up to my ears in nashi

well, not quite, a friend in Iwate sends me a big box of nashi (Asian pear) every year, last year we only managed to eat 3 or 4 and the rest went bad and I had to chuck them out which really annoyed me. So, when the box arrived this year I decided to try making something with a few of them so none would be wasted.

First I made sticky nashi cakes - this is my own version because I didn't have everything needed in the recipe I found.

makes 12

• 1 nashi
• golden syrup or honey
• 125g butter
• 125g sugar
• 125 SR flour (I use 90g white and make the rest up with wholemeal)
• 2 eggs - beaten

Heat the oven to 180c and place cupcake cases in a muffin tin (I use the silicon cases they are great!)

1. put half a teaspoon of syrup/honey in each cupcake case.
2. cut the nashi into thick slices then use a cookie cutter to cut circles that fit in the bottom of the cupcake cases, put one slice of nashi in each cupcake case.
3. cream the butter and sugar together
4. add the eggs then stir in the flour, mix well
5. add a dollop of cake mix to each cupcake case.
6. lick the spoon
7. put the cakes in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
   

Serve warm with a dollop of cream or ice-cream. Since I used the silicone cases it was easy to turn them out, I'm not sure how easy this would be with a paper case. These little cakes are perfect comfort food for a Brit like me :o) 

I will be making more...

Next I decided to try nashi jam, I found a recipe here for pear and lemon jam. The finished product is lovely, zingy and fresh but I think there was too much water as it never really set, it won't stop me eating it mind you! I halved the recipe and it made 2 jars full, I didn't want to make a full batch in case it was awful LOL.
Then finally, nashi chutney, I really liked the sound of this with cheese, I have tried it on it's own but yet to try it with cheese, maybe lunch time today, I adapted the recipe a bit but the original said the yield was 8-10 jars, well they must have used mighty small jars, I halved the recipe and got 1 large jar and a smidgin' of left overs!
Here is the recipe I used, very easy...

• 500g nashi - peel, core and chop
• 1 large apple - peel, core and chop
• 1 onion - chopped
• 1 tbsp grated lemon rind
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp groud ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. combine everything in a large pan
2. stir and bring to the boil, simmer until thick and syrupy (about 30 mins)
3. cool slightly & put into warm sterile jars.

We still have a few nashi left, that we will eat as they are but I noticed in the supermarket yesterday bags of 6 or 7 nashi for about ¥400 so I maybe inclined to try my hand at something else, if you have any recipe suggestions please leave me a comment.