Compote
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Compote is used in a number of cultures to define different dishes. Common preparation of a compote is a cooked dish of fresh or dried fruits, simmered whole or in pieces in a sugar syrup. A compote can also refer to a game meat dish containing rabbit, pigeon or partridge, cooked in a roux for a long time over low heat with bacon, and pearl onions until the meat has completely cooked to a fine texture. A third type of compote is a drink made in Eastern European countries from dried fruit simmered in water and sugar and set-aside to infuse flavors until ready to drink.
Contents |
[edit] As a dish
A compote is made of whole or pieces of fruit simmered in a sugar syrup. As whole fruit, the fruit is simmered in the syrup over gentle heat. The syrup may be seasoned with vanilla, lemon or orange peel, cinnamon sticks or powder, cloves, ground almonds, grated coconut, candied fruit, or raisins. The whole fruit is then served either warm or chilled arranged in a large fruit bowl or single-serve bowl for individual presentation. The dish is then potentially topped with whipped cream, cinnamon, or vanilla sugar. Other preparations consist of using dried fruits which have been soaked in water in which alcohol can be added, for example kirsch, rum, or Frontignan.[1] Dried fruit compote is a common passover food.
Compote can also be used to refer to a dish made from game meats. Examples of game meats used are rabbit, partridge and pigeon. The meats are cooked in a roux for a long time over low heat along with pearl onions and bacon added at the end. The dish is cooked until the meat has completely fallen from the bones and shredded into fine fibers.[2]
[edit] As a drink
Compote is a traditional drink in Eastern European countries, especially in Bosnia, where it has been a tradition since Ottoman times. It is a light refreshing drink most often made of dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots, etc.) boiled in water with sugar and left to cool and infuse.
"In the mid-1980s, 60 percent of beverages consumed by an average Pole consisted of compote and other homemade drinks,"[3] where the beverage is called kompot. In recent years, that number has dropped to 30%[3], while fruit juices and tea served with lemon have replaced the consumption of compote.[3] Compote is found more often in the home than in restaurants in Poland.[3]
[edit] Naming of compote drink in Eastern Europe
This drink is known in Europe in different languages as:
- kompot in Bosnian, Croatian, Czech, Polish, Serbian, Slovakian; Slovenian; this spelling is represented in the Cyrillic alphabet as компот in Macedonian, Russian and Bulgarian
- in Ukrainian, "kompot (компот)" is a drink made of (dried or not) fruit boiled in water, while the described above drink made of dried fruit is called "uzvar (узвар)" and belongs to the traditional Ukrainian cuisine
- kompót in Hungarian
- kompott in Estonian
- κομπόστα komposta in Greek
- kompotas in Lithuanian
- compota in Spanish
- compot in Romanian
- Hoşaf (or Komposto if it's made of fresh fruits) in Turkish made with dried fruit (raisins, prunes, apricots, etc.) boiled and infused in sugar syrup sometimes with spices. It is often consumed with Pilav and Makarna.
