This dish adds sophistication and flavor to any meal but is especially good at the end of a light spring dinner. It is very simple to make but does require marinating overnight so make sure to plan ahead. This recipe is flexible, you can use whatever fruits happen to be in season and may substitute water for either red or white wine. Pears lend themselves well to red wine, whereas peaches are especially nice cooked in a white wine. Be sure to use star anise rather than anise seeds as the star anise add much more flavor to your sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 star anise
- 2 to 3 cardamom pods
- 1 stick of cinnamon
- 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2/3 of a small pineapple
- 2/3 of a small honeydew melon
- 1/2 of a small cantaloupe
- 1 1/2 oranges
- 1 nectarine
- 1 plum
- 1/2 cup seedless grapes
- 1/2 of a lime
- Cheesecloth
Instructions:
Crack open pods of cardamom to ensure that the syrup can reach the seeds. Place star anise, cardamom, and cinnamon in a 7 inch square of several layers of cheese cloth and secure by bringing ends together and tying off with a piece of string.
Place cheese cloth with spices in a sauce pan and add water, sugar, and lemon rind. Bring to a boil and boil gently until all of the sugar is dissolved. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes, and then remove from heat to let cool.
Cut up all of the fruit into chunks and place in a large bowl. Pour cooled syrup over the fruit, cover and marinate overnight.
