Potato experiment
October 8, 2013 11:39 AM Subscribe
I have frozen apricots, (unfortunately frozen whole, including the pits!) and leftover boiled potatoes in the fridge. I would like to try to make apricot dumplings with potato dough.
Making the dough is not the problem. But they're supposed to boil in water for no longer than 15 minutes which hardly seems enough to thaw the apricots. But thawing before wrapping them in dumpling dough is going to reduce them to mush and would take most of the day, wouldn't it?
I am a very very amateur cook and baker, so I have no idea. What can I do to make this work?
(This is mostly an experiment, and I won't cry if it doesn't work, but it would be nice if it did.)
Making the dough is not the problem. But they're supposed to boil in water for no longer than 15 minutes which hardly seems enough to thaw the apricots. But thawing before wrapping them in dumpling dough is going to reduce them to mush and would take most of the day, wouldn't it?
I am a very very amateur cook and baker, so I have no idea. What can I do to make this work?
(This is mostly an experiment, and I won't cry if it doesn't work, but it would be nice if it did.)
I might try partially thawing the apricots, in a bag in a bowl of cold water. Then while they were still somewhat frozen, I'd halve them and take out the pits. You might be able to slip the skins off too. Then stuff and cook the dumplings.
posted by cabingirl at 11:49 AM on October 8, 2013
posted by cabingirl at 11:49 AM on October 8, 2013
This recipe describes using either frozen or fresh apricots with no real difference in process.
posted by bethnull at 11:50 AM on October 8, 2013
posted by bethnull at 11:50 AM on October 8, 2013
Response by poster: (I have eaten dumplings with and without pits, so removing pits is not a priority. I just don't want them to be cold inside.)
posted by Omnomnom at 11:52 AM on October 8, 2013
posted by Omnomnom at 11:52 AM on October 8, 2013
I have a similar problem in that I have an unfortunate number of whole frozen plums in my freezer and yes, definitely, the become mush. I think your best bet would be to cook the apricots separately as a sort of jam/reduction ( put them in a pan on low heat with some liquid and sugar), then use that as a filling. The pits are the problem there, though. Maybe let them set out on the counter for half an hour and see if they soften just enough to pit without collapsing?
Good luck!
posted by theweasel at 11:52 AM on October 8, 2013
Good luck!
posted by theweasel at 11:52 AM on October 8, 2013
Ooh, forgot to add - if you try the reduction, add a little lemon to the liquid to preserve the flavor. And a whole clove or two? Mmmmm...
posted by theweasel at 11:54 AM on October 8, 2013
posted by theweasel at 11:54 AM on October 8, 2013
Apricot pits (the inner kernels) contain cyanogenetic glycosides that release cyanide on digestion. Not a big deal if they are not split open or eaten, but I would remove them before cooking. Laetrile, claimed to be a cancer cure, is reportedly made from apricot kernels, and has caused fatal cyanide poisoning.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:19 PM on October 8, 2013
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:19 PM on October 8, 2013
Apricot pits (the inner kernels) contain cyanogenetic glycosides that release cyanide on digestion. Not a big deal if they are not split open or eaten, but I would remove them before cooking. Laetrile, claimed to be a cancer cure, is reportedly made from apricot kernels, and has caused fatal cyanide poisoning.
This is the kind of thing that you only need to worry about if you're directly eating relatively large quantities of apricot kernels, and probably not even then, if you eat them in moderation. Health Canada advises that healthy adults "consume no more than three bitter apricot kernels per day, ground and mixed with other foods."
In fact, the bitter almond/cyanide flavor that they provide is generally considered desirable, and there are recipes that call for apricot kernels as a flavoring ingredient (amaretti cookies and amaretto liqueur, for instance) and for cooking stone fruit with the pit in place to improve the flavor (clafoutis: "A traditional Limousin clafoutis contains pits of the cherries. According to baking purists, the pits release a wonderful flavor when the dish is cooked. If the cherry pits are removed prior to baking, the clafoutis will be milder in flavor").
In short: leaving the pits in will only improve your dumplings, other than the danger to your teeth; don't crack open & eat more than three of the kernels in the course of consuming them.
posted by pullayup at 2:41 PM on October 8, 2013
This is the kind of thing that you only need to worry about if you're directly eating relatively large quantities of apricot kernels, and probably not even then, if you eat them in moderation. Health Canada advises that healthy adults "consume no more than three bitter apricot kernels per day, ground and mixed with other foods."
In fact, the bitter almond/cyanide flavor that they provide is generally considered desirable, and there are recipes that call for apricot kernels as a flavoring ingredient (amaretti cookies and amaretto liqueur, for instance) and for cooking stone fruit with the pit in place to improve the flavor (clafoutis: "A traditional Limousin clafoutis contains pits of the cherries. According to baking purists, the pits release a wonderful flavor when the dish is cooked. If the cherry pits are removed prior to baking, the clafoutis will be milder in flavor").
In short: leaving the pits in will only improve your dumplings, other than the danger to your teeth; don't crack open & eat more than three of the kernels in the course of consuming them.
posted by pullayup at 2:41 PM on October 8, 2013
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posted by aniola at 11:49 AM on October 8, 2013