Fall Fruit Stew

The fruit may be varied depending on what you have available. Excellent served over ice cream with ginger snaps on the side.

2 cups unsweetened apple juice

1 cup water

2 cinnamon sticks

1 (1-inch) piece of ginger root, cut in half

zest of 1 orange

zest of 1 lemon

2 apples, peeled, cored, cut in eighths

2 firm pears, peeled, cored, cut in eighths

4 plums, pitted, cut in halves

2 fuyu Persimmons, peeled, seeded, cut in eighths

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/3 cup dark raisins

112 cup pitted prunes

112 cup dried apricots

1/3 cup fresh raspberries

1.4 cup almonds, chopped

pomegranate seeds

Bring apple juice, water, cinnamon sticks, ginger and zests to boil in large saucepan. Add apples, cover and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Add pears, cover, and cook 5 minutes. Add plums, Persimmons, raisins, prunes and apricots and cook for another 5 minutes. If you must stir, be careful not to break fruit apart. Turn off heat. Gently stir in raspberries.

Toast almonds in 400Ap oven until golden brown, about 3 minutes.

Remove ginger root and carefully spoon stew into individual bowls, being careful not to break up fruit. Serve sprinkled with toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds.

Makes 6 servings.