Citrus-Kissed Fruit Compote

Last weekend we celebrated a family birthday with a small but festive brunch. Our menu included a cheesy egg casserole along with crunchy green salad. Ellen contributed cornmeal drop biscuits and a beautiful chocolate and vanilla layer cake adorned with sprinkles. Somewhere within our meal I wanted a fruit-based dish that was special—sweet but not too sweet.  I opted to make a recipe I had first tried years ago, a citrus-kissed fruit compote.

A bridge of fruits

This fruit compote, with tart apples and sweet pears briefly cooked alongside colorful dried fruits, is a welcome bridge between the seasons. I love the way it uses winter fruits that are readily available and couples them with the dried versions of stone fruits—apricots and cherries—that we have to wait a few more weeks to enjoy fresh off the tree. Fresh orange and lime juices and zest brighten the flavors of everything.

I adapted the compote from one found in Jacques Pépin’s cookbook Simple and Healthy Cooking. While I followed most of the measurements that Pépin called for, I increased the amount of orange and lime juice and zest in the recipe. I also doubled the amount of dried cherries.

Because my fingers don’t peel, core, and chop as quickly as Chef Pépin’s, I opted to add a step to the fruit preparation. I combined the orange and lime  juices with the water called for in a large measuring cup and added the chopped apples and pears as I finished with each individual fruit.

The acidic water kept the chopped fruit from discoloring. And it was easy to pour everything into the saucepan once all the chopping was completed.

Cooking the fruit compote

The compote, which contains around six cups of fruit, is barely sweetened with the citrus juices and a bit of honey.

After a short cooking time on top of the stove, it cools to room temperature and then moves to the refrigerator overnight. The dried fruits continue to swell and soften while the flavors of all the components mingle.

The compote’s finished appearance reminds me of stained glass, the apple and pear bits becoming somewhat translucent and the apricots and cherries standing out with their bright hues.

The pieces of apple and pear become soft but keep their shape while the apricots and cherries morph into pillows of flavor. Although there are no spices in the recipe, the fruit ends up tasting mulled somehow.

When to eat the compote

This compote works as we used it for the brunch—but it’s also perfect atop cereal, oatmeal, or even pancakes. Plain or vanilla yogurt are other great pairings.  It shines as a lovely, light tasting dessert that is easy to prepare ahead of time and keeps for up to one week.

The crocuses in our neighborhood know that it’s spring, and a few crabapple trees have large buds swelling on them. While I see photos of blooming azaleas in the South, we still have a while to wait for the weather –-and the produce —to really bring spring-like conditions to us.

Until the market bins have fresh stone fruits, melons, and berries, this compote will brighten our table.

Citrus-Kissed Fruit Compote

Dawn Dobie

Tart apples, sweet pears, and dried fruit are bathed in orange and lime essence to become a great addition to breakfast or a healthy dessert.

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Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Chilling time 10 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon orange zest --from about 2 oranges
• 1 ½ teaspoons lime zest --from about 2 limes
• 2/3 cup of fresh orange juice --from the 2 oranges
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice --from the 2 limes
• 1 cup water
• 3 Granny Smith apples --peeled, halved and cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces
• 3 Bartlett pears --peeled, halved and cored, and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 ounces of dried apricot halves (36 of the kind I used)
• 2/3 cup dried tart cherries (about 3 ounces)
• 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

 

• Place the orange and lime zest in the bottom of large, wide saucepan.
• Combine the orange juice, lime juice, and water in a medium bowl or large measuring cup.
• As you peel and dice up the apples and pears, place the chunks in the citrus-y water to prevent discoloration.
• When you have finished placing all the chopped apples and pears in the liquid, transfer everything to the large saucepan. Add the dried apricot halves and dried cherries. Stir in the honey.
• Bring the fruit mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally.
• Cover the pot, lower the heat to simmer, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.
• Transfer the warm fruit compote to a serving or storage container. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Serve the chilled compote in dessert dishes.

Notes

The compote is also delicious with granola, over pancakes, with plain or vanilla yogurt for breakfast.

The compote will keep for a week.

Adapted from Simple and Healthy Cooking by Jacques Pépin.