Pickled Prunes

Recipe from Hard Like Armour via Food52

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 1 quart

I think these are just the cat’s meow.  They are so easy to make and can be served on their own or would be excellent with a dollop of mascarpone, a soft tangy cheese or over ice cream, as a salad component or with oatmeal, or as an accompaniment to roast pork, if you’re a meat eater.  Make a couple of jars and then keep one for yourself to serve on a party platter and then give the other as a hostess gift.

1 cup red wine vinegar
12 (2-inch) strips orange peel 
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon pink peppercorns
1/2 3" stick cinnamon, broken in half
1 pound pitted prunes
2 teaspoons orange blossom water (A reviewer suggested using Cointreau.)
Combine vinegar, orange peel and juice, sugar and spices in medium-sized saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it's at a boil, add the prunes and decrease heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft, but not falling apart.
Remove the prunes & orange peel to quart jar (or other suitable container) using a slotted spoon. If you like, return the syrup to the heat, and reduce for several minutes until fairly thick. Stir in the orange blossom water. Pour the syrup over the prunes, stir to mix well and cool to room temperature. Once cool, cover and refrigerate. These taste best after a minimum of 8 hours in the fridge, and should last for 2 weeks.

Notes: Here are some serving suggestions from reviewers of this recipe: 
• Spread a toasted baguette slice with a mild blue cheese and then top it with a prune and a drizzle of syrup.
• Serve as a part of a cheese plate. 
• Cut up into salads. 
• The sauce from the prunes is delicious mixed into salad dressings. 
• Drizzle over ice cream.
• Use the prune syrup in bubbly water with lemon juice as a soda, too.
• Really, really yummy with lightly sweetened goat cheese followed with a chaser slice of cold crisp apple.
• Spoon them over Greek yogurt and top them with almonds for an amazing take-to-work lunch. 

No-Knead Almond Brioche Bostock

Makes one loaf

Recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg, M.D. and Zoe Francois

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Oh, what a breakfast you will have when serving this lovely pastry to your guests!  This is absolutely delicious!!!  Make a batch of No-Knead Brioche dough (one batch of dough will make up to four loaves) and freeze it for when you want to make this special treat.  Thaw the dough in the fridge overnight and then follow these directions.

1½ pounds No-Knead Brioche Dough 

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature plus more for prepping the pan

½ cup almond paste

¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 large egg

¼ teaspoon almond extract

¼ teaspoon orange-flower water (optional)

¼ cup sugar plus more for prepping the pan

Zest from half an orange

½ cup sliced almonds

Generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan.  Sprinkle the pan with a dusting of granulated sugar.  Set aside.  (You can do this a day in advance and store it in the fridge until ready to use.)

Cream together the butter, almond paste, flour, egg, orange-flower water (if using) and almond extract in a food processor until very smooth and well combined.  Set aside.

Dust the surface of the refrigerated No-Knead Brioche Dough with a bit of flour.  Quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

With a rolling pin, roll out the ball into a ¼ inch thick rectangle.  As you roll out the dough, use enough flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface, but not so much as to make the dough dry.

Spread the almond cream evenly over the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border all around. (I use an offset spatula for this task.) Roll up the dough, jellyroll style, starting at the long end, and being sure to seal the bare edges.  The dough will be soft, so chill the log for about 15 minutes in the freezer before cutting it.

Cut the chilled dough into 8 equal pieces.  Place them evenly in the prepared cake pan so that the swirled cut edge is facing upward.  Allow the dough to rest for 1 hour.

Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Just before baking, mix together sugar, orange zest, and almonds and sprinkle over the brioche.  (I use sparkly sugar for this, but regular granulate sugar works well too.) Bake until golden brown and well set in the center, about 40 minutes or so.

Run a knife around the inside of the pan to release the brioche while it is still hot.  Invert it onto a serving dish.  If you let it set too long, it will stick to the pan and be difficult to run out.  Enjoy this warm!