Apricots are a small, pitted fruit with a sweet flavor and slightly tart undertone. They can be dried naturally or with a dehydrator, and used in sweet and savory dishes such as compote and tagine.
An apricot is a type of small, pitted fruit that grows all over the world, including the United States, France, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and Russia. It is generally considered to have a sweet flavor with a slightly tart undertone, similar to a plum or peach. While the fruit is often enjoyed fresh, it may be dried to preserve the fruit so it can be eaten when out of season. Dried apricots are made from peeled apricots that have the pits removed and are dehydrated. They can be used raw or cooked in a variety of sweet and savory dishes.
Apricots can be dried naturally or with the use of a commercial or home dehydrator. Naturally dried apricots are typically made by removing the skin and rind from the fruit and then laying it on a flat surface, such as a rock, outdoors until the sun dries the fruit’s moisture. The length of the process can vary depending on the humidity and temperature of the area, but a common range of drying time is six to nine days. Apricots that are kiln dried are usually made with a dehydrator, a device that uses low, constant heat to slowly extract the moisture from the fruit. Before drying, sulfur dioxide, a chemical compound, may be added to the fruit to prevent discoloration.
When dried apricots are used in sweet dishes, they are typically dipped or cooked with a liquid, such as water, wine, or fruit juice. The liquid adds moisture to the fruit and makes it softer and softer, which can help keep it from drying out and becoming tough when used in recipes that call for a longer cooking or baking time. One of the most commonly used sweet recipes for dried fruit is compote, a dish in which apricots are cooked with a combination of liquid, such as water, citrus juice or wine, and a sweetener, such as honey or sugar, until the mixture boils and forms a thick syrup. Apricot compote can be eaten as is, but is also often served atop ice cream or yogurt.
Dried apricots are also often requested in savory recipes. They tend to be dipped or cooked in liquid, similar to sweet recipes, in order to preserve their texture during the heating process. Apricots are often used in thick sauces and stews, especially a Moroccan stew known as a tagine, which gets its distinctive flavor from the dried fruit. The fruit is generally believed to pair well with pork, poultry, veal, and beef.
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