DEAL SWEETENERS
Apricot season is short but sweet – make the most of this versatile fruit’s fragrant charm while you can, whether it’s entrée, main course or dessert.
Apricot season is short but sweet – make the most of this versatile fruit’s fragrant charm while you can.
Apricot chicken biryani
Apricot chicken might sound a bit ’70s, but it doesn’t just belong on a retro dinner table – it works beautifully in this take on biryani. Crisp fried onion is a classic biryani topping; for a shortcut opt for shop-bought fried shallots instead. We’ve used slightly underripe fruit for a tart finish and firmer texture. Begin this recipe a day ahead to marinate the chicken.
Prep time 35 mins, cook 1¼ hrs (plus overnight marinating)
Serves 4-6
1 onion, thinly sliced
150 ml vegetable oil
2½ tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp each black peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds
1 tsp each ground turmeric and ground chilli ¼ tsp each ground cloves, ground cinnamon and finely grated nutmeg
3 cardamom pods
1 fresh bay leaf
500 gm thick natural yoghurt
½ cup each finely chopped mint and coriander, plus leaves to serve
1½ tbsp finely grated ginger
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 long green chillies, thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
4 chicken Marylands, halved through the joint
40 gm dried apricots, softened in hot water for 15 minutes, drained
6 fresh, slightly underripe apricots, halved, plus extra wedges (optional), to serve
400 gm basmati rice
50 gm butter, diced
90 ml milk
¼ tsp saffron threads
Fried onion or fried shallots, chopped pistachio nuts and lime cheeks, to serve
1 Fry onion in 120ml oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden (6-8 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and cool. Dry-roast spices and bay leaf over medium heat, then pound to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Add to onion along with yoghurt, herbs, ginger, garlic, chilli and 2 tsp sea salt and mix well. Add chicken, stir to coat, cover and refrigerate overnight to marinate.
2 Spread chicken mixture in a heavy-based casserole with a tight-fitting lid and tuck dried and fresh apricots in between chicken pieces. Combine rice, 20gm butter, remaining oil and enough water to cover by 2cm in a saucepan, season generously and bring to the boil. Drain and spread rice over chicken.
3 Bring milk, saffron and remaining butter to a simmer in a saucepan, then pour the mixture over rice, cover casserole with foil, then place the lid on. Cook over low heat for 50 minutes, then, without uncovering, stand for 15 minutes. Serve hot scattered with extra apricot wedges, herbs and green chilli, and fried onion, pistachio nuts and lime cheeks.
Apricot and orange-blossom jam
Jam-making is a great way of using imperfect fruit. The odd mark here or there on the skin doesn’t hurt, as long as the fruit is free of soft spots. This jam is relatively low in sugar; traditional versions usually have equal quantities of sugar and fruit, but we’ve nearly halved the amount. This makes for a softer set and a shorter shelf-life, but brings the taste of the apricots to the fore. Store the jam in the fridge rather than at room temperature – it will last a couple of months if you can keep your hands off it. We love it on buttered sourdough toast, especially with ricotta.
Prep time 10 mins, cook 20 mins (plus setting)
Makes about 1 litre (pictured p93)
700 gm apricots, quartered
350 gm caster sugar
Juice of 1 orange and 1 lime
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
2 tsp orange-blossom water, or to taste
1 Combine apricots, sugar, juices, vanilla bean and seeds in a large saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and jammy but chunks of apricot still remain (15-20 minutes).
2 Remove from heat, cool briefly, then stir in orange-blossom water. Transfer to sterilised jars (see cook’s notes p184), seal and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for up to 2 months.>