Now is the time to make the most of the beautiful pears that are in season. Cheap and delicious, what more could you ask for? I’m a huge fan of a cheese board and a good chutney or relish is essential to cut through the richness of the cheese. The quantity in the recipe makes two jars, but you can always half the quantities used as it only keeps for about 3 days in the fridge. 

Ingredients

(From Olive magazine, October 2015)

2 shallots finely sliced

A knob of butter

Olive oil

6 pears cored, peeled and cut into chunks 

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

4 tablespoons light muscovado sugar

6 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sultanas

50g walnuts roughly chopped

Directions

• Fry the shallots in a knob of butter with a splash of oil until they soften without browning. They should be soft enough to squash with the back of a spoon. 
• Add the pears, bay leaf, cinnamon, sugar, vinegar and sultanas and stir everything together.
• Cook gently for 10 minutes or until the pear is very tender and the mixture is thick enough to spoon. Stir every now and then to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick.
• Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan. When the relish is cooked, add the walnuts and allow the mixture to cool before storing in sterilised jars.
• Serve with blue cheese and crackers.