Dried Apricots With Blue Cheese Food

APRICOT DESSERT BRUSCHETTA

Steps:

• Place bread on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350° for until toasted, 4-6 minutes. Cool., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine apricots, nectar and lemon peel. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Strain and discard liquid., Combine cheese and preserves; spread over toasted bread. Top with apricot mixture. Sprinkle with almonds.

CHICKEN SALAD WITH APRICOTS, CELERY, AND BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Toss chicken, celery stalks, and 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Let sit until ready to serve.
• Whisk buttermilk, vinegar, honey, 1 tsp. pepper, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over celery mixture. Add apricots, blue cheese, mint, and celery leaves and toss just to coat.
• Transfer salad to a platter and season with more pepper.

DRIED APRICOTS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Toss apricots with juice and let stand, tossing occasionally, 20 minutes.
• Chop all pistachios, preferably by hand, and season with salt. Drain apricots, cut sides up, on paper towels. Top each with a small chunk of cheese and sprinkle with nuts.

CHEESE AND BALSAMIC APRICOT BITES

Steps:

• Cover baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Cook butter and sugar in small skillet on medium heat until butter is melted. Add nuts; cook 5 to 7 min. or until lightly browned and evenly glazed with sugar syrup, stirring constantly. Spread into single layer on prepared baking sheet; cool completely.
• Meanwhile, bring vinegar to boil in small saucepan on medium heat; cook 6 to 7 min. or until slightly thickened. Cool completely.
• Mix cream cheese and Gorgonzola until blended; spread onto apricots. Sprinkle with nuts; drizzle with vinegar.

APRICOTS WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Cut apricots in half and remove pits, place in large bowl.
• Mix oil and lime juice together and season with salt and pepper, pour over apricots and toss gently.
• Place apricot halves, cut-side-up, on cookie sheets.
• Cut blue cheese into small pieces and place in the centre of each apricot.
• No more than one hour before serving place under preheated broil for one to two minutes or just until cheese softens.

BLUE CHEESE AND DRIED FRUIT TERRINE

Steps:

• Mash the blue cheese and mascarpone together with the honey, if using, and pepper. (You can do this in the food processor, too, but it will cream the blue cheese so much that you get a greenish terrine. Not the end of the world, but just warning you.) Stir in the apricots, currants, figs, pistachios and walnuts. Season with pepper. Wrap in plastic and shape into a terrine. Refrigerate for several hours until firm. Serve with an assortment of rustic country breads or crackers and decorate with some whole dried fruits and nuts, if you like.

DRIED APRICOTS WITH BLUE CHEESE

Steps:

• Stir nuts in a small frying pan over medium heat until toasted, about 4 minutes.
• Pour from pan and cool.
• In a small bowl or food processor, beat or process cheeses and pepper.
• Spread equal amounts of cheese mixture on each apricot half.
• Press a nut onto cheese.
• Press cheese-side down into minced parsley.
• Serve cheese-side up on a platter.