Apricots belong to a special group of fruits. While most fruits loose more or less flavor when cooked, for apricots actually some gentle heat really enhances and helps to develop their flavor. Therefore it is always wise to bake or cook apricots before any further use. Or – if there is no time – just simply toss with some brandy or schnaps and flambe. For baked apricots you can either leave the skin on (and remove easily after baking) to get a more vibrant sour and tart note. Otherwise briefly blanch the apricots in hot water and peel them. For this current recipe I removed the skin because I didn’t want to have too much tartness in the end result. I baked the apricots at low temperature on a herb bed which enriched its flavor and took it in a savory direction. The original idea for the herb baked apricots itself is based on a recipe from German 3-star chef Juan Amador‘s cookbook. I’ve already prepared it several times and always tweak on the combination of herbs and the preparation. E.g. removing the skin before baking is clearly a better choice. The apricots pair really well with liver or mushrooms. In this recipe I incorporated them in a terrine, which can be used in multiple ways.
Tag Archives: vinaigrette
Rainbow Trout with Kohlrabi and Caper-Vinaigrette
Did you like kohlrabi as a child? Me neither. It’s strange that with increasing age some ingredients I used to push aside on my plate, I’m now becoming a fan of. This is the case for example with brussel sprouts or kohlrabi (though with pattypan squash I still can’t get along). One of the secrets for good kohlrabi is to use only young produce and trim all potential woody parts from its bottom. Even raw it tastes great with its sweet flavor. Beyond cooking you can also grill, roast or sauté kohlrabi, although I recommend to cook them first, otherwise the center will remain raw. Precooked kohlrabi sticks are also great for salad, e.g. with this mustard seed and caper-vinaigrette. Both the seeds and the capers have a nice mustard taste, which pairs really well with the slight sweetness of the kohlrabi.