Barley Free Apple-Sage Compote

Total time30 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time20 min

5.0

(26)

Warm, glossy, and fragrant with fresh herbs, this apple compote is the kind of simple recipe that makes everything it touches taste more special. Diced apples are cooked down in butter and pure maple syrup until they turn tender and lacquered in a syrupy glaze, then finished with a bright splash of apple cider vinegar and ribbons of fresh sage. That last-minute hit of vinegar is the secret — it cuts through the sweetness and gives the whole thing a sophisticated, savory edge you won't expect from such humble ingredients. Ground ginger adds a gentle warmth that ties the apple and sage together beautifully. For anyone navigating grain sensitivities, this recipe is naturally free of any grain-based thickeners or additives — every ingredient on the list is clean and straightforward. It works as a topping for roasted pork, a spread alongside a cheese board, or even spooned over oatmeal or yogurt in the morning. Simple to pull off and endlessly versatile, this is one of those recipes you'll find yourself making on repeat all autumn long.

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Ingredients

6 servings

1 ½ lb apples (about 4 medium), peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp water
6 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
¼ tsp ground ginger
⅛ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

1
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until foamy and just beginning to subside, about 1 minute.
2
Add the diced apples, maple syrup, water, ground ginger, and salt. Stir to coat, then cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and most of the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze, 14–16 minutes.

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