Rosy Pear Compote Food

WARM PEAR COMPOTE

Steps:

• Peel and core the pears and cut into eighths; set aside.
• In a medium-size saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon or allspice. Stir in the juice or fruit nectar and mix well. Place the pan on medium-high heat and cook the sauce, stirring, until the mixture is smooth. Add the pears and bring the sauce to a gentle boil.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 15 - 20 minutes or until the pears are just tender, almost translucent, and the syrup is thick. Stir in the rum and butter and heat a few minutes longer.

ROSY PEAR COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, arrange pears. In a saucepan, combine the cranberry sauce, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil; pour over pears. Top with oranges., Cover and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until pears are tender. Serve warm. Garnish with cinnamon sticks if desired.

PEAR COMPOTE

Steps:

• Bring 1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/2 split vanilla bean, 1 star anise pod and a pinch each of salt and pepper to a simmer; cook until reduced by half, 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 chopped peeled pears and 3 tablespoons water; simmer 8 more minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon chopped thyme, increase the heat and simmer until syrupy, 1 to 4 minutes. Let cool.

PEAR COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place aniseed on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag. In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Add spice bag. Bring to a boil; boil for 5 minutes. Discard spice bag. , Add the pears, apricots, raisins and cherries to sugar syrup. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes or until pears are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Serve warm or chilled.

ROSY RHUBARB COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ gas 4/fan 160C. Halve the rhubarb lengthways then cut into 5cm lengths. Put the fruit into a small roasting tin just large enough to hold it in a single layer (any larger and too much of the liquid will evaporate during cooking).
• Add the remaining ingredients and cover with foil. Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the rhubarb is just tender.
• Lift the rhubarb from the cooking liquid with a slotted spoon and put it into a serving dish. Put the roasting tin with the cooking liquid back on the hob and bring to the boil. Bubble for about 5 minutes to reduce it slightly, then remove from the heat.
• Taste the rhubarb liquid - it should be tart without being sour - and stir in a little extra sugar if necessary, then pour it over the rhubarb. You can serve it warm or chill overnight and serve cold.

PEAR & SAFFRON COMPOTE

Steps:

• Top and tail the pears, then peel. Quarter and cut out the cores, then chop into small chunks.
• In a medium pan, sauté the shallot, ginger and garlic in the oil for about 3 mins, then crush in the saffron and cook for 1 min. Tip in the sugar and cook on a medium heat until it begins to caramelise lightly (give the pan a good shake and stir if it starts to clump). Deglaze by stirring in the vinegar and cook for a min until absorbed.
• Stir in about 100ml cold water and bring to the boil. Add the pears and dried fruit with a little seasoning and stir gently. Cook on a medium heat for 3-5 mins until soft (length of cooking will depend on the ripeness of the pears). Remove and cool. Will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

PEAR FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place pears on their sides in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; arrange oranges and raisins around pears. In a small bowl, combine the water, brown sugar and salt. Pour over fruit; dot with butter., Cover and bake at 325° for 55-65 minutes or until pears are tender, basting occasionally. Halve and core pears; top with fruit mixture.

APPLE, PEAR & CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Put the apples and pears in a pan with the sugar and 50ml water. Bring to a simmer, then gently cook, covered, for 15 mins or so until the Bramley apple has collapsed to a purée and the eating apple and pear are tender (stir to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom).
• Stir in the cherries or cranberries for 1 min, taste and add a little more sugar if necessary. Can be chilled for 3-5 days. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if you like. See 'Goes well with' for ideas for using up the compote.