We conclude this apricot week extravaganza with apricot jam, two different varieties to be precise. But this isn’t any ordinary apricot jam, this is our FIRST jam. Our very first attempt at canning.

In recent months I’ve become obsessed with canning. The same way I got obsessed over the prospect of fresh apricots and cherries (which, to be honest, was probably more a result of the canning obsession than anything else). Needless to say, it’s been on my mind. I’ve bought books. Tools. Read any article I can find on the subject.

Canning is something I’ve never even considered trying before now. I don’t know why. I don’t know what brought it on, but I can definitely see a new-found love for this retro art taking over my summer. If I’m not careful I could see myself going way overboard. Two people can only eat so much jam, and I have to remember that before purchasing bushels of fruit.

This jam, or pair of jams, was our first attempt. After thoroughly reading up on the subject, and participating in a canning home-party at Beth’s (we had a flip chart!) I felt prepared enough to give it a go. Sure, it makes me nervous. The sheer mention of the word botulism is enough to send Taylor into a tizzy. What if I do something wrong? What if it spoils? How do I KNOW if I’ve done something wrong?

For as much thought and worry that went into it, canning, especially jam, is surprisingly easy. Almost TOO easy (another reason to be nervous). It was smart to start with jam. The result was a half dozen magically sealed jars of apricot goodness. It’s the least I can do not to break open the jars and dig in. I keep telling myself I’m going to appreciate this when fresh fruit isn’t in season, and to save it. That may be the hardest part of the whole canning process.

I split up our precious apricots into two batches of jam, Apricot Riesling Jam, and Silky Amaretto Apricot Butter. Two textures. Two booze-infused flavors. The Amaretto butter recipe is below. If you are interested, you can find the Apricot Riesling jam recipe over on Simply Recipes. I made half the recipe and got about one pint from it, or four of those precious little 4oz jars. It’s a keeper, for sure!

Silky Amaretto Apricot Butter

Makes about 6 half-pint jars. Adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Ingredients:

2 lb apricots, halved and pitted (about 24 medium), 6 pits reserved
1/2 cup water
3 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon amaretto

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roast the cleaned and dried pits on a baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Carefully crack pits with a hammer (a concrete surface is best here), and extract the kernel. Return kernels to the oven and roast for a 5 minutes more. Set aside.

In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine apricots and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until apricots are soft, about 20 minutes.

Working in batches, transfer apricot mixture to a food mill or a food processor fitted with a metal blade and purée just until a uniform texture is achieved. Do not liquefy. Measure 6 cups of apricot purée.

In a clean large stainless steel saucepan, combine purée and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and holds its shape on a spoon. Stir in lemon juice and amaretto.

Meanwhile, prepare canner, jars, and lids.

Place one apricot kernel in the bottom of each jar. Ladle hot butter into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more hot butter. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Screw band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.

Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes. Remove canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.

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I hereby declare this the week of the apricot.

Moving from sweet to savory, this pizza (or, as Taylor likes to call it, flatbread with topping – to him, anything without a serious sauce is not considered a pizza), beautifully pairs sweet apricots and salty prosciutto on a thin and crispy crust. We made a few changes to the recipe, substituting swiss chard for arugula (it’s what we had on hand), and now that I re-read the recipe realized we forgot the chives and parsley entirely, oops. Regardless, it was still a tasty and summery take on a typically heavy food.

To be honest this was one of the first things I thought of while stuffing apricots into my suitcase. It’s a recipe I’ve wanted to make for some time now. You know, since the recipe showed up in early spring, when apricots are clearly out of season. Silly magazines.

Apricot and Prosciutto Thin-Crust Pizza

Adapted from Cooking Light.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
8 1/2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 ounces bread flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3-4 apricots, pitted and cut into wedges
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 cup arugula
1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto
1 ounce shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions:

Combine 1/2 cup warm water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached; let stand 5 minutes or until bubbly. Add 4 teaspoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt to yeast mixture. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sprinkle flour over yeast mixture; mix 2 minutes or until a soft dough forms. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; cover surface of dough with plastic wrap lightly coated with cooking spray. Refrigerate 24 hours.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Let stand, covered, 1 hour or until dough comes to room temperature. Punch dough down. Roll dough out to a thin 12-inch circle on a lightly floured baking sheet, without raised edges, sprinkled with cornmeal. Crimp edges to form a 1/2-inch border. Pierce dough several times with a fork. Cover dough loosely with plastic wrap.

Position an oven rack in the lowest setting. Place a pizza stone on lowest rack. Preheat oven to 550°. Preheat the pizza stone for 30 minutes before baking dough.

Combine 1 tablespoon oil, thyme, pepper, apricots, shallots, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; toss gently. Remove plastic wrap from dough; slide dough onto preheated pizza stone, using a spatula as a guide. Bake at 550° for 4 minutes. Top dough with goat cheese and apricot mixture. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cut pizza into 10 slices; sprinkle with parsley and chives. Toss arugula with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil; arrange arugula over apricot mixture. Top with prosciutto and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Cut into 10 wedges.

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Never before in my life have I been so excited about fruit. The kind of excitement that borders on obsession, as in, there is fruit invading my dreams and I can’t get the thought of it out of my head. The kind of excitement one usually reserves for, say, getting a new kitten. Except that kitten is actually an apricot.

Last week we took a trip to visit the inlaws in Colorado (didn’t even know we were gone, eh? Ahh, the beauty of scheduled posts!) Don’t ask me why, but it seems like we always chose to visit Colorado in the winter. In the snow. Yuck. But this year, our schedule just happened to work itself out, and we planned on a lovely July visit.

Colorado is beautiful in July. But what was even more beautiful than the scenery were the fruit trees. Maybe I never noticed them before because we always visited in the winter, but as soon as I saw the trees overflowing with bright orange apricots, I knew I had to bring some home.

So I did. About 7 pounds of them. Smuggled in my airline luggage. I had to seriously repack my stuff to do it, sneaking as many shoes and shirts into Taylor’s bag as I could, but I managed to fit three large containers of apricots in there. And I swapped my purse for a cooler bag and carried a bagful of sour cherries on the plane with me too (I was totally ready for a smack down if someone had tried to take them from me at airport security). Yes, I’m a bonafide fruit smuggler.

I did it all for the fruit.

It was so totally worth it. If only for these cookies. They were so good, in fact, that I’m planning to make another batch tomorrow and freeze the dough, in an attempt to make them last even after the apricots are gone.

If you can’t get a hold of your own contraband fruit, you could definitely substitute dried apricots here. Even better, try soaking and re-hydrating the apricots in some sort of tasty liquor (amaretto? bourbon?) prior to adding them to the batter. Mmm, tasty!

Fresh Apricot and White Chocolate Cookies

Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies. Recipe from Cakespy.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground espresso powder or instant coffee
10 ounces white chocolate chips
1 cup finely diced fresh apricots, or 3/4 cup diced dried apricots
8 ounces butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and espresso in a medium bowl. Mix with a whisk until evenly distributed. Add chocolate chips and apricot bits and mix well. Set aside.

Combine the butter and sugars in a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is smooth and pale in color. Add 1 egg at a time, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then add the vanilla. Continue mixing until butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla are all incorporated (about 1 minute). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the dry ingredients in 3 additions. Mix on low speed for no more than 1 minute. Remove bowl from mixture and do a final mix with a rubber spatula. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Scoop dough with a medium-sized ice cream scoop to form 1-inch balls. Leave at least an inch and a half around each cookie to allow for some spreading. Bake cookies for 15-18 minutes, turning about halfway to ensure even baking. Cookies should be golden at the edges but soft in the middle.

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For what it’s worth, we’re not vegans. Not even vegetarians. But that doesn’t mean we eat meat or animal products every meal. Nor does that mean we don’t enjoy a good, flavorful vegan dish just as much as any steak. In fact, I’d argue that this dish, with it’s rich ethnic flavors and hints of savory sweetness, would win even if pitted against the meatiest of meals.

Israeli couscous, or Pearl couscous, for those who may not be familiar with it, is like couscous on steroids. I’d say it more closely resembles a round-ish orzo than couscous in both flavor and texture; so if you can’t find it, orzo would be a better substitution. We always choose Israeli couscous over regular couscous, as Taylor has never been a fan of the typically dry texture of your standard couscous. For even more flavor, toast it first in a splash of olive oil and a dash of cinnamon and cumin, then add the liquid and cook as directed.

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Eggplant and Cinnamon-Cumin Dressing

Makes 6 servings. Recipe from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 3/4-pound unpeeled eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (8 to 9 cups)
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place eggplant cubes on sheet; drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast until tender, turning occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook couscous in boiling salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water until cool; drain again. Place in large bowl.

Toast cumin seeds in small skillet over medium-high heat until slightly darkened, about 4 minutes. Grind seeds in spice mill; place in small bowl. Add vinegar, cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons oil. Whisk to blend; season with salt and pepper. Mix in onion.

Add raisins, cilantro, eggplant cubes, and dressing to couscous. Toss to coat.

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I’ve had this recipe in my queue since May. I keep looking at it. And I keep drawing a blank. So I figured I’d just post it already, without any clever quips or dialogue, before it becomes one of those forgotten recipes stashed away in the depths of the recipe pile. Because it was tasty. It was different. And it deserves to be remembered.

Open-Face Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Makes 6. Recipe from Bon Appetit.

Ingredients:

1 pound slender asparagus, trimmed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cups skinless cooked chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken), cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
6 thin prosciutto slices
6 1/2-inch thick slices rye bread, lightly toasted
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Cook asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, Place asparagus in bowl of ice water to cool. Drain again. Pat dry and cut into 3/4-inch diagonal pieces, leaving tips whole.

Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon jhuice, and mustard in large bowl to blend. Mix in chicken pieces and chives, then asparagus pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Do ahead: can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill).

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Arrange prosciutto slices in single layer on prapared sheet. Bake until prosciutto is crisp, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheet.

Divide chicken salad among toasted bread slices. Sprinkle with green onions; top each with 1 prosciutto slice and garnish with chervil sprig, if desired.

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