Got Apricots?

Don't miss this freestone fruit's fleeting season, when its delicate fresh flavor can enhance both sweet and savory dishes.

By Nancy Ransohoff

Whether they’re picked from a backyard tree or plucked from farmers’- market bins, now is the time to gather apricots by the bushel. One of the earliest-ripening stone fruits, these golden beauties have a short growing season that can begin in late April, depending on weather and rain. With skins the color of sunset and tangy-sweet flesh, apricots are also endlessly versatile. Toss them in a spring salad or a zesty salsa, or showcase them in desserts like cobblers and tarts. They also enhance beef, poultry, and seafood in accompanying sauces. Here, three area chefs and a cooking-class instructor share recipes for simple-to-prepare dishes featuring apricots to make the most of their short but sweet season.

APRICOT-GLAZED PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH GRILLED APRICOT AND PISTACHIO COUSCOUS

In this dish, Luis Alberto Sanchez, chef and owner of Mouthful Eatery (mouthfuleatery.com) in Thousand Oaks, calls for apricots in both a glaze for the salmon and the accompanying couscous. “California apricots are the perfect combination of sweet and tangy,” he says. “When grilled they gain a lovely caramelized flavor with a subtle smokiness, complementing the salmon beautifully.”

Serves 4

4 6-ounce skinless fresh salmon fillets

GLAZE

5 extra-ripe fresh apricots

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon chopped, fresh ginger

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

COUSCOUS

5 pitted fresh apricots, halved

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons salt

1½ cups couscous

¾ cup green beans, blanched and cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ cup chopped toasted pistachios

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Remove any bones from salmon fillets and lay them in a shallow dish.

To make glaze: With a knife, score a cross into the skin at the bottom of each apricot, taking care to pierce the flesh as little as possible. Prepare an ice bath and set it near the stove. In a small saucepan bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Place apricots in boiling water for 2 minutes; using a slotted spoon transfer apricots to ice bath. Once apricots are cool to the touch, remove peels, starting where the score marks cross. Remove pits.

Place peeled and pitted apricots and all remaining glaze ingredients in a food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Divide the paste, or glaze, into two bowls, setting one aside. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze from the other bowl to both sides of each salmon fillet. Place salmon in refrigerator to marinate for at least 1 hour.

To make couscous: Preheat grill or broiler. Grill apricots halves for 2 minutes on each side or broil in the oven until flesh begins to caramelize. Cool and chop apricots in a medium dice.

In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Add salt and couscous. Cover and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes. Place couscous in a large bowl, add remaining ingredients, and gently toss to combine. Place on serving platter.

Transfer salmon fillets to a skillet and sear for 4 minutes on each side at medium-high heat. Gently brush remaining glaze on the cooked fish, reserving a small amount to add just before serving. Transfer salmon serving platter atop couscous. Add more glaze as desired.

APRICOT GALETTE

Laurence Hauben leads Market Forays (marketforays.com) cooking classes and culinary adventures in Santa Barbara. She is also a working partner at Penryn Orchard Specialties (penrynorchardspecialties.com), located in the foothills of the Sierras, and serves as executive chef for Roblar Winery in Santa Ynez. “This dessert is easy and informal yet very tasty and attractive in a simple country way,” Hauben says. “If you don’t have time to make your own puff pastry, buy it from the best source you can; but the puff pastry is a lot easier to realize than most people think.” Nectarines, peaches, or plums can be substituted for the apricots.

Serves 6 to 8

1 large sheet puff pastry (recipe follows)

1½ pounds apricots, pitted

1 cup apricot jam

½ cup raw cane sugar

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out puff pastry and lay it on a 10x15-inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Quarter apricots; if they are very large, cut them into 6 to 8 slices. Spread apricot jam on pastry, leaving a ½-inch edge. Roll edge onto itself to form a rim. Spread apricots on the jam-coated pastry, cutside up. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake until nicely browned, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

PUFF PASTRY

Tips: Butter should be just warm enough to be pliable so it doesn’t tear the dough. Rest and chill pastry between turns, so it doesn’t get tough.

Makes 2½ sheets

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups water

¾ pound unsalted butter, softened slightly

Mix flour, salt, and water in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with dough hook, kneading to a smooth dough. Set aside for 30 minutes. Transfer dough to a floured work surface. Roll dough out into a large rectangle 1/8 inch thick. Spread butter over dough, leaving a 1-inch rim around the outside edge. Fold sides of dough over itself in thirds. Chill dough in the refrigerator and let it rest for 30 minutes. Turn the folded dough 90 degrees and gently roll it out again. Fold it in thirds again. Chill and let it rest again. Turn it 90 degrees and roll it out again. Proceed so that each time the dough gets folded differently from the previous time. After turning and rolling out the dough 6 times, let it rest in the refrigerator for 2 hours before using. Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.

CRISPY SKIN PORK BELLY WITH SPICED APRICOT CONSERVE

“I believe that when we eat, it should be something that utilizes as many of our senses as possible,” says chef Sam Williams of SLO

Provisions (sloprovisions.com) in San Luis Obispo. “Smells, textures, sounds, and the look of a finished dish all come together in this recipe.” Williams likes to serve this dish with roasted fingerling potatoes. As for the role of the apricots, he says: “I love using the balance of sweet and tart that comes from the apricot conserve to cut through the rich flavor of the pork belly.” Start preparing the pork belly a day in advance; it needs to marinate overnight.

Serves 4

PORK BELLY

3 tablespoons sea salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground coriander, toasted

3 pounds pork belly

4 tablespoons fresh thyme

1 lemon, thinly sliced

SPICED APRICOT CONSERVE

3 lemons (zest and juice)

1 tablespoon spicy paprika

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 teaspoon sea salt

4 cups granulated sugar

3 pounds fresh ripe apricots, pitted and diced

2 cups wildflower honey

GARNISH

1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced

To make pork belly: In a small bowl, combine sea salt, black pepper, and coriander. Dust pork belly with spice mixture and massage it into the meat, making sure all surfaces are seasoned. Put fresh thyme and lemon in a large storage container or plastic freezer bag. Add pork belly to container or plastic bag with thyme and lemon and turn it to coat. Seal container or bag and refrigerate overnight.

To make spiced apricot conserve: Combine the juice and zest of the three lemons, paprika, cinnamon, mustard, sea salt, and sugar to a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add apricots and honey. Bring to a slow boil and reduce heat to a simmer, stirring often. Cook for 30 minutes. Puree with hand mixer and pass mixture through a food mill to separate any large bits and skins. Transfer mixture to a storage container and refrigerate overnight. (It can be refrigerated for up to 3 months.)

To cook pork belly and serve: Preheat oven to 275°F. Remove pork belly from marinade and place on a rack in a covered roasting pan. Roast for 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 135°F. Transfer pork belly to a rimmed baking sheet. With a knife, score skin of pork belly in a crosshatch pattern and spread a thin layer of apricot conserve on top. Increase oven temperature to 500°F and roast pork belly, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes. Let it rest for 10 minutes and slice across the grain into ¼-inch slices. Serve with more apricot conserve and garnish with scallions.

APRICOT LAVENDER TART

“This recipe captures the essence of fresh apricots and highlights their sweetness,” says executive pastry chef Joel Gonzalez at the Ojai Valley Inn (ojaivalleyinn.com). “I like to pair the apricots with fresh lavender to add a touch of Ojai.” For best results when topping the tart with the fruit, Gonzalez recommends using apricots that are not too soft.

Makes one 8-inch tart

LAVENDER SHORTBREAD CRUST

1 cup sugar

1¼ cups butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch salt

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons dried lavender, crumbled

ALMOND CREAM

¾ cup butter

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup almond flour

2 tablespoons all-purpose wheat flour

Pinch salt

APRICOT JAM

5 fresh apricots, peeled and pitted

½ cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

ASSEMBLY

8 fresh apricots or more as needed to cover crust

Dried lavender, crumbled, for garnish

To make lavender shortbread crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together sugar, butter, egg, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. Add flour and lavender and mix until combined. Shape dough into a ball and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To make almond cream: Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.

To make apricot jam: Place apricots, sugar, and vanilla seeds in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mashing fruit with a potato masher. Add lemon juice; continue to boil, stirring frequently, about 10 to 12 minutes, until bubbles slow, chunks of fruit show at top, and mixture reaches a jammy consistency. Set aside.

To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll out shortbread dough and place it in the bottom of an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Spread a layer of apricot jam on dough, reserving a small amount for glazing the finished tart. Pipe a layer of almond cream on top of the jam-coated crust. Cut apricots in half and place them cut-side down to cover the entire top of tart. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Glaze tart with reserved apricot jam and garnish with lavender.