Mskhlis Limonati

Ingredients

• 3pearsripe, peeled, cored, roughly chopped (approx. 400 g)
• ½ cuplemon juicefreshly squeezed, about 3–4 lemons
• 3⅓ cupswatercold; sparkling mineral water optional
• 1⅓ ozsugarto taste, sometimes cooked into a spiced syrup
• 2lemon peeluntreated, white pith removed
• ice cubesfor serving
• ½ tspcardamomground (optional)
• 1cinnamon stickfor the spiced syrup and as garnish (optional)
• 1Cloveswhole, simmered in the syrup (optional)
• 1black peppercornswhole, simmered in the syrup (optional)
• ⅔ ozbasilleaves, for the syrup and as garnish (optional)
• 2lemon balmsprigs, added to the pitcher (optional)

Method

1. Wash the lemons well, warm them briefly and roll them on the worktop, then halve and squeeze them. Pare the peel from two lemons without the white pith, chop it finely or press it hard so the oils are released.
2. Peel and core the pears and cut them into rough chunks.
3. Blend the pear pieces with a splash of the lemon juice – it keeps them from browning – and some of the water until smooth.
4. Push the purée through a fine sieve, pressing well on the pulp, and discard what stays behind.
5. If you prefer, simmer the sugar instead with a little water and the spices – cinnamon stick, clove, peppercorn and lemon peel – or with the basil leaves to make a syrup, then strain it and let it cool.
6. Stir the pear purée, lemon juice and sugar, or the cooled syrup, together in a pitcher or straight in the glass until the sugar has dissolved, and add the prepared lemon peel.
7. Top up with the remaining cold water or with sparkling mineral water, taste, and let the lemonade sit with the peel for a few minutes to come together.
8. Before serving, pour the lemonade through a sieve into a clean pitcher, or simply lift out the lemon peel.
9. Pour it well chilled over ice cubes and garnish as you like with a slice of pear, a slice of lemon, herbs or a cinnamon stick.

Tips and variations

This lemonade takes happily to all sorts of directions: ground cardamom blended straight into the purée gives it a warmer note, while a syrup of cinnamon, clove, peppercorn and lemon peel can be built glass by glass and topped up with sparkling mineral water. It also works with no sugar at all – just the sweetness of the pears, lots of lemon juice and crushed lemon peel. The basil version is lovely too: cook the pears down with basil and sugar, strain the herb syrup and use that as your base. In a hurry? Then simply set up pear slices, ready-made pear juice, lemon balm and sparkling mineral water in the pitcher. Serve it ice cold over ice, with a cinnamon stick in the glass if you like; homemade, it keeps in the fridge for about five days.