
Inspired by the shockingly early appearance of apricots at my local TJ's, here's a recipe I make over and over as long as they are available: Halve a pound of rinsed apricots and toss in a pan with a generous slosh of lime juice (a couple of tablespoons/couple of limes) and 2-3 tablespoons of sugar. Cook over medium heat until the apricots soften and a syrup forms, going just until the fruit starts to break down but still has some integrity (timing depends on ripeness). Pull the compote off the heat before the apricots totally collapse and let cool; spoon into a jar and keep in the fridge (I've never determined exactly how long it can last because I usually eat it up in a few days). The original recipe calls for serving the compote with a flourish of tarragon (aka sophistication and elegance), but I am common and like mine plain heaped on top of plain yogurt (it is also excellent on meringues for a fancyish dessert). The same method works with any stone fruit——plums, peaches, nectarines——but the apricot is unmatched.
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