Crostini with Cran-Cherry Compote and Ricotta

Crostini with Cran-Cherry Compote and Ricotta

Cook's Note (Ben) : This is not your mother's sweet, tart cranberry salad. This compote beats that salad up, steals its lunch money and spends it all on booze and loose women. It's more of a savory cranberry salad that is reduced down to a staggering intensity.


Ingredients:
· 1/2 pound small pearl onions, left unpeeled
· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
· 3/4 cup sugar
· 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
· 1 cup dry white wine
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1 cup fresh or frozen pitted cherries
· 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (not thawed if frozen)
· 1 cup dried cranberries
· 1/2 cup water
· 1 baguette
· 8 oz ricotta (use the best damn ricotta you can get your hands on)
Preparation
Blanch onions in a pan of boiling water 1 minute, then drain and peel them.

Cook onions in butter in a saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, 1 minute. Add sugar and 1 tablespoon vinegar and cook, stirring frequently, until sugar mixture turns a golden caramel, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully add remaining vinegar, wine, and salt and boil, stirring, 1 minute (use caution, as mixture will bubble up). Add dried cranberries and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes. Add cherries a little before its done.

Add cranberries and water and gently boil over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 10 minutes. Transfer compote to a bowl and cool completely.

Slice the baguette, drizzle with olive oil and bake in the oven until just crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and top the crostini liberally with ricotta and compote. Serve.