Ginger Pear Butter

INGREDIENTS

4 to 5 lbs chopped pears, peeled and cored

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 cups water

1 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon lemon zest

DIRECTIONS

Put chopped pears and ginger into a large pot. Add 1 cup of water and 1 cup of lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the pears are completely soft, anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and blend.

Pour into a large, wide, thick-bottomed pan. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Cook on medium heat, stirring often to prevent the purée from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning. Cook until the mixture is quite thick, and a small bit placed on a chilled plate is not runny. This can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the batch.

Store in jars in the fridge or preserve in a boiling water bath (great if you want to give this as gifts!).