Summer Berry Compote

 

 

Finally.  Finally summer has descended upon Milwaukee after weeks of gloomy, rainy chilliness.  Summerfest is going on literally two blocks from my place  (seeing the Head and the Heart tonight….love!), and we headed over on opening night….only to leave after a few brave hours of shivering in sweatshirts and jeans.  We couldn’t even drink a beer-it was so cold, and that’s saying a lot.  Especially in Milwaukee.

But not anymore.  There’s a nice balmy breeze, blue skies and lots of sunshine.  I got a crazy sunburn/don’t-worry-it-won’t-tan-because-I -only-burn-line during my lakefront walk with Scout yesterday.  (Only to have the line declare itself while out at a fancy dinner date in a beautiful new dress with a different neckline…awesome. 🙂 )  We’re going to do a several mile bike ride in a few hours, and I’ll be sure to slather on my SPF.  And I’ll do it excitedly.   My tomato plants are starting to explode. Because summer is finally here.

This summer compote is perfect for using up fresh berry produce now that berries are everywhere (and at a decent price!)  I used mine here on some steel cut oats, but this compote would be just as delicious over ice cream or in a yogurt parfait.  It’s so simple to throw together, and you can use whatever combination of berries you like.  You can also use frozen berries, too.   And, one more thing:  the compote can be saved and refrigerated for a later use. Enjoy.

 

 

 

Summer Berry Compote

Servings: about 1 and 1/2 cups compote

 

Ingredients

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cinnamon

12 ounces of fresh berries: I used a combination of raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries.

For serving:  steel cut oats, ice cream, yogurt, etc.

 

 

 

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter.

2. Add the honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon, bringing the mixture to a boil.

3. Add the fruit, mixing to combine.

4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or so.  (To make the compote a bit thicker, just let it cook for a bit longer, stirring occasionally.  To get mine the consistency I desired, I let mine simmer for about 10 minutes because I wanted it thick and syrupy.)

 

Source:  Barely adapted from Cooking Light as part of my monthly contribution to the Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection.