Recipe: Warm Compote of Summer Fruits

I, for one, am so happy to see all the summer fruits that I get sad thinking that they are only around for a few glorious months..... so I try to enjoy them as much as possible.

Last month I was invited to demonstrate a dessert at the San Francisco Farmer's Market. Each week a different chef is asked to visit the farmer's booths and purchase whatever they'd like and make something in the demonstration kitchen. I chose this simple compote, which is inspired from a dessert by French chef Roger Vergé, who visited us many times at Chez Panisse; he was always so jovial and friendly. Once when I was working with some Chez Panisse colleagues in Bordeaux, Chef Vergé came by to visit with another (an infamously egotistical) French chef.

Needless to say, we all swarmed around the beaming fellow, Mr. Vergé, and practically ignored the other grouch, much to his obvious displeasure!

Although I don't necessarily do this every time, you could make an egg wash by lightly beating an egg and brushing it over the biscuits prior to baking. This will give them a shiny brown glow.

Warm Compote of Summer Fruits
About 6 servings

1 cup cherries, pitted (about 1/3 pound)

1/2 basket strawberries, sliced

1 cup raspberries or blackberries

3 fresh apricots, in 3/4-inch dice

1 peach or nectarine, peeled, in 3/4-inch dice (no need to peel nectarines)

1/2 cup sugar

3 tablespoons kirsch (optional, but good!)

juice of 1 lemon

1. In a non-reactive skillet, heat the cherries over medium heat with the sugar, until they begin to soften. Add the strawberries and raspberries. Cook for another minute or so, stirring occasionally, until the berries are heated through.

2. Add the apricots and peaches and cook another 10 minutes, until the fruits are heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the kirsch and lemon juice. Add additional sugar if necessary. Serve warm with biscuits and cream, or this compote can be refrigerated for 2 days and re-warmed before serving.

Biscuits
Makes 6

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

6 tablespoons buttermilk (or heavy cream)

1 large egg, beaten with a bit of milk (for glaze)

To make the biscuits:

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Mix flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar with food processor. Add butter and pulse until butter is in small pea-sized pieces. Add buttermilk and pulse until dough just comes together.

2. Roll or pat dough on a lightly floured surface until 3/4-inch thick. Cut 4 biscuits with a 3-inch round biscuit cutter. Gather and re-roll leftover scraps to make 2 more biscuits. Place biscuits on parchment covered baking sheet, brush with beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.