Dried Fruit Compote With Goat Cheese Food

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan, add the dried pitted prunes, dried apricots, and golden raisins. Add enough water to just cover the fruit. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the sugar, lemon peel, whole cloves, and ground allspice. Stir until the sugar dissolves, adding a little water if the mixture seems dry.
• Continue to simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fruit has softened, and the syrup is thick.
• Remove lemon peel and cloves, and discard.
• Chill several hours before serving, garnished with chopped walnuts, if desired.

WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE WITH SELECTION OF CHEESE

Steps:

• In a 4-quart saucepan or pot bring the first 6 ingredients to a simmer. Stir slowly to dissolve the sugar in the liquid. Add the remaining ingredients except the lemon juice and the cheese. When the liquid comes to a boil, adjust the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes to marry the flavors and soften the fruit. Turn off the heat then stir in the lemon juice. With a slotted spoon remove the fruit to a bowl. Bring the remaining syrup to a simmer and reduce until lightly thickened or when the bubbles formed on the top become small. Remove the syrup for the heat and when it is cool pour it over the fruit. The compote can be held in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Serve the compote at room temperature with the cheese.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE WITH CHEVRE

Steps:

• Bring the wine to a simmer in a small saucepan; remove from the heat. Add the raisins, blueberries, cranberries, dates, figs, and apricots; cover and let stand until the fruit is softened, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except the green onions and chevre.
• When the fruit has softened, stir in the green onions and the lemon juice mixture.
• Transfer the fruit compote to a covered container (preferably glass) and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
• To serve, form the chevre into a 1 ½-inch thick round. Place the cheese on a platter; top and surround it with the fruit compote and its juices. Serve with a basket of bread or crackers; provide cheese spreaders and small spoons for serving.

SWEET DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups of the water with the dried fruit in a large bowl. Let soak for 1 hour.
• In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 2 cups of water, orange juice, sugar, and lemon zest over medium-high heat. Add the fruit and the soaking liquid to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cinnamon and clove. Simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the mixture has thickened. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Serve warm or cold.
• Cook's Note: If using store bought dried fruit, chop the pieces into 1/2-inch chunks and simmer the mixture an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, simmer together port wine and sugar over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add dried fruit and dried cranberries. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Serve over frozen yogurt and garnish with toasted slivered almonds.

MONTRACHET CHEESECAKE WITH WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake the crust until light golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the crest and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. When the pan is cool enough to handle, brush the sides with melted butter. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the goal cheese and cream cheese until very smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla and mix. Two at a time, add the eggs, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Prepare a water bath: Place the springform pan on a doublelayer sheet of aluminum foil, with at least 3 inches of foil all around the pan. Fold the aluminum foil up around the sides of the pan. Fill a roasting pall large enough to hold the cake pan with hot water to a depth of about 1 inch. Then lift the foilwrapped cake into the roasting pan, keeping the foil turned up so that it prevents wafer from overflowing or seeping into the cake. Be careful not to make any holes in the foil as you do this! Bake about 1 hour, until the top of the cake is golden and dry to the touch, though still a bit soft in the center. It should "shimmy" a bit when you shake the pan; it will firm up more as it cools. Lift the foil up to remove the cake from the water bath, remove the foil, and let cool 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Serve with compote.
• Make the compote: combine 'all of the ingredients in a mediumsize saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stir, and reduce the heat so that the mixture is barely simmering. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn (fit the heat, cover, and set aside to soften and infuse. I1' not using within a few hours, refrigerate until ready to serve. When ready to serve, remove the walls of the pan and, if desired, reheat the compote. Serve in wedges, with compote spooned around the sides.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer, and cook until fruit is soft and liquid is thick, about 20 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon and ginger, and discard. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold.

FRUIT COMPOTE WITH BRIE

Steps:

• Place cheese on an ungreased oven-proof serving plate. Bake at 400° until cheese is softened, 8-10 minutes., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the golden raisins and cherries, apple juice and vanilla; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in preserves. Spoon over cheese. Serve with crackers.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Put the dried fruit into a small pan with the cinnamon and apple juice, give everything a stir then simmer for 5 mins until the apple juice is syrupy. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Divide the yogurt between 4 bowls then top with the compote and granola.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Simmer the fruit in water to cover for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft. Remove to a bowl and reduce liquid in saucepan to half a cup.
• Add the orange and lemon peel, honey and orange juice. Stir until honey has melted, correct sweetening and pour the mixture over the fruit. Leave at room temperature.
• Just before serving, sprinkle the fruit with the almonds. Serve the creme fraiche separately.

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE WITH GINGER SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring ginger beer, dried fruit, and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat to low and simmer until liquid becomes syrupy and mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

CHERRY COMPOTE OVER GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook cherries and sugar over medium-high heat in a skillet, stirring occasionally, for approx 4 minutes.
• Sprinkle in vinegar and thyme and cook 1 more minute.
• Slice goat cheese into 4 rounds, top each with warm compote.
• Note: Compote may be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 3 days.