Mustard Fruits (Apricots)

This time of the year there is always an abundance of fruit and using it up in different ways can be a challenge. I usually bottle my apricots but this year I thought I would do something different. I have made this recipe several times but most often using cling stone peaches.

The recipe uses dried apricots, however it can be made using fresh apricots, peaches, small figs, cherries or glace fruit. It is nice to serve these mustard fruits with pates, terrines, rillets, or cold meats especially baked or cured hams. Unlike many preserves that have vinegar, you can slightly warm this and serve it with Roasted or Grilled pork for a different accompaniment to traditional apple sauce.

Mustard Fruits

500g sugar

250ml water

1kg dried apricots I used fresh and weighed them after taking the stones out.

150ml white wine vinegar

50 g keens mustard (powdered mustard)

2 cinnamon sticks

5 cloves
Method

Combine 400g of the sugar with the water and cook over a medium heat until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add the cinnamon sticks and cloves. Add the fruit and cook over a low heat until the fruit is soft. This will take about 10 minutes for dried fruit but only about 2 to 3 minutes for fresh fruit. Remove the fruit from the heat and put in a bowl. Combine the remaining sugar and vinegar and cook for 10 minutes to make a thick syrup. Allow to cool a little, stir in the mustard and leave to stand for about 1 hour. Add mustard syrup to the fruit, mix well and pour into clean, warm, sterilized  jars. The pickle will be ready the next day but will improve with maturity.