Macerated Dried Fruits And Nuts Recipes

MACERATED FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine your ingredients of choice in a medium bowl and toss together until the fruit is evenly coated. For inspiration, try some of my favorite fruit, herb and spice combinations, such as Peach and Ginger, Blackberry and Mint, Cherry and Cinnamon and Strawberry and Vanilla.
• Cover the bowl with reusable or regular plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours, stirring about halfway through and gently pressing the fruit with a rubber spatula until the liquid completely covers the fruit.
• After the 24 hours, strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, gently pressing on the fruit with a rubber spatula to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve both the fruit and the liquid. Discard any other solids, such as herb sprigs, whole spices or aromatics.
• Serving suggestions for the macerated fruit: Serve immediately on top of yogurt with granola, or desserts, such as grilled pound cake or ice cream. You can also muddle the fruit into cocktails or add it to sangria. The fruit can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 or 4 days or frozen for up to 6 months. Thaw before serving.
• The macerated liquid can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week or frozen in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, cover with reusable or regular plastic wrap and freeze for up to 6 months. You can use a small offset spatula to help remove individual cubes from the tray, then thaw the macerated liquid as needed.
• Serving suggestions for the macerated liquid:
• Homemade soda: For 1 serving, pour 1/4 cup macerated liquid in a tall glass filled with ice, top with 12 ounces sparkling water and serve.
• Fruit shrub: For the shrub base, combine 1 part macerated liquid with 1 part apple cider vinegar (for example, 1/2 cup of each). Mix to evenly combine. For 1 serving, pour 1/4 cup of the shrub base into a tall glass filled with ice, top with 12 ounces sparkling water and serve.
• Fruit vinaigrette: Turn your shrub base (see above) into a vinaigrette. Whisk 1 part shrub base with 1 part neutral oil (such as canola, grapeseed or vegetable oil; for example, 1/4 cup of each) in a bowl until emulsified. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Fruit syrup: Bring the macerated liquid to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half and thickened to the consistency of maple syrup-it should coat the back of a spoon without running off very quickly. Let the syrup cool completely, then serve over ice cream, pancakes, oatmeal, or yogurt and granola. The syrup also makes for a great gift when poured into a jar. It can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

DRIED FRUIT AND NUTS

Steps:

• Combine nuts and fruit.

MACERATED STONE FRUIT

Steps:

• Mix fruit, almonds, pine nuts, orange juice, water, cinnamon, rosewater and anise liquor or 2 or 3 star anise, if using.
• Cover and stir every few hours for 12 to 24 hours. Serve when fruit is tender.

MACERATED FRUIT

Steps:

• Stir together fruit and alcohol in a jar. Cover, and let stand for at least 2 hours.

DRIED-FRUIT-AND-NUT BSTEEYAS

Steps:

• For the fruit: mix all ingredients in 1/4 cup of warm water and leave to macerate and rehydrate for at least four hours.
• For the nuts: lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside. In a skillet, melt sugar over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan, until it reaches a dark caramel color. Add butter, then nuts, and stir until nuts are covered with caramel and butter, about 5 minutes. Spread mixture on baking sheet to cool.
• For the almond cream: beat butter and sugar together in a bowl until smooth, add egg yolk, mix well, then stir in flour, cinnamon and ginger.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
• Cut phyllo sheets in half and work with three pieces at a time, keeping the remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out. Brush one piece with melted butter, place another half sheet on top at a 45-degree angle and brush with more butter. Place third in opposite direction at a 45-degree angle and brush with butter. Carefully lifting sheets, slide a 4-inch saucer under phyllo. Spread 1/8 of almond cream in phyllo center, sprinkle almond cream with 1/4 of nuts and 1/4 of fruit, then cover with another 1/8 of cream. Fold phyllo flaps over center, creating a disk- shaped pie. Brush with butter. Repeat to make three more bsteeyas. Place on baking sheet.
• Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning over after 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Dust with a little sugar and cinnamon. Serve with ginger ice cream.

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.

MACERATED FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine everything but the sour cream in a bowl and add water to cover. Stir and let sit, at room temperature, for at least 6 hours. The fruit is ready when it is soft and the liquid is syrupy.
• To serve, put some fruit in a bowl and garnish with sour cream.

RED WINE-MACERATED WINTER FRUIT

Steps:

• Remove zest from lemon with a vegetable peeler and squeeze juice from lemon. In a saucepan bring water to a boil with zest, lemon juice, wine, sugar, and cinnamon stick, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Simmer mixture 15 minutes.
• While mixture is simmering, peel and core pineapple and cut into bite-size pieces. Halve figs if using. Pour hot syrup through a sieve into a bowl. Stir pineapple and dried fruit into syrup and cool. Chill fruit, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Serve fruit with mascarpone or crème fraîche and biscotti.

MACERATED FRUIT

Steps:

• Combine everything but the sour cream in a bowl, and add water to cover. Stir, and let sit at room temperature for at least 6 hours. The fruit is ready when it is soft and the liquid is syrupy.
• To serve, put some fruit into a bowl, spoon a little of the syrup over it, and garnish with sour cream.

MACERATED DRIED FRUITS AND NUTS

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together; add more water if necessary, enough to cover the fruit by an inch or two. Cover and put aside (if your house is very warm, refrigerate).
• Stir every few hours, for 12 to 24 hours. Serve when the fruits are tender.