Spiced Pear Compote with Citrus
This pear compote leans closer to a spiced punch than to the familiar childhood fruit drink: cardamom, vanilla, and cinnamon are simmered together with raisins, while the citrus and mint are added only at the end to preserve the freshness of the aroma. Thanks to the fragrant pears, the drink comes out honeyed and full-bodied without being overly sweet.
The pairing of pear with cardamom and lime is a recognizable feature of modern European home cooking, where the classic Slavic compote is reimagined through Eastern spices. This makes about 2 to 2.5 liters of the drink.
Good to Know
Add the citrus only after the compote has cooled a bit: in boiling liquid, lemon zest turns bitter. Use firm but fragrant pears (such as Conference or Duchess); overripe ones will cook down into mush. After steeping overnight in the refrigerator, the drink becomes more concentrated; diluted with sparkling mineral water, it turns into a homemade lemonade that kids will love.
Serve with a slice of lime and a mint leaf in the glass. It keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Part of European cuisine — 67 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the raisins well, cover them with water, and let them soak for half an hour.
Bring the water to a boil, add the sugar, the coarsely chopped pears, the vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and raisins, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Slice the lemon and lime into rounds. Remove the compote from the heat, let it cool to about 120°F (50°C), then add the lemon, lime, and mint leaves. The drink can be served either cold or hot.
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