Cranberry Compote
Here’s my third post from my “holiday menu“. To be honest, I think “cranberry compote” is just a fancy term for a cranberry sauce. But again, alliteration is always a nice thing! In case you’re wondering, a compote is basically fruit stewed in some kind of syrup. It can serve as a topping for ice cream or just served on its own. I did use some of this to make a cheesecake for my Winter Feast. Of course, that’s going to be the next post. Exciting stuff!
- 1 1/2 c. water
- 1 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 – 3 cinnamon sticks, depending on strength
- 2 whole star anise
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 1 orange, juice and zest
- 4 c. cranberries, divided
- 1/2 c. cognac
1. In a medium saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a gentle boil until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce by about 1/4.
2. Add the orange juice and cook for 1 minute. Add the cinnamon, anise, cardamom, and 3 c. of the cranberries. Bring to a boil. Once you start to hear some of the cranberries pop, reduce the heat and allow to stew for about 10 – 15 minutes.
3. After the mixture has thickened, add the remaining cranberries. Once the cranberries have started to pop, reduce heat to low and cook for another 3 – 5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cognac. Let sit for about 30 minutes. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
Notes — theoretically, this should last for at least a week, but it usually gets used up quickly in my house. . . you could try brown sugar which might be a nice change. . . I have seen some recipes that use maple syrup. . . another thing to try would be to add some ginger. . . I did make a double batch and just reused the whole spices. It worked out fine. You could cut down the amount of spices if it might be too much for you. . . Adding cognac is optional, but I think it helps round everything out. But of course, I don’t need an excuse to booze something up!
December 21, 2011 at 10:35 am
Oh Jereme! This looks sooo good. I have to make this for Christmas!
December 21, 2011 at 6:17 pm
i like it because you can make it a few days ahead of time. plus it tastes so good!
December 21, 2011 at 10:41 am
Cognac and star anise? Sign me up.
December 21, 2011 at 5:09 pm
cognac is optional, but it really is necessary for life.
December 21, 2011 at 10:54 pm
I concur with Greg here.