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Pears Portuguese Fashion, with Currants This recipe from the kitchens at Fort York originated with William Verrall, master of the White Hart Inn at Lewes, Sussex, who was the author of The Complete System of Cookery (1759), one of the most lively and immediate of the 18thcentury cookery books. Before taking over the hotel from his father, William trained under M. de St. Clouet, renowned chef to the Duke of Newcastle, from whom he learned ‘the French method of cooking’ that he so admired. A fascimile of his book was published in 1988 by the Southover Press of Lewes. His recipe for cooked pears is simplicity itself.
6 pears 6 4 cups water 1 L 2 cups red wine/ port 500 ml 1/2 cup sugar 125 ml 1 cinnamon stick 1 1 peel of lemon 1 3/4 cup currants 200 ml Boil the pears gently in water for about a half hour, then strain. Place them in a stewpan, add the port, sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel, a little more water (a spoonful or two) and the currants. Simmer until tender. Allow them to sit in the wine for at least 24 hours for excellent colour and flavour. Remove the cinnamon and lemon peel before serving.
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