Ginger Pear Amandine | St. Mary's Episcopal Church

This recipe is from the 2010 St. Mary's cookbook Keeping the Feast. Copies are available for $15; email Sherrie Simmonds to arrange purchase and delivery.

Ginger Pear Amandine
Alice Smith
about 30 minutes prep time plus 6 hours chilling time

Editor's note:
Summer fruits chilled in a gingery syrup make a perfect combination for a fall treat!

2 1/2 cups (20-ounce can) pineapple chunks, or 1/4 of a fresh pineapple
6-10 pear halves or slices, peeled (if canned, 1 pound)
1 can tart cherries (or equivalent amount fresh if so lucky)
4 tangerines or oranges, peeled and sectioned
juice of 1 lemon (plus zest of lemon for syrup, below)
slivered almonds
mint sprigs

for syrup:
2 cups sugar
juice from canned fruits plus 2 cups water
1/2-3/4 cups chopped candied ginger, or to taste
1-2 tablespoons lemon zest

Arrange fruit in layers in compote dish (a dish with a stem). Squeeze lemon juice on peeled, fresh pears to keep color. Boil sugar, juices, water, ginger, and lemon zest until sugar is dissolved. Pour boiling syrup over fruit. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Garnish with slivered almonds and mint sprigs to serve. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for several days.