Earl Grey And Vanilla Preserved Pears

Instructions

• FILL a canner with water, leaving a 2-in. headspace. Boil over high.

• PEEL pears, then cut in half lengthwise. Remove cores with a melon baller. Cut each half into 4 wedges. Use a sharp paring knife to slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out vanilla seeds. Cut pod in half.

• BOIL 4 cups water with sugar in a large pot over medium-high. Add pears, vanilla seeds and pod, and tea bags. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pears are heated through, 5 min. Remove tea bags.

• PACK pears into hot, sterilized Mason jars. Ladle hot syrup into jars, leaving a 1/2-in. headspace at the top of each jar. Stir each jar with a non-metallic utensil to remove air bubbles. Wipe rims clean with damp paper towel, then cover with lids. Close with screw band.

• ADD jars to boiling water in canner, ensuring that they are covered by at least 2 in. of water. Bring to a rolling boil, then process, covered, for 20 min. Turn off heat, remove canner lid and let stand, 5 min. Remove jars and cool. Check for seal after 24 hours. Lids should not flex up and down when centre is pressed. If they do, store in the fridge. Processed jars keep well up at room temperature for up to 1 year.