Fig and pear compote with marmalade and star anise

Adding wine to the fruit mix makes this compote a bit more exciting, as does marmalade and star anise. While it looks better if you leave the fruit whole, it’s easier to eat if you cut them up a bit prior to cooking.

• serves

  6

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) white wine
• 2 star anise
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 tbsp seville marmalade or orange marmalade
• 18 whole dried apricots
• 6 dried pear halves
• 6 whole dried figs
• 100 g dried muscatels (see Note), golden raisins (see Note) or sultanas
• 6 prunes, seeded
• Lightly whipped cream, to serve

Infusing time 30 minutes

Cooling time 30 minutes

Instructions

Place wine, star anise, cardamom and 250ml water in a saucepan over medium–high heat. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat and stand for 30 minutes for flavours to infuse.

Return pan to medium–high heat and bring to the boil. Stir in marmalade and fruit and cook for 2 minutes or until fruit is rehydrated (dried fruit varies in moisture content; add more water if necessary). Remove from heat and set aside until cool; by then the fruit will be softened and the syrup thickened.

Divide among bowls and serve with cream.

Notes

• Muscatel grapes are available from delis.

• Golden raisins are larger and lighter in colour than dark raisins. They are available from select delis, greengrocers and Middle Eastern food shops.

As seen in Feast magazine, May 2014, Issue 31. 

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.