Best Apricot Pistachio Stuffing Recipes

TURKISH STUFFED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Soak the apricots in 2 cups of cold water for 8 hours or overnight.
• After the apricots have finished soaking, remove them from their soaking liquid. You should have about 1 cup of liquid left. Add more water if needed to reach 1 cup.
• Combine the soaking liquid with the lemon juice and sugar in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Gently add the apricots to the liquid, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are very tender, but not mushy, 10 to 20 minutes. I found the apricots cooked unevenly, so it's best to check the apricots as you go and remove them individually to a plate when they are tender. Allow the apricots to cool to room temperature.
• Once all the apricots are removed from the liquid, increase the heat to a full boil, and continue to cook until the sauce is reduced slightly and starting to become syrupy. It should easily coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Use a paring knife to gently open each apricot about halfway. Carefully spoon the filling into each, then dip the exposed filling in the chopped pistachios.
• Arrange the stuffed apricots on a serving platter, drizzle with the syrup, and scatter any remaining pistachios over top.

BREAD DRESSING WITH DRIED APRICOTS, PISTACHIOS, AND MINT

Steps:

• Butter 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in bread cubes, pomegranate seeds, apricots, pistachios, mint, lemon peel, salt, and pepper. Add broth and toss to blend. Transfer to prepared dish. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake dressing uncovered until heated through and browned on top, about 40 minutes.

GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH APRICOT PISTACHIO DRESSING

Steps:

• Brining the hens before roasting improves their flavor: Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt in a clean bucket filled with 5 quarts of water. Add prepared hens and soak for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly; pat dry.
• Adjust oven rack to upper middle position, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in apricots, then spread mixture onto a large (about 18-by-12-inch) lipped cookie sheet. Lay hens over the mixture. Mix jam and vinegar, and brush all but a few tablespoons over hens.
• Bake hens, brushing 2 or 3 times with remaining jam mixture and accumulated pan juices, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Turn heat from bake to broil, then cook until hens are spotty brown, watching carefully so they don't burn, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a large platter with tongs, then cut in half at the breastbone to create individual servings.
• Return apricot dressing to the oven and broil to evaporate some of the excess liquid, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in pistachios and parsley. Spoon in a mound next to hens.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and brush to coat the entire phyllo sheet.
• Top with another sheet and butter as above. Repeat with 7 more sheets, for a total of 9, buttering as you go. The final, top layer should also be buttered. (The rest of the phyllo can be wrapped and frozen for future use.)
• Dot the top sheet with jam by the teaspoon, then, using a spatula, spread the jam to cover the entire sheet, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Sprinkle a layer of half the chopped pistachios over the jam. Place the apricot wedges, skin-side down, in even rows across the surface, then sprinkle again with remaining pistachios.
• Carefully fold over the edges on all sides of the tart to make a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Brush folded sides with butter. Sprinkle sugar generously over apricots and folded edges.
• Bake until pastry is golden and apricots begin to color, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APRICOT PISTACHIO TART

Steps:

• Process 1 cup nuts and the granulated sugar in a food processor to combine. Add butter; process until a paste forms. Add egg, vanilla, and salt; process to combine. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, press edges of both pastry sheets together to form one large sheet. Roll out to a 9-by-17-inch rectangle; transfer to a baking sheet. Spread reserved pistachio mixture over dough, leaving a 3/4-inch border.
• Position rectangle so that a short end is nearest you. Arrange apricots on top in 4 vertical rows, alternating direction in which apricots face from row to row. Fold in edges of dough; use your index finger to make a scalloped border. Refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk together yolk and cream; brush egg wash over edges of tart shell. Chop remaining tablespoon nuts; sprinkle nuts and turbinado sugar over apricots. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and fruit is juicy, about 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, heat jam with 1 1/2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until thinned, about 2 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Brush glaze over fruit.