Orange Compote is my favorite dish. After my fourth I begin to forget
that I’m a human being. After my sixth I can feel myself drifting into
a blissfully comatose state—with only strength enough left to call for
a seventh.
Orange Compote, at its best, may be obtained in any small Turkish or
Armenian restaurant where the coffee is good and the dishes aren’t too
offensively clean. When made at home it is never quite the same—I don’t
know why. This, however, is the best working substitute that I am able
to concoct.
Take as many oranges as your system is capable of absorbing, and peel
them, removing all of the thin white inside skin, and all of the
film-like tissue that divides an orange into sections. I forgot to
mention that the orange should be large, luscious, juicy and free of
seeds. Place the oranges in individual serving dishes and pour over
them this sauce, while hot:
For about six oranges you will need one middle-sized jar of orange
marmalade and one small can of Hawaiian pineapple. Put the marmalade,
the pineapple—cut into small cubes—and the pineapple juice into a
double boiler and cook, briskly, until the liquid begins to thicken.
Then pour it over the uncooked oranges and allow them—each in its
individual dish—to stand in the ice box until dessert time. Just before
serving, sprinkle with a few pine nuts, or salted almonds. Pine nuts
are best.