Apricot Recipes' title='Apricot Recipes' />Tips on natural cures, nutrition, beauty, health, and fitness. Apricots are a juicy summer fruit perfect for desserts like puddings and cobblers. Find more than 220 apricot recipes including canned, fresh or dried varieties. Easiest way to dress up roast chicken Glaze with apricot preservesFresh, ripe apricots are juicy and taste both sweet and a bit tart. Try these lush little beauties in pies, tarts, cobblers, and more. Yes, I know. I have issues. During the last binge episode, I found an unopened jar of dried apricots, which I bought a few months ago for a recipe that I dont remember. Obviously, I didnt make it. After checking its lifespan, I was good to go and paired it with pork chops, ground ginger, ground cumin and lots of brandy. Brandy and apricots Ill take this pair along with me in any dish, anytime. Together forever. Also, below the recipe is information about Cumin from Mc. Cormick Chief Spice Buyer, Al Geotze. In the next couple of weeks, watch out for the SPICIEST giveaway that Ill be hosting I want to replace someones spice cabinet. The ENTIRE spice cabinet with 4. Mc. Cormick Gourmet spices. Enough spices to give pork chops wet dreams. Coming soon. Pork Chops with Apricot Brandy Sauce Recipe Step by Step. The apricots take a nice little bath in brandy or your booze of choice cognac, white wine and the pork chops are gently scored on one side. The scoring prevents the chops from curling up when you cook them. Ground ginger, ground cumin, salt and pepper are mixed together and then sprinkled on the pork chops on both sides. In a large frying pan I like my large cast iron pan sear the pork chops both sides, and remove them when they are almost, but not quite cooked through. Well finish cooking them in separate step. Careful not to use too high of heat you want a good sear, but you can do this on medium high heat. To the pan, add the onions and let them cook until they start to soften. Then add the apricots only reserve the booze and let the apricots caramelize a bit. Booze time Add the brandy and let the whole thing simmer for just a bit. Next add the chicken stock and HEY, WHERES MY LAST PHOTO Photoshop job, eh Oh one more thing dont overcook the chops. Barely blush pink on the inside is perfect. Pork Chops with Apricot Brandy Sauce Recipe. Servings 4. Prep Time 1. Cook Time 2. 0The pork chops are lightly scored on one side to prevent them from curling during cooking helps with even cooking, plus it looks prettier than curled up chops. For a non booze version of this recipe, use apple juice instead. Pyrex Oven Safe here. Ingredients Handful of dried apricots, halved. I used Mc. Cormick Gourmet Roasted Cumin12 teaspoon ground ginger I used Mc. Cormick Gourmet Roasted Ginger12 teaspoon kosher saltfreshly ground black pepper. Directions 1. Soak the apricots in brandy in a small bowl. Combine the cumin, ginger salt and pepper. Lightly score pork chops on one side with sharp knife. Rub evenly on both sides of pork chops. Heat oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat. Add pork chops, cook 3 minutes each side until browned and mostly cooked all the way through. Remove pork chops to plate well finish cooking the chops in later step. Return skillet to medium low heat and add the butter and onions. Gently saute onions for 5 minutes. Make sure they do not burn. Add the dried apricots try not to add the brandy just yet and saute another minute. Turn heat to medium high and pour in the brandy that the apricots were soaked in. Let simmer for 1 minute. Pour in chicken broth. Return the pork chops back into the pan, snuggling them in the sauce. Cover and cook for 2 3 minutes until the inside of pork chop is barely blush pink. About Cumin. From Mc. Cormick Spice Field Report by Al Goetze, Mc. Cormick Gourmet Chief Spice Buyer. What is it about cumin that makes this spice so uniqueIts very distinctive flavor is described as slightly bitter and warm, with strong, earthy notes. A quick whiff of cumin and you instantly know its identity. But, did you know that cumin is among the top 1. U. S Thats not so surprising if you think about how important cumin is to some of our favorite flavors, like taco seasoning, chili powder and other Mexican and Southwest inspired dishes. Cumin is also an essential ingredient in virtually every global cuisine, particularly the more trendy foods of North Africa, India and the Middle East. Cumin seed has an extensive history and the foods that it is used to flavor today actually traces its fascinating past. Earliest records of cumin date back more than 4,0. Nile River Valley and cultivation by the Egyptians. From there the seeds were bartered through overland camel trading routes crossing Northern Africa to the west and Asia to the east. As trade expanded, cumin was carried north into Europe via Morocco and Venice. Cumin reached the New World, with the arrival of the Spaniards in Mexico. Each stop along the way, the local population became intrigued with cumins flavor, and found ways to incorporate the spice into their dishes. These photos were taken by Al Goetze on a trip to northwest India to the states, Gujarat and Rajasthan to see cumin production first hand. Cumin grows in the mild winter months, as the moisture and cool temperatures are ideal. The harvest takes place from March to May. It is critical that the weather becomes dry at harvest time. Hard rains can cause seeds to fall to the ground or turn black in color, resulting in a lower quality crop. Cuminum cyminum is a delicate looking annual, with slender, branched stems. It is a small, fast growing plant seldom reaching higher than three feet. Tiny white flowers will yield cumin seeds, which range in color from pale brown to khaki. Cumin seeds are similar in appearance to caraway seeds, averaging about inch in length. It grows in temperate climates and is harvested just four months after planting. Its amazing that such an unassuming plant produces a seed so packed with flavor and aroma. The farmers manually harvest the seeds by pulling the whole plant out of the ground and thrashing the seeds off of the plant onto a cover. Then, they are sun dried and hand sifted over a screen to separate out stems and twigs. Most seeds are taken to a small town called Unjha which has a famous open air market, where merchants sell small lots of several hundred pounds of cumin seeds, one lot at a time. Even in the spring months here, the weather can get very warm, so the market closes for two hours mid day. For more information on spices, see Mc. Cormick Spice 1. 01 and a handy code checker to see if your spices are past their prime. This is me and Al I took a trip to Mc. Cormick HQ in Maryland earlier this year to meet him and get schooled on spice Im part of Mc. Cormick Gourmet team of bloggers developing recipes featuring their spices and I also on the chef panel to develop Mc. Cormick 2. 01. 1 Flavor Forecast prediecting upcoming flavor trends. Who else makes Pork Chops and Apricots Apricot Glazed Pork Chops Our Life in the Kitchen. Apricot Curry Glazed Pork Chops Cooking by the Seat of My Pants. Pan Fried and Roasted Pork Chops with Apricot Dijon Sauce Kalyns Kitchen. Pork Chops with Apricot Brandy Glaze Fancy Toast. Grilled Pork Chops with Apricot Onion Rookie Cookie.