Mother's Day Recipe: Grapefruit and Blood Orange Compote

Compote is a lot like jam, but it's quicker to make and a little less precise. The recipe can be easily modified to include just about any fruit you like. Typically there are both dried fruits and fresh fruits, cooked together in spiced syrup. I like to mix juicy citrus segments with brown sugar syrup and add a handful of tart dried cranberries. This compote is wonderful spooned over a stack of French toast or pancakes, or stirred into a simple bowl of oatmeal.

Grapefruit and Blood Orange Compote

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

• ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 1 large grapefruit
• 2 blood oranges

To Prepare

In a small pot set over medium heat, combine ¼ cup water with the brown sugar, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, for 2 minutes. Add the dried cranberries and cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat.

Cut the grapefruit in half along the equator line. Use the tip of a small, sharp knife to cut out each little segment of fruit, slicing on either side of the white pith and around the outer edge. Place the grapefruit segments into a strainer set over a bowl to catch any juices. Once you've cut out all the segments, squeeze each grapefruit half over the segments to ring out any last juice. Repeat the cutting and squeezing process with the blood oranges.

Transfer the citrus segments to the pot. Add 2 tablespoons of the strained juice (and serve the rest on ice in a glass). Gently stir to mix the compote.

Compote can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for several days.