Walnut Stuffed Apricots Recipes

GIANT BAKED BRIE WITH APRICOTS AND WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the walnuts and cook, tossing occasionally, until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the thyme, season lightly with salt and toss. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the dried apricots and preserves. Let cool to room temperature.
• Place the Brie on the center of the prepared baking sheet and cut off the rind on top. Spread the apricot compote evenly over the top of the Brie.
• Unroll the puff pastry sheets on a floured work surface. Brush a 2-inch strip down the long edge of one sheet with the egg and line up the second sheet with the first, overlapping the edge brushed with egg so that the two stick together. Flour the pastry well and roll with a floured rolling pin to make a 14-inch square. Trim the corners from the pastry to make a circle (you want to make the largest circle possible). Reserve the trimmings. Transfer the pastry to the baking sheet and cover the Brie. Tuck the edges underneath the Brie.
• Reroll the pastry scraps and cut out five or six 2-inch leaf shapes, then score them with the back of a butter knife to create simple veins in the leaf. Brush the pastry-wrapped Brie with the egg. Arrange the leaves decoratively on top of the Brie and brush with the egg.
• Bake the brie until the pastry is puffed and deep golden, about 40 minutes. Let stand about 20 minutes before serving with apple and pear slices and crackers.

FRUIT AND NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Place prunes, apricots, raisins, and currants in a medium bowl; pour bourbon over fruit. Cover with plastic wrap, and soak overnight.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over moderate heat; add apples, onions, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and celery is tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat; add nuts. Toast them, stirring constantly, until golden.
• Transfer sauteed onion mixture to a large bowl. Add brioche and broth; mix until incorporated. Add macerated fruit, toasted nuts, cranberries, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne, parsley, and eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Using 2 large spoons or your hands, gently mix stuffing until evenly blended. Set aside while turkey is prepared for roasting.

PORK LOIN STUFFED WITH FIGS AND APRICOTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine figs and apricots in a medium bowl; pour boiling water over them. Set aside for 5 minutes. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve; return to bowl. Add garlic, 1/4 teaspoon sage, and breadcrumbs; season generously with salt and pepper. Stir until breadcrumbs are moistened.
• With a long, sharp knife, cut a slit lengthwise down the middle of the loin, without cutting through; open it like a book. Place filling in the middle, packing lightly. Draw the edges of the loin together so that they slightly overlap, forming a cylinder around stuffing. (If it is hard to close, remove some of stuffing.) Tie pork with cotton kitchen twine every 1/2 inch.
• Line the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan with foil. Sprinkle pork with remaining 1/2 teaspoon sage; season generously with salt and pepper. Rub with oil; place in pan. Roast until meat registers 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 35 minutes; let rest (temperature will keep rising), 10 minutes. Snip string; discard. Slice meat; use a wide spatula to serve.

APRICOT & HAZELNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Fry onions in the butter. Stir in nuts; fry until golden. Remove from the heat, add apricots, breadcrumbs, parsley and lemon zest. Mix in the egg and season. Use half to stuff the neck end of the turkey; shape the rest into balls.
• Put the balls in a buttered baking dish, then drizzle with oil. Bake for 30 mins until golden, or roast them around the turkey.