Winter Fruit Compote With Cognac Food

WARM WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove cover and simmer an additional 35 minutes or until liquid is reduced to desired consistency. Serve warm with turkey or pork.
• Recipe note: Compote may be made ahead of serving time. Cover and store in refrigerator. Reheat to a simmer for 10 minutes before serving.
• Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary, 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 FRUITS IN COGNAC

Steps:

• Tip the sugar into a measuring jug and pour over boiling water to the 400ml mark. Add the cinnamon stick, broken in two, and stir to dissolve the sugar.
• Put the fruits and cognac into a pan, pour over the syrup and bring to the boil. Simmer, partly covered, for 15 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes if serving warm, or chill if serving cold. Serve with some crème fraîche or ice cream.

SPICED WINTER FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• For the fruit: Cut the grapefruits and oranges into segments over a large bowl, and squeeze the remaining juice from the inner membrane. Gently toss the segments with the grapes and pomegranate pips and grapes. Peel, slice, and toss in the bananas.
• For the syrup: Stir together the honey, water, vanilla bean pod and seeds, ginger, cinnamon, and star anise, if using, in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then pour over the fruit. Remove the star anise, set aside for about 1 hour for the flavors to come together. Serve.

WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker, combine cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice concentrate and vinegar. Cook, covered, on low until cranberries pop and mixture is thickened, 1-1/4 to 1-3/4 hours., Turn off heat; stir in apricots, raisins and walnuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In large saucepan, combine sugar, water and ginger; bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add dried fruit and bring back to a boil; immediately reduce heat to low simmer.
• Cook, uncovered, until fruit is not quite tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add cranberries and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries pop.
• Stir in orange and apple.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool down.
• For dessert, serve warm over ice cream, or at room temperature over a plain cake, such as angel food cake or pound cake.
• Can also be served with yogurt; makes a particularly nice breakfast.

10-MINUTE WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Tip the dried fruit, orange juice and whole spices into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on High for 4-5 mins, stirring halfway through until the juices become sticky and the fruits are plump.
• Leave the compote to stand for a minute and serve in bowls with spoonfuls of yogurt or fromage frais.

WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE WITH COGNAC

Steps:

• Put the figs, kumquats, prunes, sugar, Cognac and lemon zest in a saucepan with 2 cups/500 ml water and bring to a boil. Cook until the fruits are plump and the sauce syrupy. Turn off the heat and let the fruit macerate for 30 minutes. Pour into a serving dish (a cut glass bowl looks lovely) and let cool. Serve with creme fraiche and toasted almonds, or with a big spoonful of vanilla ice cream.

WINTER FRUIT COMPOTE WITH GINGER

Steps:

• In a bowl let the cranberries soak in the orange juice for 30 minutes, drain them in a sieve set over a bowl, and reserve the juice. Reserve 1 large piece of the preserved ginger and in a blender or food processor purée the remaining ginger with the syrup and the reserved orange juice. In a deep 2-quart glass serving dish arrange half the cranberries, drizzle them with about 1/2 cup of the ginger mixture, and top them with the grapes. Drizzle the grapes with about 1/2 cup of the remaining ginger mixture, top them with the grapefruit, and drizzle the grapefruit with about 1/2 cup of the remaining ginger mixture. Top the grapefruit with the pineapple, drizzle it with the remaining ginger mixture, and arrange the remaining cranberries on top. Arrange the orange sections over the cranberries, chill the compote, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight, and serve it garnished with the reserved ginger, cut into julienne strips.

FRESH FRUITS FLAMBE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a flambe pan.
• Add sugar and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to caramelize.
• Add the orange and pineapple juice and bring to a boil.
• Add the pieces of fruit and stir to blend well with the caramel.
• Pour in the Maraskina, Grand Marnier and Cognac and flame.
• Allow the liquid to thicken slightly, but do not overcook the fruit.