Grilled Fruit Compote

The perfect homage to summer: grilled fresh fruit in a light liqueur sauce. A light sparkling wine with angel food cake and grilled fruit? A heavenly idea! The caramelized grilled fruit makes this dish a match for malt. Try an apricot ale.

5 small, ripe peaches, quartered and pitted
6 small, ripe plums, quartered and pitted
1 cup of water
3/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur
3/4 cup sugar
Zest from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Angel food cake or low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt (optional)

Place fruit pieces in center of cooking grate. Grill for 4 to 6 minutes, just until fruit is warmed through and grill marks have begun to appear, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from grill and set aside.

Combine water, liqueur, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the zest from the lemon and add it in strips to the pan, along with the vanilla. Continue boiling until liquid is reduced and syrupy, about 15 minutes.

Transfer syrup to a serving bowl. Cut grilled fruit into bite-size pieces and add to syrup; stir. Chill at least two hours to allow fruits to absorb the flavor of the syrup. Compote may be prepared a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator overnight.

Serve compote with a little of the syrup spooned over Angel Food Cake or frozen yogurt, if desired.

Makes 6 servings.

Note: Compote can also be made with 3 apples and 3 ripe pears, all quartered and cored. Change grilling time to 6 to 8 minutes and turn once halfway through grilling time.