning the pears from time to time.  Let cool in the syrup.

When pears have cooled, remove to a serving dish.  If the quantity of syrup is excessive, reduce it by boiling down a bit.  They keep well in the refrigerator for several days.  Serve the pears in the syrup.
 

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