COOK'S CLASS

WINTER FRUIT SALAD

A refreshing fruit salad is always an excellent option for dessert, especially after a heavy main course. The trick is to use seasonal fruit in an inspirational way. 

This interesting winter dish combines raw and cooked fruits with a variety of textures. The flavours and warm, glowing colours of grilled pineapple, baked pears, poached dried apricots, fresh bananas are complemented with aromatic passionfruit. Cinnamon sticks, real vanilla, whole cloves, and a splash of orange liqueur add a medley of intriguing flavours. 

Serve this delectable dessert at room temperature with a dollop of thick yoghurt, or whipped cream mixed with a dash of pure maple syrup to add an edge of sweetness.

INGREDIENTS:
20 dried apricot halves, softened
1 pineapple, peeled, trimmed and sliced
3 pears, peeled, cored and quartered
100 g white sugar
1 cup fruit juice (apple, mango)
zest of 1 lemon 
1 vanilla pod 
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves 
1 tbsp butter 
30 ml (2 tbsp) orange liqueur
2 bananas, sliced into eighths 
2 oranges, segmented 
3 passion fruits or granadillas 
1 cup thick yoghurt 
1- 2 tbsp maple syrup 
(Serves 4-6)

You will need: small cook's knife, chopping board, shallow oven-ware tray, lifter serving platter 

 

STAGE 1:
Thoroughly wash fruit before preparing.

Pineapples are a fair source of Vitamin A and C.  Choose those with crisp green leaves, slightly soft to the touch and have no bruises or brownish areas. If you buy under ripe pineapples store them at room temperature for about a week to reduce their acidity. Peel pineapple, remove any prominent eyes and slice fairly thickly.

To segment an orange: using a sharp medium-sized knife, cut a slice off the top and bottom of the orange. Sit it on its base on a board and, working around the orange, slice off the rind in sections from the top to the bottom, removing all the white pith as you go. Hold the peeled orange in one hand over a bowl and cut out the segments one at a time by slicing down either side of the membranes. Drop the segments as you go.  

Dried fruit has to be rinsed thoroughly before soaking in cold water to just cover, until the fruit has softened. This can be done in advance and the liquid can be added to the fruit juice. 

STAGE 2:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place pineapple and pears in a shallow oven dish. Sprinkle with half the sugar.

Add the apricots and their liquid. Pour over fruit juice and add lemon zest, vanilla bean, cinnamon, cloves and pats of butter. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for 1 hour or until fruit is soft.

There are two types of cinnamon; tree cinnamon - lighter and milder (the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree) or cassia cinnamon - darkish brown and pungent (often sold in rough shards at spice stores).

STAGE 3:
Remove from oven, uncover and baste with the syrup.

STAGE 4:
Slice bananas into eighths and gently fold in with orange segments. Spoon over passionfruit pulp. Serve at room temperature with combined yoghurt and maple syrup.