Farmers market report: Apricots are in season

What’s in season: Apricots and other stone fruits have been popping up at stands for a few weeks now, but flavorful fruit are really starting to come into season. Apricots and apricot hybrids including the classic Blenheim apricots, Katy and Poppy apricots, Early Dapple and other pluots and apriums are making a colorful show with a season that typically lasts well through July. Green apricots -- unripe apricots similar in appearance to almonds -- are bitter- or sour-flavored fruit often used for pickling.

What to cook: Sometimes the best apricots -- a perfectly ripe Blenheim -- are best eaten out of hand. Slice the fruit to add sweet notes to a quick salad, or halve and grill apricots to caramelize the sugars before serving alongside a simple scoop of ice cream. If adding to a tart, galette or crumble, the skins are easily removed before using: Score the base of each fruit with an X, then place in boiling water just until the skin begins to curl. Remove the fruit to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and peel the skin away as soon as the fruit is cool enough to handle.
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What’s on the horizon: Berries -- blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and even boysenberries -- are really beginning to make a show.

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Apricot almond galette   (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times )

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Recipe: Hazelnut flan with roasted apricots and roasted apricot sorbet

  (Randi Lynn Beach / For the Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Apricot-raspberry crisp with almonds.

  (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

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Recipe: Cherry and apricot fruit salad

  (Robert Lachman/Los Angeles Times)

APRICOT ALMOND GALETTE

Total time: 1 hour, plus cooling time | Serves 6 to 8

1 1/2 pounds apricots (6 to 8)

2 to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, depending on the sweetness of the apricots

1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 tablespoons almond liqueur

Prepared galette dough (see related recipe)

3 tablespoons sliced almonds

1/3 cup raspberries, if desired

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon coarse sugar

1. Cut each apricot into 6 to 8 wedges, discarding the pits. Combine the apricots with the granulated sugar and almond extract in a work bowl and toss well to mix.

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the dough from the refrigerator to a flat surface lined with a lightly floured sheet of parchment. Roll the dough into a rough circle about 15 inches in diameter and a generous one-eighth-inch thick. Transfer the dough (still on the parchment) to a baking sheet.

3. Gently stir in the sliced almonds and raspberries with the apricots. Spoon the apricots into the center of the dough. Fold the outer 3 inches of the dough circle toward the center to make a packet, leaving the inner 4 or 5 inches of apricots uncovered (the assembled galette will be about 9 inches in diameter). Lightly brush the pastry with the beaten egg, then scatter the coarse sugar over the apricots and pastry.

4. Bake until the crust is golden-brown and the apricots are softened, about 45 minutes. Start checking the galette after 30 minutes, and loosely cover the fruit with a sheet of foil if they color too quickly. Cool the galette 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Each of 8 servings: 374 calories; 6 grams protein; 43 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 20 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 54 mg cholesterol; 15 grams sugar; 303 mg sodium.

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