Winter Fruit Salad-Valentine's Day

 

3/4 c. sugar
3 star anise
1/2 fresh vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
8 dried  apricots, halved
4 dried figs, quartered
4 2-inch long pieces lemon zest (peeled with a vegetable peeler)
Juice from the same lemon
3 Bosc pears
1 Granny Smith apple
Seeds from half a pomegranate

Fill a medium saucepan with 4 c. water. Add the sugar, star anise, vanilla bean and lemon zest. Bring to a boil, and cook until all the sugar is dissolved. Let it cool for 5 minutes and then stir in the figs and apricots. Let it cool completely.

Meanwhile, core the pears and apple (and peel if you like). Slice thinly lengthwise, place in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice.

Once the syrup with dried fruit has cooled, pour it over the apples and pears. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it overnight in the refrigerator.

The next morning, using a slotted spoon, ladle the fruit into a serving bowl, sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and serve. Remove the vanilla beans (you can rinse and save what is left of them for another use) and lemon peels if you wish, or leave them in for decoration.

Note: Syrup can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a day or two. Hot syrup can be poured over the dried fruit and kept in the fridge for a day or so. Prepared salad keeps in the fridge for a day or two, but is best fresh.

Winter fruit salad

Ingredients

• 600g good-quality ready-to-eat dried fruits (such as prunes, pears, apricots, figs cranberries)
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• 1 vanilla pod, split lengthways
• 1 Earl Grey tea bag
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• mascarpone or Greek yogurt, to serve
•   Prep: 20 mins Cook: 10 mins
  Easy
  Serves 6 
   

  Method

  1. Tip the fruits and 700ml/11⁄4 pints cold water into a large saucepan. Add the honey and vanilla, scraping the seeds from the pod into the pan. Bring to the boil. Stir well, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly syrupy.
  2. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the tea bag. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
  3. Discard the tea bag and vanilla pod, tip the fruits and liquid into a non-metallic bowl and pour over the lemon juice. Stir, then leave to cool. Cover and chill until ready to serve