 |
|
Compote of Dried and Fresh Fruits
|
Recipe courtesy John Ash. Ingredients: 1 750 ml. bottle dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1 cup sugar
Two 4" cinnamon sticks
2 large bay leaves
1 Tbs. coriander seeds, slightly crushed
2 tsp. black peppercorns
1 lb. mixed dried fruits such as figs, pears and peaches
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 Tbs. chopped candied ginger
3/4 lb. fresh firm ripe pears and/or apples, peeled, cored and cut in thick wedges
1/2 cup strawberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup green grapes
1/2 cup red grapes
1/2 cup raspberries
Low-fat yogurt or yogurt cheese for garnish Preparation: Combine wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, coriander seeds and black peppercorns to a nonaluminum pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Return liquid to pan and add sherry and candied ginger; simmer, covered, for 10 minutes more. Add peeled and wedged pears or apples and 1 pound mixed dried fruits; simmer until pears are just tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add strawberries, blackberries, green and red grapes and raspberries. Set off heat and cool, or refrigerate for up to 10 days. To serve, spoon into bowls and top with a dollop of yogurt or yogurt cheese. Servings: 6 Chef's Notes: - This simple dessert is perfect for a buffet or a picnic. You can use whatever dried or fresh fruits you have on hand to try to make it a colorful assortment. In the winter, you can use frozen individually packed fruits.
- You could serve with a dollop of yogurt or yogurt cheese ice cream, sour cream, mascarpone or just as it is -- all are equally satisfying. When they are available in the fall, I also love garnishing this compote with a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds.
- Yogurt cheese is a simple, relatively low-fat cheese (depending on type of yogurt used) that is easily made. I recommend using a plain whole-milk yogurt that isn't too tart. To make the cheese, line a strainer with a double thickness of cheesecloth that has been well rinsed. Place over a larger bowl so that the strainer is suspended about it. Add plain yogurt to the lined strainer, cover lightly and place in refrigerator overnight or up to 2 days, depending on the texture of the cheese desired. When cheese stops dripping, remove and store refrigerated. You will end up with a good 2 cups-plus of cheese.
- The cheese can be used as is or flavored with a little sugar and zest for dessert uses, or with chopped fresh herbs, salt and pepper for savory uses.
We at DIY believe all of the recipes from Paul James' Home Grown Cooking are accurate and reliable, but since we have not tested them personally, we can claim no responsibility if the desired results are not achieved.
RESOURCES :
The Great Exotic Fruit Book: A Handbook Of Tropical And Subtropical Fruits With Recipes
Model: 0898156882
Author: Norman Van Aken with John Harrison
(1995)
Ten Speed Press
Website: www.tenspeed.com
Tropical Fruit Cookbook
Model: 082481441X
Author: Marilyn Rittenhouse Harris
(1993)
University of Hawaii Press
Honolulu, HI 96822-1888
Phone: 808-956-8255
Fax: 808-988-6052
Email: uhpbooks@hawaii.edu
Website: www.uhpress.hawaii.edu
Fresh From Florida: Six Decades of Favorite Fruit Recipes
Model: 0884152928
Author: Diana Gonzalez Kirby
(1996)
Gulf Publishing Company
Houston, TX 72252-2608
Phone: 713-529-4301
Fax: 713-520-4438
Website: www.gulfpub.com
Nicole Routhier's Fruit Cookbook
Model: 1563055621
Author: Nicole Routhier
(1996)
Workman Publishing Co. Inc.
New York, NY 10003-9555
Phone: 212-254-5900
Fax: 212-254-8098
Sweet Simplicity: Jacques Pepin's Fruit Desserts
Model: 0912333987
Author: Jacques Pepin
(1999)
Bay Books
San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: 415-252-4350
Glorious Fruit Desserts
Model: 1842151274
Author: Valerie Ferguson, Editor
(2000)
Southwater Publishing (The Manning Partnership Ltd.-- Imprint of Anness Pub)
Phone: 0-1225-852727
Fax: 0-1225-85282
An A - Z of Food and Wine in Plain English
Model: 0333741315
Author: Frances Bissell
(1999)
Macmillan USA
Website: www.mcp.com
Frugal Gourmet Cooks With Wine
Model: 0380706717
Author: Geoff Smith
(1992)
HarperCollins
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-207-7000
Fax: 212-207-7145
| 
)
