How to Cook Well in Morocco airs Wednesdays at 8:30pm on RTÉ One.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6
- 100g dried apricots
- A pinch of saffron
- 25g caster sugar
- Juice of 2 freshly squeezed oranges
- 1-2 teaspoons orange blossom water
- 20g pistachios coarsely chopped
- Drizzle of honey, optional
- 8 mint leaves, torn or chopped just before serving
Method
- Place the dried apricots in a bowl and cover generously with cold water. Place in the fridge overnight to swell and become plump.
- Next day, strain off and discard the soaking water. ( The soaking water can be used instead of a syrup in a homemade lemonade) Place the apricots in a saucepan and add saffron, caster sugar and the orange juice. Bring to a simmer and cover. Poach at a gentle until the fruit is tender – this can take up to 45 minutes. Add the orange blossom water to taste. Allow to cool and chill.
- Serve the chilled apricots scattered with the chopped pistachios, mint, plenty of the delicious cooking juice and a dollop of labneh.
- Labneh
- 300ml thick Greek style organic natural yoghurt.
- Place a sieve over a bowl and drape a piece of clean muslin into the sieve with its edges overhanging the bowl. Drop in the yoghurt and place in a fridge overnight to strain off the whey. Next day the strained yoghurt has now become a lovely thick labneh and is ready for use. The whey can be discarded or used in drinks.
