Weblog Entry - 12/15/2002: "Red Wine Compote Cobbler"

12/15/2002 Entry: Red Wine Compote Cobbler

This is a vegan dessert that rose out of the need to use up a bananna and a pear that were just getting over-ripe -- which isn't enough fruit to make the traditional cobbler I usually make with leftover fruit. This dessert can be made with the smaller amount of fruit I used, or up to 2 pints of cut-up fruit for more traditional cobbler proportions.

It came out of the oven with a tantalizing aroma and a surprisingly sophisticated flavor. Serves 8.

Compote base:

1 bananna
2 pears, or 1 apple and 1 pear
1/2 c raisins
1/4 c lemon juice
1/2 c red wine
1/4 to 1/2 c sugar
1 tsp corn starch (optional)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom

Peel, core, and dice fruit. Mix with lemon juice, wine, sugar, and corn starch in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish.

Biscuit topping (with much thanks to Joy of Cooking, upon which this is based):

1/2 to 2/3 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 tsp salt
1 tbsp red wine
3 tbsp vegetable shortening
1/2 cup soy milk

Mix 1/2 c flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. With a fork, pastry blender, or 2 knives, cut the shortening and wine into the dry ingredients until mixture is coarse and crumbly.

Add soy milk all at once. Mix with fork until mixture holds together; add flour if dough is sticky. Gather together into a ball, and roll out into 9x9 square. Lay square of biscuit on top of compote base.

Optional decorations:
* With a cookie cutter, cut shape(s) into top
* pin bay leaves to top with whole cloves
* brush top with olive oil
* sprinkle top with sugar

Bake in 375-degree oven for 45 minutes. Be careful -- the compote *will* boil! Use a deep dish and/or put a cookie sheet on a rack set beneath the baking dish to catch drips.

Serve warm or cool, with or without vanilla ice cream.

Posted by sev @ 10:41 PM PST |

insert witty comment here