Peach, Cherry, and Apple Compote

My absolutely favorite way to eat fruit is over yogurt, so, when faced with the dwindling remains of the massive pile of fruit, I decided to combine the leftovers into a sort of “best of” fruit stew. You can preserve pretty much any kind of fruit this way: just pick some things that go together, throw them in a pot with some sugar, and cook them until they look like a stew. Then can them in a water bath or freeze. Dried fruit and/or nuts makes a particularly nice addition since it gives some texture.

The lighting doesn’t quite do these jars justice: they’re a really lovely combination of gold (from the peaches) and deep red (from the cherries). I’m thinking they’ll make beautiful and tasty yogurt parfaits.

Peach, Cherry, and Apple Compote

2 lbs peaches
1 lb cherries
Approx 1 c dried apples, cut into small pieces
2 c sugar

1) Peel the peaches by dipping them briefly in boiling water. Slip off the skins and cut them into slices or large chunks. Pit the cherries.

2) Throw everything in a pot and bring to a boil. You don’t want to cook it too long—just long enough that only some of the fruit breaks down and you get a nice, fruity syrup. This took about 20 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, if you plan to can the compote, sterilize some jars (mine made 4 pints) and heat up some lids. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. You can freeze, if you prefer.