What's Cooking In Jane's Kitchen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The name of this most delectable dessert, often conjures up the oddest images in peoples minds. From hospital tinned fruit, to school food, to children’s food, an apple floating in syrup, to convalescent food and so on, but it was most probably also your ‘Grandma’s favorite dessert!’ Well Grandmas knew a thing or two and the reality of this recipe is, that it really is one of the most delicious dessert I have ever eaten!

* ‘Compote’ is the French name, ‘Stewed Fruit,’ in English and ‘Combosta’ in Greek.

I was having some dear friends to dinner the other evening and knowing they were on a ‘specific regimen,’ I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of planning my menu  and this was part of the result. I started out with Grandma’s basic ingredients and then got quite carried away, not only with the variety of fruit, both fresh and dried, but also adding several fresh fruit juices and using those wonderful spices and herbs, which can be used both in ‘Savory’ and ‘Sweet’ recipes. Cinnamon, Cloves, Green Cardamon ,Lemon Verbena,( Louisa ) Lemon Grass, Mint, ( Diosmo ) and Rosemary ( Dendrolivano) and Lavender (Lavanda) flowers. I then decorated my ‘Compote’ with Geranium flowers and the end result was an explosion of flavors and my guests went away happy and smiling!

For Stefanos and Claire, for L. who I know will like this and for my family who asked for it again the next day, but it was all gone!

 

 

 

 

 

Easy

 

 

 

6-8 Persons

 

 

 

Cooking Time 20-30 minutes

Preparation Time 20-30 minutes

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

Dried Fruit :

8 Dates (stone removed)

8 Prunes (stone removed)

8 Apricots

4 tbs Raisins

 

Fresh Fruit :

1  Large Green Apple (Granny Smith)

2 Pears

2 Plumbs

4 Rhubarb Stalks

1 Mango

 

Fresh Fruit Juices:

Before squeezing the fruit shave off one sliver of peel from each fruit ( see picture )

1 Orange Juice

1 Lemon Juice

1 Lime Juice

1 Pomegranate Juice

2 Mandarine Juice

1 Seville Orange Juice

 

Sweeteners :

1 tbs Golden Syrup, or Thyme Honey

1 tsp Canadian Maple Sugar or brown sugar

1 tbs Canadian Maple Syrup

 

Spices and Herbs:

1-2 Sticks of Cinnamon

4 Cloves

4 Green Cardamons

1 Stick of Fresh Lemon Grass

2 Fresh Sprigs of Lemon Verbena

1 Sprig Fresh Mint

1 Sprig Fresh Thyme

 

Decoration :

Geranium Flowers, Pansies or Jasmine Flowers

Rosemary and Lavender Flowers

Shredded Lemon Verben Leaves

 

* Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients, it is well worth your time, you will see.

Excellent with Greek Yogurt for breakfast as well as for dessert!

 

Method

1. Place dried fruit on board, cut in half, remove any stones, especially from the ‘Dates.’ Place fruit in bowl and add just half a glass of water and leave to soften, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2. Wash peel and core apples and pears. Cut mango away from stone, peel and cut into mouth sized pieces. Wash and scrub Rhubarb and slice into 3 cm pieces. Place in bowl together with the soaking fruit.

3. Before squeezing fruit for juices, take a potato peeler and peel off a thin slice of skin from each fruit and add to bowl. Count the pieces, so you know how many to remove later. Squeeze juice and pour over fruit.

4. Add spices and herbs, (cut lemon grass in half longways.) Add sweeteners, Maple Syrup, Golden Syrup and Maple or brown sugar.

5. Place contents of bowl into saucepan over a medium heat and just bring to the boil. Then turn down to a very gentle simmer and simmer, lid off, for about half an hour. Test apples, they should be soft, but not disintegrating. The apples are the hardest fruit, therefore soften last.

6. Pour off liquid surrounding fruit into small sauce pan and boil until reduced by 1/3rd. This intensifies the flavors.

7. In the mean time spoon out carefully fruit salad into serving bowl, removing as you go, all the fruit peel/Zest, 4 Cloves, 4 Cardamons, Lemon Grass, Mint, Lemon Verbena and Thyme Sprigs. The Cinnamon can stay, as it is large and easily visible when eating.

8. When the syrup is reduced, allow it to cool a little and pour it over your Fruit Compote. It should come about three quarters up the side of your fruit. Serve the rest in a jug.

N.B. Any fruit can be used, the above being the most suitable example, because they hold their shape. Softer fruit tend to disintegrate for example bananas and are not usually added.

Many people make ‘Fruit Compote’ from the glut of fruit from their garden. They can also be bottled, but you will need to follow special bottling instructions.

 

 

 

 

Wash your Fruit thoroughly.

 

Gather together your dried fruit and remove any stones and cut into mouth sized pieces.

 

Cut the dates in half and remove stone and then into quarters.

 

Soak dried fruit in a little water, while preparing the rest of your fresh fruit. Enough water to just cover fruit.

Once the dried fruit are cooked they become soft as if they were fresh and not dried.

Before you squeeze the juice from your fruit, slice off a thin layer of zest from each fruit and add to your mixture. Count the strips

so that you know how many to remove at the end.

Lime . This way I think is preferable to grating the zest, as it gives a smoother finish.

 

Peel and core your fresh fruit and cut into mouth sized pieces.

 

Squeeze fresh juices, taking care that no pips fall in, but don’t sieve them as you want all the flavor.

 

Cut in half your Pomegranate with a sharp serrated knife and squeeze out the juice. This way you avoid the hard pips.

 

Just delicious, full of iron and vitamins.

 

Pomegranate Juice.

 

Orange, Mandarin and Pomegranate juice.

 

Peel and add your Mango.

 

Add your Lemon Grass, Lemon Verbena and Mint. A small sprig of fresh Thyme too, if you have some growing in the garden.

 

Add 1 tsp Maple Sugar or Brown Sugar. 1 tbs each of Golden Syrup and 1 tbs Canadian Maple Syrup. taste at the end for

sweetness.

Pour over Syrups.

 

Add spices.

Pour over fresh Orange and Mandarin juice.

 

Pour over Pomegranate Juice.

 

Add Lemon Grass, Lemon Verbena and Mint Sprigs.

 

Place Fruit in saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to simmering and turn down heat so that it cooks very gently for about

20-30 minutes. Test a piece of apple. It should be soft, but not disintegrating. ( The apple is the hardest fruit.)

Pour off liquid into a small saucepan and boil rapidly to reduce by 1/3rd. This intensifies the flavors. Leave to cool slightly

and pour over your Fruit Compote, coming about 3/4 up the side of your Compote.

Leave to cool and place in refrigerator. Just before serving decorate with Geranium flowers, Rosemary and Lavender

flowers and using sharp scissors cut two or three Lemon Verbena leaves rolled together over your Fruit Compote. These

last ingredients are what make the wonderful combination of flavors.

Final Result !