Mustering the troops for tonight’s cookery. No honey? Easy solution: use the honey wine.
The ingredients:
Apricots
I used 2 15-ounce (425g) cans of apricots in light syrup, drained and rinsed off, because I couldn’t find fresh apricots, because, to be honest, I didn’t look very hard. But to find the canned apricots, I had to excavate through to the back of a bottom shelf behind a cart and many cans of peaches, so I feel like I worked hard to harvest these.
1 tsp white pepper
3 tsp cumin
4 tsp mint
2 tsp aniseed
Combine and crush the seasonings in mortar and pestle
honey wine (should have been honey and wine, but I was out of honey)—an indeterminate amount, as I spilled it while measuring out 1/3 cup
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
olive oil: 1 dollop
garum: less than a dollop—add more to taste, if that’s your sort of taste
3 medium-size shallots, diced
cubed ham
I added 1/4 pound cubed ham. I’m not sure how I feel about it.
Thicken with a small amount of spelt flour. Stew until the apricots are tender, and/or until all the flavours have had a chance to blend. Serve hot. Serves 2 to 3 people.
Sides: diced almonds with golden raisins; mixed olives—kalamata, stuffed with garlic, stuffed with feta—plus peppers and cheese.
Cabbage and mixed-greens salad with Oxyporium dressing; and of course some bread and cheese.
The main course, awaiting my test subjects…I mean, dinner guests.
I think the ham made the stew too salty, without contributing much to the taste. Maybe this stew is better as a side to a meat dish!
Carolyne Chand 
Leave a Reply