Preparation - Easy
Winter Side Dishes

APRICOTS AND PEACHES.
Soak 24 dried apricots and 12 dried peaches in water until soft. Place on an ovenproof platter, add a pat of unsalted butter to each fruit, sprinkle with a little sugar, and broil for a few minutes until the sugar is melted. Sprinkle with lemon juice to taste before serving.

BAKED BANANAS.
Butter an ovenproof porcelain or Pyrex dish. Peel and slice 6 bananas lengthwise and arrange in the dish. Add pats of unsalted butter, a pinch of salt, and lemon juice. Bake at 35O degrees F (180 degrees C) for 20 to 30 minutes.

PINEAPPLE.
Cut fresh pineapple into thick slices, and heat (but don't cook) in a pan on top of the stove. One slice of pineapple per person should be sufficient.

BAKED ORANGES.
Prepare one orange for each person. Cut away one-third from the top of the oranges. Loosen the orange segments with a grapefruit knife, preparing it as for grapefruit. Fit the oranges fairly tightly into an ovenproof serving dish. Put 1 t brown sugar and 1 pat of unsalted butter over each orange. Pour very hot water into the dish, almost to the top of the oranges. Cook in a preheated 375 degrees F (190 C) oven for about 45 minutes. Before serving, pour 1 t dry sherry over each orange.

Source:
Italian Cooking in the Grand Tradition
Jo Bettoja and Anna Maria Cornetto
The Dial Press