Spiced Orange Compote

These spiced oranges, from EatingWell magazine, are delicious served as is or alongside angel food cake. Their flavor improves as they sit, so make the compote a day ahead of serving.
Ingredients
- 8 small oranges, preferably seedless
- 2 cups water
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 star anise
Instructions
- Use a 5-hole zester to remove zest from oranges in long, thin, spindly strips (or use vegetable peeler to remove strips of zest and cut into thin slivers). Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add zest and cook for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small strainer (reserve the cooking liquid). Rinse with cold water; separate and drain on a paper towel.
- Stir sugar into the reserved cooking liquid; bring to a simmer. Cut vanilla bean in half lengthwise; scrape the seeds into the sugar water and add the pod along with cinnamon stick, cloves, and star anise. Continue to simmer until the sauce reduces to 1/2 cup and thickens slightly, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Meanwhile, slice off an end of each orange so they stand upright steadily. Carefully remove all the remaining peel and white pith from the oranges with a very sharp knife. Slice the peeled oranges into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Remove any extraneous pith, rind, or seeds.
- Discard the vanilla pod and whole spices. Stir the zest into the sauce. Layer the orange slices in a serving bowl, spooning the sauce between layers to distribute the zest evenly throughout
Makes 10 half-cup servings with 61 calories, 0 g fat, 15 g carbohydrates, 1 mg sodium, and 2 g fiber, plus 140 mg potassium.