Spiced Dried Fruit Compote

Recipe from Tom Birchard and Natalie Danford

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated February 15, 2016

  • Natalie Behring for The New York Times
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Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(10)
Comments
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The East Village Ukrainian restaurant Veselka serves the Sviata Vecheria, a traditional 12-dish dinner that is meatless and dairy-free. It is eaten before Mass on Christmas Eve and is followed, on Christmas morning, by a prodigious feast of ham and sausages. Sviata Vecheria ends with uzvar, a sweet, spiced compote of dried fruit. —Julia Moskin

Featured in: A Ukrainian Beacon in the East Village

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Ingredients

Yield:2 quarts

  • 1 cup dried apples, in bite-size pieces

  • 1 cup dried pears, in bite-size pieces

  • ½ cup pitted prunes

  • ½ cup raisins

  • 1 lemon, another to taste

  • 1 cup honey, more to taste

  • 1 cinnamon stick

  • 4 whole cloves

  • 2 quarts apple cider

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

29 grams carbs; 110 calories; 1 gram fiber; 7 milligrams sodium; 25 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    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.

  2. Step 2

    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.

  3. Step 3

    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.

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Comments

kit

Start with half the honey and half the cider and see how you get on.

Rusalka

My mom uses plain tap water to make Ukrainian Fruit Compote, rather than apple cider, so if you don't have apple cider on hand, just add water!

kit

Start with half the honey and half the cider and see how you get on.

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Credits

Adapted from “The Veselka Cookbook,” by Tom Birchard with Natalie Danford (St. Martin’s Press, 2009)

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