winter fruit salad with star anise

macedonia con sciroppo all’anice

4 servings

Instead of winter cherries, make a cranberry compote:  Bring 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, ½ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice and 2 teaspoons grated orange zest to simmer; cook until cranberries burst and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.   Cool.

• 1 cup water     
• ½ cup sugar   
• 3 star anise, ground     
• 1½ cups winter cherries, cape gooseberries, or ground cherries
• 1 golden delicious apple, peeled and diced     
• 1 bartlett pear, peeled and diced     
• 12 fresh lychees, peeled and halved or canned lychees, drained and halved    
• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned

In a small saucepan, bring water, sugar and star anise to a boil, covered; uncover and boil until reduced and slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Briefly submerge base of saucepan in cold water to cool syrup.

Peel winter cherries, saving papery skins for garnish, if desired.   Divide cherries, apple, pear, lychees and orange among 4 bowls, and drizzle with star anise syrup. Garnish with whole star anise and winter cherry skins, if desired.