Compote Level 1
- 2 cups berries
- up to 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice (balsamic vinegar works with some flavours)
- pinch salt
Chop up the berries, toss all the ingredients together, let sit 5-10 min.
The berries should start to dissolve with the sugar.
Put in a pot, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until thicker.
Reduced to about half is the target, approx 15-20 mins
Cool a bit, serve –
Watch out for tasting while cooking because hot sugar is hot!
The compote will thicken more as it cools.
Compote Level 2 (the more boozy version)
- 2 cups berries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp brandy or bourbon
Chop the berries into 1/2″ pieces and toss with sugar and honey.
Put in a pot and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the alcohol, and add to the fruit after it comes to a boil.
Keep boiling for 3 minutes, remove from heat, and let cool.
Compote Level 99 – Pure Insanity
- 6-ish ounces of something groovy and finely diced (figs, dates, prunes, fruit leather?)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup bourbon
- 1/4 cup balsamic
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- pinch salt
Stir everything together, let it sit 5-10 minutes.
Put in a pot, bring to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until thicker.
Reduced to about half is the target, approx 20-25 mins
For bonus insanity, pair with something stinky like blue cheese, or any other soft cheese with some bite.