Recipes

Dried-Fruit Compote with Vanilla and Orange

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 2 3/4 hr (includes cooling)

1 navel or juice orange
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
2/3 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1/2 lb dried figs (preferably Calimyrna; about 1 cup)
1/2 lb dried apricots (about 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 lb pitted prunes (about 1 1/4 cups)

Accompaniment: lightly sweetened low-fat sour cream (optional)

Peel zest in long strips from half of orange with a vegetable peeler and trim any white pith from zest. Cut zest into fine julienne strips. Halve orange and squeeze 1/3 cup juice.

Combine zest, juice, wine, sugar, and 2 cups water in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with a sharp knife into wine mixture, reserving pod for another use. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then continue to boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3 cups, about 10 minutes.

While syrup is boiling, cut off and discard fig stems and halve figs lengthwise. Add figs to syrup and simmer, covered, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add apricots and prunes, then simmer, covered, until plump, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer compote to a heatproof bowl and cool to warm or room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.

Cooks' note:
Compote can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat over moderately low heat.

Each serving with 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream contains about 429 calories and 4 grams fat (without sour cream: 384 calories and 1 gram fat).

Makes 6 servings.

(Courtesy of www.epicurious.com)

February 2003