Ingredients
Dried fruit
- 150 gdried smoked pears
- 150 gdried apples
- 100 gprunes
- 80 gdried cherries or apricots
- 50 graisins
Liquid
- 2.5 litreswater
To sweeten
- 3 tbsphoney, added at the end
- or none at all
Optional
- 1cinnamon stick
- 3cloves
- a strip of lemon peel
To serve
- cold or barely warm, at Sviata Vecheria on Christmas Eve
Directions
- Rinse it properly, since dried fruit carries dust and is often treated with sulphur or oil. Some cooks soak it for an hour first, which shortens the cooking.
- Add the pears and apples first, since they take longest, and simmer them for 15 minutes. Staggering them stops the soft fruit dissolving entirely while the pears are still hard.
- Simmer it very gently for 10 to 15 minutes and then take it off the heat. Do not boil it hard or for long.
- Add honey only once it has cooled below a simmer, since honey heated hard loses its aroma and tastes flat.
- Cover the pot and leave it to stand for several hours, and overnight is best. The fruit continues to release its flavour into the liquid as it cools, and uzvar drunk straight from the pot tastes thin.
- Serve it cold or barely warm rather than hot.
- Serve it in a jug or in individual glasses, with kutia alongside. It keeps four or five days refrigerated and the flavour continues to deepen.
Technique
- Smoked dried pears are what give it its characteristic flavour.
- It is traditionally made without sugar.
- It is one of the twelve dishes of the Ukrainian Holy Supper.
Substitutions
- Ordinary dried pears, accepting a milder drink.
- Any mix of dried fruit.
Variations
- With honey stirred in.
- With cinnamon and cloves.
- Served warm in very cold weather.
History
Dried fruit compote simmered without sugar and drunk at Christmas Eve alongside kutia.
Frequently asked questions
What is Uzvar?
Uzvar is a drink from Ukraine: smoky dried-fruit compote for feast days. Dried fruit compote simmered without sugar and drunk at Christmas Eve alongside kutia.
How long does Uzvar take to make?
Uzvar takes 10 min plus overnight steeping of preparation and 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 2 litres. It is rated easy to make.
What can I substitute in Uzvar?
Yes, within limits. Ordinary dried pears, accepting a milder drink. Any mix of dried fruit.
What is the most important thing to get right in Uzvar?
Simmer it very gently for 10 to 15 minutes and then take it off the heat. Do not boil it hard or for long.
