Dried Apricot And Prune Rice Bake Recipes

BRAISED MOROCCAN-STYLE LAMB WITH DRIED PRUNES, ALMONDS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay the lamb out, skin side down, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and the thyme. Roll and tie well with butcher's string. Sprinkle the outside with 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large oven-proof casserole. Add the lamb and brown on all sides. Remove lamb from pot. Add remaining tablespoon oil. Stir in onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining teaspoon cumin, the rosemary and the red wine. Bring to a boil and cook about 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Return the lamb to the pot, cover, place in the oven and bake until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and take out the meat. Remove the vegetables from the pot with a slotted spoon and place them in a blender. Blend until smooth. Scrape the mixture back into the pot and stir well. Place over medium heat and cook about 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Return the meat to the sauce and surround with the almonds, prunes and apricots. Cover and bake until meat is very tender and fruit is soft, about 15 minutes.
• Remove lamb from the pot, cut and remove string and cut lamb into thin slices. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little additional broth. Divide the lamb among 8 plates and spoon some sauce over the top. Serve immediately, passing any remaining sauce separately.

SPICY MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS AND PRUNES (LOW FAT)

Steps:

• In the morning (or the night before), combine first 13 ingredients in ungreased 2 quart shallow casserole.
• Add chicken. Turn to coat. Cover. Chill for at least 8 hours or overnight. Stir.
• Bake chicken, uncovered, in 400 degree F oven for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink.

FRAGRANT APRICOT RICE

Steps:

• In a hot heavy bottom pan heat butter and oil
• Saute onion, garlic and ginger till translucent add coriander seeds, basil, rice and apricots stir to coat with onion mixture adding wine and cook till wine is absorbed
• Add zest and water simmering covered over low heat for 20-25 minutes
• Fluff with fork and season with salt and pepper
• Top with cashews and garnish with fresh basil

APRICOT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Soak apricots in warm water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, cream the sugar, butter and egg. Stir in orange juice. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until combined. Drain apricots well; add to batter with nuts. Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.

APRICOT PRUNE COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*F.
• Butter a 10" tube or Bundt pan and dust with flour.
• Coarsely chop apricots and prunes. Toss to combine.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Gradually beat in sugar, then eggs, one at a time.
• Add vanilla.
• Blend in flour mixture, alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Blend until just smooth. Gently fold in prunes and apricots.
• Mix the first four streusel ingredients with a fork until crumbly. (Will make approximately 1 cup of streusel). Turn 1/3 of batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
• Sprinkle with 1/3 of streusel mixture.
• Repeat, layering the remaining batter and streusel twice.
• Bake 55 to 60 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.
• Let cool in pan 20 minutes.
• Remove from pan to platter.
• Sift icing sugar over top if desired.
• This cake can be served warm.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN WITH DRIED APRICOTS & PRUNES

Steps:

• Combine all above ingredients (****EXCEPT brown sugar & white wine) into marinade. Place chicken in a zip lock bag or a baking dish that can be tightly sealed. Cover the chicken with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight if possible.
• One hour before baking: Time to arrange in the baking dish and bring to room temperature before cooking.
• Distribute chicken in single layer in baking pan, DO NOT discard the marinade. Pour it over the chicken with all the other marinade ingredients. Sprinkle brown sugar over the chicken breasts and pour white wine around the breasts.
• Preheat oven: Cook UNCOVERED at 325 for 50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink. Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. Cook to 165°F
• Arrange cooked chicken breasts on a platter, top with the sauce and other ingredients.
• NOTE:.
• This recipe yields a lot of sauce, so you can double the chicken content without having to double the marinade. It's nice because you can make it all ahead of time!