Quick Curried Chicken

425g tin apricots
2 onions, sliced
1kg diced chicken breasts
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons cornflour
Extra water

Method: Drain and finely chop or process apricots, reserving juice. Cover a baking dish with foil and place chicken, onions and apricots in. Mix curry powder and cornflour together with apricot juice and extra water. Pour over chicken mixture and bake for 60-90 minutes at 180°C or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Hint: vegetables of choice can be added to this dish. Serve with mashed potatoes and peas; salad, pasta or rice. Suitable to freeze.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.75.

Dessert from the Shelf

1 small tin sliced peaches or apricot halves, 1/2 cup cream or evaporated milk, 3/4 cup plain flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar firmly packed, 1 level tsp cinnamon, pinch salt, 2 oz butter or margarine.

Method: Drain fruit. Arrange in 9 in. tart plate, pour milk or cream over it. Sift flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon. Rub butter in lightly with tips of fingers. Sprinkle top over fruit. Bake in moderate oven until crumbs are brown - about 15 mins. Serve while still warm with cream.

Source: contributed by B. Roocke in Booleroo Centre Primary School 1885-1985 Centenary Recipe Book (Revised edition 1985 of 1970 edition, p.56.

Spicy Mutton Satays

1 shoulder mutton

1&1/2 cups apricot nectar

1/2 cup white wine

1 onion, grated

2 tbspns. honey

1/2 tspn. ground ginger

1/2 tspn. ground allspice

salt and pepper to taste

Method: Trim mutton and cut into small cubes. Thread onto satay sticks. Mix remaining ingredients in dish or plastic bag and marinate for at least 30 minutes turning occasionally. Drain and cook under pre-heated grill or on the barbecue. Pour remaining marinade into saucepan. Bring to the boil and thicken with a little cornflour and water paste. Simmer gently. Canned apricot halves may be heated under grill. Serve immediately with sauce.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.102.

Lamb Chops with Apricots

4 chump lamb chops

2 tbsp seasoned flour

1 tbs oil

1 onion sliced

2 tbs soy sauce

1 green pepper sliced

1 tin apricot halves undrained

Method: Remove fat from chops and coat with seasoned flour. Heat oil and brown chops, remove chops from pan and add onion and green pepper and brown. Add apricots with liquid and soy sauce. Add seasoning and return chops to pan. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes stirring.

Source: Recommended by G. Matthewman in The Wentworth Private Residential Care Cookbook (Aberfoyle Park [Adelaide], ?2008), p.29

Helena's Apricot Chicken

800g - 1kg chicken thigh fillets

1 large onion

2 tablespoons oil

2 pkts French onion soup mix

1 litre chicken stock

500g frozen mixed vegetables

375g vermicelli noodles

Mixed herbs

Ground pepper

1 large tin apricot halves in natural juice

Method: Chop onion finely in a food processor and fry in the oil until golden. Chop chicken finely and then fry with the onion until almost cooked and golden. Place the apricots and juice in the food processor and chop until smooth, add to the chicken. Stir in soup mix, herbs and spices. Add the noodles, vegetables and stock then bring to the boil and simmer, stirring occasionally until noodles are cooked (approx 20-25 mins). Add extra water during simmering if needed.

Hints: Massels brand of powdered stock gives extra flavour and is a good pantry item. It has no preservatives or artificial flavourings. The flavour improves if left overnight. This freezes well for up to 2 months.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.18

Apricot Curried Chicken

1 x 425g cans apricots

2 tablespoons curry sauce [sic]

1 onion, sliced

1kg diced chicken or 12 chicken drumsticks

Extra water

2 tablespoons cornflour

Method: Place chicken, onions and drained apricots in baking dish, reserving apricot juice. Mix curry power and cornflour with reserved apricot juice and extra water, pour over chicken onions and apricots. Cover dish with foil and bake at 180C for 1 -1.1/2 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve with mashed potatoes and peas or salad and pasta. Variation: vegetables can be added to dish or served on the side.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.19.

Stuffed Apricots

Walnut halves

Non-fat cottage cheese

Dried apricots or tinned halves (drained)

Method: Place a teaspoonful of cottage cheese in the centre of each apricot half and top each with a walnut.

Source: contributed by Mrs. P. Thomas in Gulnare Gourmets (Adelaide: Gulnare Primary School Welfare Club, 1984 [2nd edition]), p.7.

Apricot Cloud

3 egg whites
6 tbsp sugar
1&1/2 tsp lemon juice
3/8 tsp salt
3/8 tsp cream of tartar
3 cups pureed apricots (canned)

Sauce:
3 egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp evaporated milk

Method: Beat eggs whites, salt, cream of tartar until doubled in volume. Beat in sugar gradually until meringue forms soft peaks. Fold in apricots and lemon juice. Spoon into dishes. Top with sauce. SAUCE: Beat egg yolks and sugar until thick. Fold in lemon juice and evaporated milk.

Source: contributed by E. Lutchford in Library Cookbook: West Torrens Public Library - Recipes Supplied by Friends, Borrowers and Staff (West Torrens: 1985 [1st edn]).