Before peaches and nectarines begin to appear on our local market stalls, juicy, sweet apricots come into season bringing loads of flavour to liven up our springtime recipes. Apricots have been around forever and ancient Romans were so impressed by this fruit’s early ripening that they took to calling them praecocium, Latin for “precocious.”
Apricots are actually sweet and sour in flavour with a wonderfully fragrant character and a mixture of fresh and tropical tones. They are silky smooth with a soft, velvety skin that ranges from pale yellow to deep orange. Although an apricot’s colour is not always a reliable guide to flavour, its best to steer clear of very pale varieties, and always avoid wrinkled or blemished skins. The flesh should feel moderately firm with some give so purchase plump, firm apricots that are soft and juicy—they should also be eaten as soon as possible.
At this time of year apricots are just about the best fruit choice in local markets. Low in calories and packed with nutrients, just three fresh apricots will give you almost half the vitamin A you need for the day along with a healthy dose of vitamin C, potassium and fiber. In addition, apricots are packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals that damage cells. I often find that fresh Apricots can be disappointing little fruits to eat raw, but apply some heat and sweetness and you’ll be well rewarded. They have a great affinity to all diary flavours but also marry well with almonds, chocolate, vanilla and oranges.
To ripen apricots, place the hard fruit in a brown paper bag for one or two days. Ripe apricots should be stored in the refrigerator to prevent over-ripening. Fresh apricots can be frozen: just halve the fruit, remove the pit, and freeze on a baking sheet. Once frozen, place the apricots in a sealable plastic bag.
Clafoutis, from Limousin, France, is one of the easiest of baked desserts to make: it’s a thick, sweet batter and you can replace the apricots with cherries, prunes or any fresh stone fruits. Just make sure don’t over-beat the batter and you can pass it through a sieve into the pan, pressing through with a spoon if it looks a bit lumpy. It’s a simply delicious dessert best served still warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Clafoutis of Apricot & Almonds
Ingredients: serves 4
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
250ml cream
100g sugar
12 apricots
50g sliced almonds
1 teaspoon corn flour
30ml dry sherry
Beat the yolks, whole eggs and the sugar until it begins to thicken. Add the corn flour and sherry. Mix well.
Bring the cream and mint leaves to a boil. Pass through a sieve.
Add the cream to the egg mixture.
Arrange the apricots in a shallow Pyrex dish. Pour the mixture on top and sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Bake in a 180 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until the mixture is just set. Dust with icing sugar and serve with ice cream.
