Apricot Recipes

2 (15-oz) cans apricot halves

½ cup plus 2 Tbsp butter, divided

1 cup brown sugar

¼ cup flour

1 1/3cups crushed butter crackers (36)

Drain apricots, reserve ¾ cup juice. Place apricots in a greased 11 by 7 by 2 inch baking dish.  In a pan, melt ½ cup butter, then add brown sugar, flour, and reserved juice.  Mix well and pour over apricots.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. 

Melt rest of butter and toss with crackers.  Sprinkle over top.  Bake 20 minutes longer.

2 (6-oz) packages dried apricots, ground

2 cups shredded coconut, plus more for rolling

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

Confectioners sugar, for rolling

Combine the apricots and coconut.  Stir to mix.  Add milk and mix well.  Shape into 1-inch balls.  Coat with sugar and/or coconut.  Let stand at room temperature until firm, then refrigerate.  Yields 5 dozen.

4 to 6 ripe wrinkled passion fruit

¼ cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 ½ cups apricot or peach nectar

Halve passion fruit.  In a blender or food processor fitted with a metal blade, process passion fruit pulp with sugar until blended.  Strain out seeds; transfer mixture to a small saucepan.  In a medium bowl, stir cornstarch into apricot nectar; add to saucepan.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and bubbles.  Cook 2 minutes more.  Cool.  If preparing ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 1 week.  Makes 1 ¾ cups.  Use over ice cream, plain cake or brownies or over breakfast pancakes.

5 lbs fresh apricots, halved and pitted

4 c. sugar

1/3 c. lemon juice

1-2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped

Don’t waste your time peeling the apricots. The skins are so thin and delicate that they will pretty much dissolve during the cooking process. And the skin adds flavor and fragrance you don’t want to omit. Toss apricots, sugar and lemon juice in a large stock pot. Set aside for four hours or overnight in the fridge. Bring to a slow boil, being careful to stir often to prevent any sticking. Boil the mixture down by about half until thickened. I test mine by taking a spoonful, cooling it down, then turning the spoon on its side. If it’s a gel-like consistency, it’s ready. If it’s too watery, it needs more time cooking. Remove the pot of preserves from heat. Then stir in 1 tablespoon of the fresh rosemary. Once combined, do a taste test and decide whether to add another tablespoon. It can easily overpower the apricot flavor. When you’re ready, carefully pour preserves into your clean, sterilized canning jays (I like 1/2 pints or full pints). Wipe the rims clean and adjust two-piece caps. Boil in hot water bath for fifteen minutes.

¾ cup ripe fruit such as peaches, nectarines, pears, or apricots

1 Tbsp unsweetened fruit juice (not citrus)

Remove skin and seeds.  Puree ingredients in blender until smooth.  Heat the puree to about 180 degrees F or to a simmering temperature.  Let cool, then serve or freeze.  Freeze no longer than one month for best quality.

This is clearly not something everyone will enjoy, but beetroot is so healthy and should be part of your diet. Thinly sliced kitchen-ready beets lay the foundation for this simple and tasty recipe. It is low in calories, fat and features a favorite root vegetable in a beautiful way. Soft-ripened Brie can be replaced with Feta or goat cheese.

Using a mandolin, slice the beet into a bowl. Add the lemon juice, a little salt and pepper, a large tablespoon of walnut oil and the balsamic vinegar, and mix. Cut the apricots in half, remove the pits and dice. Cut the Brie into cubes. Arrange the thinly sliced beets onto two serving plates. Scatter the diced apricot, Brie cubes and rucola over.

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

¼ cup firmly packed fresh basil leaves

1 Tbsp firmly packed orange zest

1 Tbsp firmly packed lemon zest

½ lb peaches, peeled and sliced

½ lb plums, sliced

1 lb apricots, sliced

Bring water and sugar to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in basil leaves and next 2 ingredients.  Let stand 20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine peaches, plums, and apricots in a large bowl.  Pour sugar mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl and discard solids.  Stir ¼ to ½ cup syrup and 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil into fruit; reserve remaining syrup for another use.

2 1/3 cups water

1/8 tsp powdered saffron or saffron threads

½ tsp salt

1 cup rice

2 Tbsp butter

3 nectarines or peaches, or 6 apricots, pitted, chopped

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

2 Tbsp minced green onion

1 tsp lemon or orange zest

In a medium saucepan, place water, saffron and salt.  Bring to a boil; stir in rice.  Cover tightly and simmer 18-20 minutes or until all water is absorbed.  Transfer hot rice from pan to serving bowl.  In the same pan, melt butter; add nectarines, parsley, onion, and orange zest.  Saute 3 minutes or until heated through.  Stir mixture into rice; serve hot.