michelle picker cooks

Moroccan tagines often include fruit and I love the way it’s cooked.

Take 12 pieces of dried fruit and cook them in a cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar. Allow to boil until the fruit is soft and the liquid is low. Now add a tablespoon of orange blossom water (available at Middle Eastern stores) and cook until there is only a little syrup left. Apricots and prunes are delicious cooked this way but this time I chose figs and dates. On a prepared pastry shell I placed spoonfuls of fresh goat cheese and poured on the fruit and syrup. Baked in a moderate oven until browned, it came out like this.