We just picked all the apricots off our tree and now have an abundance of perfectly ripe apricots. It's always a game as to who will get the apricots first. The birds are waiting for them to be just right and so am I . . . so is the dog by the way. At least she waits for them to fall. Those bad-mannered birds peck at one a little then move on to the next. I've learned to pick them just before they are perfect then let them ripen in the house. We've eaten all the fresh cold apricots we can, given away a bunch and they are now at the point where they have to be eaten and I can't bear to see these gems go bad so I made jam last night. I simply cooked down a pot of apricots with fresh squeezed lemons from our tree and added sugar. Hot apricot jam is almost as good as the pairing below.
apricots halved
mascarpone
walnuts - oven roasted with honey and kosher salt
honey
basil
balsalmic - reduced to a syrup
bake the apricots at 350 until juicy but not mushy
fill with a dollop of mascarpone - let cool enough that the mascarpone doesn't melt
