Recipe

Dried Fruit Compote

Ingredients

2 pounds mixed dried fruit (Any combination of dried fruits is delicious. Try figs, apricots, cherries, cranberries, apples, prunes, or blueberries.)
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup cognac
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 vanilla bean, split

Place the dried fruits in a large bowl and cover with 2 cups of boiling water. Let the fruit sit for about 1 hour, then drain. Place the fruit in a medium saucepan with the remaining ingredients, making sure the vanilla bean pod is scraped and the pod and seeds are added to the mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow mixture to simmer gently for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The fruit should be tender but not falling apart. Add more sugar or orange juice, to taste, if needed. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and vanilla bean pod.
Refrigerate the compote in its syrup overnight before serving. Serve the compote chilled, with hot Pecan Waffles.