Macerated Dried Fruits and Nuts

Name: Macerated Dried Fruits and Nuts
Yield: makes 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 pounds assorted dried fruits: apricots, pears, peaches, prunes, raisins, cherries, etc., in any combination; 1/2 pound blanched almonds, halved or slivered, optional; 2 tablespoons pine nuts; 2 cups fresh orange juice, 1 cup grape juice plus 1 cup water, or all water; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon rose water, 1 tablespoon orange-flower water, or 1 tablespoon anise liqueur, like raki, ouzo, or Pernod

December 14, 2011

I have been making this winter fruit salad from the time I first started looking at cookbooks and well remember the original Claudia Roden recipe (in her wonderful classic A Book of Middle Eastern Food). My version, honed by experience and travel, is a little different. If you use water, you will probably need to add a bit of sugar; start with 1/2 cup and see how that tastes. This recipe produces a lovely syrup of its own, but you can serve it with yogurt or fresh or sour cream if you like. If you’re in a hurry, you may cook the mixture, gently, until the fruit softens. The texture will be mushier, the fruits less distinctive, but the taste will still be great.

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