Spiced citrus and pomegranate compote

Prep time: 20 minutes, plus cooling time Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 8

This will surprise you. It might sound like the dull option but it’s delicious, a mixture of sweet and bitter, and very Christmassy. If some is leftover I have it for breakfast the next day. When blood oranges are in season, use them instead of regular oranges.

INGREDIENTS

– 250ml pomegranate juice (use proper juice, such as Pom Wonderful, not anything labelled ‘pomegranate juice drink’)

– 125g granulated sugar – 1½ tbsp pomegranate

molasses

– juice of ½ lemon, plus

a broad strip of zest – 2cm piece cinnamon

stick

– 1 star anise (optional) – 2 oranges

– 1 red or pink

grapefruit

– 1 regular grapefruit – 4-6 tbsp pomegranate

seeds, to serve

– Greek yoghurt (mixed with a little sugar and double cream if you prefer), to serve

METHOD

For the syrup, put the pomegranate juice, sugar, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, zest and spices into a saucepan along with a broad strip of zest from 1 of your oranges and 150ml water. Heat gently, stirring to help the sugar dissolve, then simmer for about 12 minutes. You should have about 250ml. Leave to cool completely then chill.

To prepare the citrus fruit, cut a slice from the top and the base of each one. Using a very sharp knife, remove the skin and the white pith in broad strips, working from the top to the bottom. Turn each fruit round as you do this. There will probably be some white pith remaining – carefully remove it. Cut each fruit into rounds, placing your cutting board in a tray with lips so that any juice can be caught. Add the juice that you trap to the pomegranate syrup. Flick out any seeds you find and the white pith at the centre of each slice.

Arrange the citrus slices in a broad shallow bowl where you can see all the colours. You can put the cinnamon stick and the star anise into the bowl along with the fruit.

Strain the pomegranate syrup. Pour it over the fruit (only use as much as you need – serve the rest on the side). Scatter the pomegranate seeds on top and serve with the Greek yoghurt.