Apricot Rice Stuffing Food

ROAST CHICKEN WITH APRICOT STUFFING

Steps:

• Put 1/3 cup olive oil, the garlic, 1 tablespoon marjoram, the lemon zest and juice, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor and pulse to make a paste. Loosen the chicken skin with your fingers. Rub the paste under and over the skin and inside the cavity. Put the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Make the stuffing: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, celery and dried apricots and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the bread and parsley and cook, stirring, until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the broth, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fill the chicken cavity with the stuffing, tie the legs together with twine and put breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan; tuck the wings underneath. Roast until the skin begins to brown, about 30 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue roasting until deep golden brown, about 1 more hour. (Cover loosely with foil if it's browning too quickly.)
• Whisk the preserves and vinegar in a small bowl; brush on the chicken and continue roasting until the skin is crisp and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F, about 20 more minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving. Garnish with marjoram sprigs.

APRICOT RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the rice, apricots, parsley and seasonings. Transfer to a greased 1-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through.

APRICOT-WILD RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart baking dish.
• Cook rice according to package directions. Toast bread on a baking sheet until dry, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened 8 to 10 minutes. Add apricots, parsley, sage, and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in rice, bread, and walnuts. Stir in sotck until moistened. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake until golden, 35 to 40 minutes.

BASMATI RICE PILAF WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Put the apricots and lemon zest in the 2 cups of cold water. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the garam masala, and toast, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the water along with the apricots, lemon zest, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, wrap a clean dish towel around the saucepan lid, and cover saucepan. Cook for 10 minutes, set aside for 5 minutes undisturbed, then remove lid and fluff with a fork. Mound the pilaf on a serving platter or in a shallow bowl, tear the mint over, and top with the nuts.
• Game Plan: Toast the nuts while the rice cooks.

APRICOT GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH APRICOT RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• For glaze: Put 1/4 cup water, apricot preserve and cinnamon in a microwave safe bowl.
• Microwave on high about 20 seconds.
• Stir to blend.
• If not blending well, microwave another 10 seconds.
• Stir again till smooth.
• For rice: Sauté garlic, celery, onion, apricots in oil about 5 minutes.
• Add brown rice; sauté another 3 minutes.
• Add 2 cups chicken broth and 3-4 tablespoons of glaze sauce.
• Bring to a boil.
• Lower heat to a low simmer.
• Simmer covered 10-15 minutes.
• Add pilaf rice.
• Stir, cover and simmer 15-25 minutes or longer until liquid is absorbed.
• Allow to cool. (This could be done earlier in the day if you see fit).
• For Hens: Preheat oven to 400°F; line a 13 x 9 pan with foil and spray foil with cooking spray.
• Wash hens, remove giblets and pat dry.
• Sprinkle with garlic powder in and out of hens.
• Stuff with rice mixture.
• Brush with glaze mixture.
• To prevent over browning make a foil tent.
• Crease a sheet of foil crosswise through the center to form a tent leave 1-2 inches between top of hens so heat can circulate crimp on sides.
• Bake 30 minutes.
• Remove foil and brush with glaze.
• Bake uncovered until hens are tender and juices run clear, about 40-45 minutes, basting about every 10-15 minutes until glaze is used up.
• 2-4 servings depending on appetite.

CHICKEN WITH ORANGE-APRICOT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Heat olive oil in a medium heavy-based frying pan over a low to medium heat and gently cook shallots for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
• Add the rice and stir until rice grains are coated well with the oil. Add the orange rind, 1 1/4 cups of the orange juice, apricots and cardamom. Bring to the boil.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat, transfer mixture to a bowl and cool completely.
• Wipe chicken inside and out with paper towel. Spoon the cooled rice mixture into the chicken cavity and seal opening with skewers or toothpicks. Place chicken in a roasting pan.
• Combine remaining orange juice and brown sugar in a jug and pour over chicken.
• Roast for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with pan juices. Check the chicken has cooked through -the juices run clear when the chicken thigh is pierced with a skewer at the thickest part.
• Serve chicken with the rice stuffing.

STUFFED PORK LOIN WITH WILD RICE, APRICOT & WALNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine wild rice and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir well, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes for brown or wild rice (15-20 minutes for white rice). Cook until broth is absorbed, then remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.
• While the rice is cooking, melt butter over moderate heat in a medium skillet. Add onion and cook gently, stirring frequently, until softened. Add walnuts and continue to cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then scrape mixture into a large bowl.
• When rice is ready, add it to the walnut mixture, then stir and toss with a fork to combine. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Add apricots, parsley, chives and eggs to the rice mixture, then stir until evenly mixed. Set aside.
• Lay the pork loin out flat on a clean work surface. Spread it with the garlic, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Spread cooled rice mixture over meat, then roll loin up, snugly like a carpet.
• Using heavy duty cotton string, tie the roast firmly around its circumference in three or four places, at 2-inch intervals. If stuffing oozes from the ends, push it back it.
• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Put the oil in a heavy, oven-proof skillet, or coat the skillet with nonstick cooking spray, and place over high heat. Brown the rolled-up roast, turning it frequently, for 8-10 minutes.
• Place in oven until thermostat inserted into center reads 160° F, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing crosswise into 10 pieces, about 1/2-3/4 inch thick.