Recipe: Pear Compote with Ginger, Vanilla & Lime
A fruit compote is a good thing to have on hand, especially if it’s as versatile as this one. As is, you can encourage its sweetness by serving it over yogurt for breakfast or over ice cream for an after-dinner dessert. Stir in a little cracked pepper or minced thyme and you’ll encourage a savoriness that goes well on a cheese tray. A touch of minced chili and a little more lime juice and it would pair well with roast pork. Read on for the recipe!
I use an inexpensive, dry Cava for this recipe (Prosecco will also work) and D’Anjou pears, but most any kind of pear will do, as long as it holds it shape when cooked.
Pear Compote with Ginger, Vanilla and Lime
Makes about two cups
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 cups
dry Champagne or sparkling wine
- 1 cup
sugar
- 1 tablespoon
(heaping) chopped candied ginger
- 1/2
vanilla pod, slit almost in two
- 3
not-too-ripe pears (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons
fresh squeezed lime juice
Instructions
In a wide pan, such as a frying pan with sides at least two inches high, combine the wine, sugar, candied ginger and vanilla. Set over a medium flame to bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile, peel and core the pears, making sure to also nick out the stem which runs from the core to the top of the pear. Cut into chunks. The size is up to you but I wouldn't make them bigger than an inch or smaller than 1/2 an inch.
When the syrup has begun to thicken, add the pears and continue to simmer until the pears are done. Test by poking a sharp knife into a chunk. It should easily pierce the fruit. When done, turn off the heat and let the pears cool in the syrup.
When cool (or lukewarm), strain the fruit by lifting out with a slotted spoon. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture through a sieve but be sure to save the syrup! Put the fruit into a glass jar or whatever you are going to serve or store the compote in.
Pull the vanilla from the syrup, scrape the seeds from the pod and add them to the syrup. Toss the pod back in, too, if you wish. Reheat the syrup over a medium flame and simmer until it thickens again. Carefully spoon a little syrup onto a plate to cool and taste. Add some of the lime juice to balance the flavors and/or cut some of the sweetness.
Pour the syrup over the fruit (removing the pod if necessary) and serve, either chilled on the yogurt and ice cream, or room temperature with the cheese plate or as a condiment. Actually, it might be nice warmed up for the yogurt and ice cream, although I have yet to try it that way.
Recipe Notes
This compote can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week or so. I assume it can also be canned up for a longer shelf life, but I have not tried it yet.
A note on the sweet and savory pairings: This compote is primarily a sweet thing, so taste and test before deciding if it works for your palate on the savory suggestions. It does for mine, but we're all different! Likewise, some of the savory suggestions would taste fabulous as a dessert if you like a little heat or herby-ness with your sweet. Have fun and experiment!
Related: Weekend Cocktail: Prosecco with Poached Pears
(Images: Dana Velden)