Dried-Fruit Compote with Vanilla and Orange

Ingredients

• 1.3 cups apricot dried
• 0.5 lb figs dried (preferably Calimyrna; 1 cup)
• 1.5 cups wine dry white
• 1  orange juice 
• 1.3 cups prune- cut to pieces pitted
• 0.7 cup sugar 
• 1  vanilla pod halved lengthwise
• 2 cups water 

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• knife
• peeler

Directions

1. Peel zest in long strips from half of orange with a vegetable peeler and trim any white pith from zest.
2. Cut zest into fine julienne strips. Halve orange and squeeze 1/3 cup juice.
3. Combine zest, juice, wine, sugar, and 2 cups water in a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean with a sharp knife into wine mixture, reserving pod for another use. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then continue to boil, uncovered, until reducedto about 3 cups, about 10 minutes.
4. While syrup is boiling, cut off and discard fig stems and halve figs lengthwise.
5. Add figs to syrup and simmer, covered, until they soften, about 5 minutes.
6. Add apricots and prunes, then simmer, covered, until plump, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Transfer compote to a heatproof bowl and cool to warm or room temperature, 1 to 2 hours.
8. • Compote can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat over moderately low heat.
9. Each serving with 2 tablespoons low-fat sour cream contains about 429 calories and 4 grams fat (without sour cream: 384 calories and 1 gram fat).
10. Bon Appétit