Winter Pear Compote

(Ed. Note: Please welcome guest poster Marcy, who'll be dropping madtastiness on us all from time to time.)

Do you know how many types of pears there are? You may be surprised to know that there are actually close to 5,000 pear varieties throughout the world. However, in the U.S., the Bartlett pair accounts for 70% of the pear market. The Bartlett, or green pair, is one of six pears that you may have seen in your local market. The other five common pears in the U.S. include: Anjou, Asian, Bosc, Comice, Red Bartlett and Seckel.

One of my favorite winter desserts is pear compote. Making pear compote is simple, with little prep time. It is also inexpensive and healthy. Any type of pears will work well with this recipe. My personal favorite is Bosc pears, as they cook well even if they aren’t ripe.

There are many ways to eat compote. Eat it cold, hot, on top of ice-cream, with whipping cream, or in yogurt. Make a batch of pear compote and keep in the fridge all week. You’ll have an instant, healthy snack rich in Vitamin C and fiber – both of which will help to keep you healthy and regular!

Ingredients:

• 8 Pears (any pears, or a combination of pears)
• ¼ of one lemon
• ¼ C. raisins
• ¼ C. sugar
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• Water to cover all ingredients

Peel, core and chop the pears into quarters. (FYI- Avoid placing the core and stem in your garbage disposal as it could cause the disposal to clog. This has happened to me on several occasions). Don’t dice the pears as they will fall apart and turn into pear sauce instead of pear compote.

Put all of the ingredients in a 6 qt. pot and cover with water. Simmer and then cook it covered, over a small to medium flame (be careful not to over simmer, as the water could overflow and cause a big mess on your stove top). Cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let it cool down a bit, then serve as you please.

Yields 6 servings.


(this picture is from whole foods, but it should look similar!)