Crushed seeds from 6 green cardamom pods
2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed
lemon juice
8 ounces dried whole apricots (the soft, ready-to-eat kind)
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese (Italian cream cheese)*
1 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
* Cream cheese may
be substituted if you cannot find mascarpone cheese.
Preparation:
In a saucepan over medium-high
heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the crushed
cardamom seeds and lemon juice. Add the apricots and let them simmer for
approximately 15 minutes or until they puff up. Remove pan from heat. Using a
slotted spoon, transfer the apricots to a baking sheet or large plate; let the
apricots cool.
Finely chop the pistachios and
place in a shallow bowl; set aside.
Using a small, sharp knife, cut a
pocket in each apricot (they will already have a little hole from when the stone
was removed, so just make it larger). Using a small spoon or a pastry bag fitted
with a plain tip, stuff each apricot with some mascarpone cheese. Dip stuffed
apricots, cheesy side down, in the chopped pistachios.
Arrange on a platter and
refrigerate until serving time. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Serves many.
