Russian Dried Fruit Strawberry Compote Recipes

DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium saucepan, add the dried pitted prunes, dried apricots, and golden raisins. Add enough water to just cover the fruit. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the sugar, lemon peel, whole cloves, and ground allspice. Stir until the sugar dissolves, adding a little water if the mixture seems dry.
• Continue to simmer gently, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the fruit has softened, and the syrup is thick.
• Remove lemon peel and cloves, and discard.
• Chill several hours before serving, garnished with chopped walnuts, if desired.

RUSSIAN FRUIT COMPOTE ~ KOMPOT

Steps:

• Wash fruit in cold water and cut into small pieces. Remove all pits and inedible seeds.
• Place fruit in a large kettle and add 6 c. water. Bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to low, add 1/2 c. sugar, and stir. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Depending on the combination of fruits you have used, you may want to add more sugar. (Add sugar sparingly-if kompot tastes sweet when hot, it will taste even sweeter when cold.)
• Add cinnamon stick and nutmeg and stir well. Simmer for another 10 minutes. (*I* would add these at the beginning)
• Remove cinnamon stick before serving. Serve hot, or chill and serve cold.

STRAWBERRY COMPOTE WITH SUGARED DROP SCONES

Steps:

• Cut the strawberries in half or in quarters if large, and put in a pan with the sugar and lemon juice. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook the strawberries for 3 mins or until dark red and syrupy. Cool, then add the balsamic vinegar, if using. The compote can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
• To make the drop scones, the best flavour and golden colour will come from cooking them in clarified butter. Melt the butter gently in a small pan, then pour the clear yellow layer into a jug. Discard the white solids.
• Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl, and stir in the sugar. Make a well in the middle, crack in the egg, then add the vanilla and a splash of milk. Whisk until thick and smooth, then whisk in the remaining milk. Put a few tbsp extra caster sugar in a shallow container, ready for sugaring the drop scones.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan, then add a splash of clarified butter and swirl it around. Spoon in 4 dessertspoons of the batter, spacing them well apart, to make drop scones about 7cm across. As soon as bubbles appear on the surface, flip the scones and cook until puffed in the middle. Keep warm while you cook another batch. Toss the scones in the caster sugar, then serve with strawberry compote and a scoop of ice cream.

SPICED DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a deep nonreactive pot, combine apples, pears, prunes and raisins. Carefully peel lemon, adding yellow peel to pot and leaving white pith behind. Squeeze juice from lemon into pot.
• Stir in remaining ingredients. Liquid should cover fruit by at least one inch; add water if necessary. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer until fruit is very tender but not mushy, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove and discard lemon peel, cinnamon and cloves. Taste and adjust seasonings with more honey and lemon juice; compote should not be overly sweet. Serve warm.