Spiced Plum Compote Food

SERIOUSLY GOOD SPICED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients, except the fruits, into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, uncovered. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes then remove the pan from the heat.
• Top and tail the oranges, then slice off the skin and every scrap of pith, using a small, sharp kitchen knife. Cradle each orange in the palm of your hand, hold it over the saucepan and cut out the segments, letting them drop into the syrup. Squeeze any juice from the debris into the syrup, too, then discard.
• Add the apricots and plums to the syrup and return the saucepan to a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer the fruits for 10 minutes. Leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours.
• Serve the poached fruits just as they are or as a brûlée: whisk the milk into the fromage frais to loosen it a little, then divide the fruits and enough juice to cover them, among six ovenproof ramekins and spoon on the fromage frais, thickly. Dust with caster sugar and then 'burn' the sugar with a blow-torch. (Or put the ramekins on a heavy baking sheet, place it under a very hot grill and leave for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has caramelised.)

SPICED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place cinnamon sticks and cloves on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag., In a large saucepan, combine the orange juice, raisins, brown sugar, salt and ginger. Add spice bag; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Add fruit; simmer for 3 minutes. Discard spice bag. Serve fruit warm or cold with a slotted spoon.

POACHED PLUMS

Steps:

• To prepare the plums: wash and cut them into quarters, then remove the stones.
• Tip the sugar into a pan with 225ml water, the cinnamon and vanilla. Gently heat until the sugar dissolves.
• Slide the fruit into the syrup. Bring the pan to the boil, then let it simmer for 5-10 mins - depending on the ripeness - until the plums are soft. Leave to cool slightly and serve as they are with something creamy.

SPICED PLUM COMPOTE

Steps:

• Bring water, brown sugar, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and cloves. Add plums, and return to a boil over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until plums are tender but still hold their shape, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer plums to a medium bowl. Continue to simmer sauce until syrupy, about 8 more minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in salt. Add sauce to plums. Serve chilled with yogurt and granola.

PLUM COMPOTE AND CHOCOLATE SAUCE WITH SUGAR CAGE

Steps:

• Bring all 4 ingredients to a boil, reserving 1/4 cup of lemon juice before adding pears that have been brushed with remaining lemon juice. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until soft but not mushy;
• Dice and pit plums, macerate all ingredients together for 20 minutes. Put all ingredients in pot and bring to a boil and stew until plums are soft. Cool on sheet pan until serving;
• In small saucepan over medium heat bring sugar and water to a boil. Let reduce until mixture becomes the consistency of honey and a golden brown. At this point spray outer side of small bowl with cooking spray. Drizzle sugar mixture over bowl with fork until it begins to look like a bird nest. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes and remove from bowl. And place over pear drenched in compote.;

PLUM COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine the sugar, wine, one cup of water, cloves, cinnamon and lemon zest in a saucepan large enough to hold the plums. Bring the ingredients to a boil, and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Add plums, and bring mixture back to a boil; lower heat, and simmer plums for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on their ripeness, until they are tender but still hold their shape. Some plums will be ready before others; remove them as they are. Then when they are all cooked, return the plums to the syrup, remove from heat and let cool.
• Chill plums in the syrup. Serve over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt with some of the syrup, or serve with their syrup topped with whipped cream or creme fraiche.