MAKES ONE 1-PINT/500-ML JAR
In Barcelona, I buy most of my nuts at a small shop that has been roasting them in a metal tumbler by a wood fire since 1851. Casa Gispert has the best—and best selection of—nuts as well as dried fruits from around Spain: hazelnuts from Tarragona, marcona almonds, three kinds of prunes, three kinds of dried figs, dates from Alicante. I have taken inspiration from their shelves laden with marmalades, nuts, honey, and macerated fruits for my own preparations. Gispert macerates dried apricots in mistela, a fortified wine—made, nearly always, with garnacha (Grenache) grapes—whose fermentation has been stopped by adding alcohol to it. At home I like to use Muscatel for its honeyed, fruity aromas and bright clear-gold vibrancy. The apricots are excellent with yogurt, ice cream, or on their own, and even alongside a chicken roasting in the oven (see page 220).
1. Wipe the apricots with a clean, dry cloth if needed.
2. Into a 1-pint/500-ml sterilized wide-mouthed glass canning jar, place the apricots and jiggle to settle. They should fill about two-thirds of the jar. Pour in the wine. Close the jar tightly and label. Check the level of the wine during the first days to see how much the apricots have absorbed, topping up as needed to keep covered.
3. Store in a dark, cool place for at least 1 month and up to 6 months.