How to Use Fresh Apricots

Fresh apricots are typically ready to pick beginning in mid-May, and the harvest continues for about eight weeks. The versatile, luscious little fruits can be eaten alone as a nourishing snack, chopped and added to salads, or used for pie fillings, jams and preserves. They're even used for enhancing meat dishes and for making wine and brandy.
Choose fresh apricots that are well-formed, plump and fairly firm. They should be a golden orange color and have a delicate, sweet aroma. Refrigerate ripe apricots. If the fruit is too firm, ripen it at room temperature in a brown paper bag with a banana or an apple.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cream cheese Pistachios or pecans Sugar Muscat dessert wine or apricot nectar

Fresh Apricot Bites

1. Cut 12 fresh apricots in half and remove the pits. Chop ½ cup of pistachios or pecans finely. Set these aside.

2. Soften 4 oz. of cream cheese in a mixing bowl, and stir it until it's smooth.

3. Spoon the cream cheese into the apricot halves.

4. Sprinkle the tops with chopped pecans or pistachios.

5. Chill the appetizers at least an hour before serving.

Fresh Apricot Dessert Topping

6. Slice about 12 to 14 oz. of fresh apricots into a mixing bowl so that you have ½ cup.

7. Add 2 tbsp. of Muscat dessert wine or apricot nectar. Toss so that the apricot slices are all coated.

8. Sprinkle 1 tbsp. of sugar over the apricot slices.

9. Chill the topping for at least an hour before serving.

10. Spoon the fresh apricot dessert topping onto shortcake, cheese cake, pound cake, frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Tips & Warnings

• Apricots are low in sodium, calories and fat. They are high in vitamins A and C and are a good source of potassium. The fruit also contains phosphorus, iron, fiber and calcium.

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