Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's dried fruit recipes

As primates, I reckon we're pretty much hard-wired to yearn for fruit whatever the season. Call me demanding, but I need more than apples and pears to keep me going until the first gooseberry of summer, which is why I grab the year's earliest sticks of forced rhubarb (the vegetable that thinks it's a fruit) like a man possessed. Even so, I long for greater variety. And that's when I reach for dried fruit. Fat raisins, plump apricots and perfumed mangoes add a fruity lift to compotes, tea breads, cakes and muesli. And in savoury dishes, too – apricots add a juicy tang to tagines, stuffings and pilafs; raisins are delicious sautéed with radicchio in a winter salad or in a piquant pasta sauce with capers and pine nuts; and dried mango makes a great chutney. Of course, all these ingredients are "exotic", the very opposite of local, so are hardly stand-bys of the River Cottage repertoire, which is why we give a little thought to their sourcing. Fairtrade Fortnight starts a week on Monday, and provides a good opportunity to reflect on where our food comes from, how it's produced and by whom. The power of the shopping basket is mighty – in 1999 we spent £21m on Fairtrade products; in 2009 it was £799m. This is a growing movement that makes a real difference to some of the world's poorest farming communities. In all, around 7.5 million people from 58 developing countries – farmers, their families and communities – benefit from the Fairtrade system. I know there are some who criticise Fairtrade, and I've heard all the arguments about protectionism ad nauseam, but the fact is, traditional trading arrangements push some of the poorest communities on our planet to the brink of destitution. And that is an irrefutable argument for change, for a fairer deal and for trading structures that encourage and foster sustainable development. So I hope you choose Fairtrade dried fruit when shopping for today's recipes. There's a hearteningly wide range available, but if you have trouble tracking them down, tropicalwholefoods.com does a great range by mail order. Dried fruit compote This makes a great breakfast with thick, Greek-style yoghurt. It keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This makes enough for eight to 10 servings. 200g dried apricots 200g dried mangoes 100g raisins 150ml freshly squeezed orange juice 80g honey Zest of 1 lemon, pared with vegetable peeler Zest of ½ orange, pared with vegetable peeler 1 cinnamon stick 3 cloves 1 star anise (optional) Thick yoghurt, to serve Pour 500ml warm water into a large bowl, tip in the dried fruit and leave to soak for an hour. Pour 500ml water into a large saucepan along with the orange juice, honey, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, cloves and star anise (if using). Bring to a boil, then add the fruit and its soaking liquid. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened and the liquid has thickened slightly. Serve warm or cold, with a big dollop of thick yoghurt. Raisin pie You can give this homely, delicious pie a decadent kick by soaking the raisins in a slug of rum or brandy, draining and adding them to the filling. Serves six to eight. For the pastry 225g plain flour A pinch of salt 150g chilled butter, cut into cubes 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 egg yolk For the filling 4 eggs, slightly beaten 380ml sour cream 200g caster sugar, plus a little extra Juice of 1 lemon Finely grated zest of 1 lemon Finely grated zest of ½ orange 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt 200g raisins Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mix resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Whisk the egg yolk with three tablespoons of chilled water, sprinkle over the flour and mix in with a knife. Knead very gently into a dough. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out two-thirds of the dough and use it to line a 22cm x 4cm pie dish. Chill for 15 minutes. Keep the remaining dough in clingfilm. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs. (Set aside a tablespoon's worth for glazing the top of the pie.) Now whisk them with sour cream, sugar, lemon juice and zest, orange zest, vanilla and salt. Stir in the raisins. Roll out the remaining dough into a circle large enough to cover the pie. Pour the filling into the pie, cover with the lid, seal the edges and trim with a sharp knife. Beat together the reserved egg and a tablespoon of water, and brush this over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and bake for a further 10-15 minutes – the middle will still wobble a bit as the custardy filling thickens up as it cools. Serve just warm or cold. Amaretti biscuits Crisp on the outside and chewy in the centre, these are addictively good and very easy. Makes about 16. 180g apricot kernels (or use ground almonds) 100g caster sugar Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tsp almond extract 1 pinch salt 2 egg whites 1 tbsp runny honey 50g flaked almonds Icing sugar Heat the oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Grind the apricot kernels to a fine meal in a food processor or clean coffee mill, then mix with the caster sugar, lemon zest, almond extract and salt in a bowl, ensuring the zest and extract are evenly distributed. Whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form, then whisk in the honey. With a large metal spoon, gently fold the meringue into the kernel mixture until you have a soft dough. Roll the dough into balls the size of large walnuts, flatten each ball a little, then roll in flaked almonds. Finally, roll them in icing sugar. Place the biscuits on the baking tray and bake for 14-18 minutes – they should turn a very light golden colour and remain soft and chewy in the centre. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then store in a sealed jar or tin. Dried mango chutney Dried fruit makes a delicious chutney and is a terrific stand-by when fresh fruit is in short supply. Makes five 240ml jars. 500g dried mango slices (roughly chopped, if on the large side) 4 onions, peeled and finely diced 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 250g raisins 350g light muscovado sugar 1 tbsp mustard seeds 2 small red chillies, halved, membranes removed, finely diced 500ml cider vinegar Finely grated zest of 1 orange Juice of 1 small orange 1 tbsp ground ginger 1 tsp salt 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground cumin Put the mango slices in a bowl, pour over 1.5 litres of water, cover and leave to soak overnight. Tip the mangoes and their soaking water into a large, stainless-steel saucepan or preserving pan. Add all the other ingredients and, over a low heat, stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring up to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for about an hour and a half. You should stir the mixture frequently, particularly towards the end of the cooking time, to ensure it doesn't stick – it's done when a spoon drawn through the centre of the chutney leaves a clear line for a second or two before the chutney comes back together. Pour into hot, sterilised jars and seal with vinegar-proof lids. Store in a cool, dry place and leave to mature for eight weeks before using. Use within two years. • Learn new skills on River Cottage's four-day cookery courses; go to rivercottage.net for details.