Fruit Salad with Lime Mint Dressing
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really liked fruit salad. Of course, the kind I’m talking about is the sickeningly sweet stuff that comes from a can that they served in the school cafeteria. Or the one that would show up on the church potluck buffet that contained mushy bananas– and was again way too sweet. I would never touch the stuff, and I’m surely not going to expect my kid to either.
But I do LOVE fruit, especially this time of year when the temps crank up a notch or two, and my appetite for warm foods goes down a few notches.
Sure, I’m happy to eat all sorts of fruit without any adornment, but there are times when the occasion calls for jazzing it up a bit- a brunch for friends, a bridal shower, or maybe even taking a meal to new parents (which just happens to be my reason).
The Peach Truck was on my street last week, so I scored a big bag of peaches, and that was my starting point for this salad. The kiddo is basically addicted to blueberries, so they were a must, and well, strawberries are both yummy AND pretty, so I needed to get those in there! You can really use any fruit that you love (as long as it’s not too mushy. Blech).
Next time around I’m thinking of adding some kiwi, and maybe even a little basil. If you experiment and find a great combo, be sure to report back!
Fruit Salad with Lime Mint Dressing
Yields 10 1/2-cup servings; Adapted from Giada
Ingredients:
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 pint blueberries
2 large peaches, peeled and cubed
1/8 cup simple syrup*
1/4 cup lime juice (2-3 limes)
1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/8 tsp almond extract
Directions:
Wash, peel, and chop fruit as desired. Place into large bowl.
In a blender, combine simple syrup, lime juice, chopped mint, and almond extract.
Toss syrup over fruit. Chill and serve.
*Simple syrup = 1 part sugar to 1 part water. Bring water to a boil, stir in sugar until dissolved completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
This is so pretty! I love fruit salads that have just a hint of sweet so you can really taste the fruit and not the syrup.
I’m the same way with fruit salad. Usually they’re kind of take it or leave it. I’ve started falling back on this great berry salad recipe from Emeril, though, where you make a champagne mint simple syrup that the berries sit in and soak up. Delicious! http://www.emerils.com/recipe/6892/
ooh, will have to give that method a go soon!
This was SO delicious. Coincidentally, I just finished up a big bowl of it along with one of Alexandra’s homemade strawberry/blueberry scones, which it paired wonderfully with. I do love the idea of adding a touch of basil next time – I bet it would make an awesome flavor combination! (and thank you again for all the great food!)
Yum! I want one of Alexandra’s scones to go with my fruit salad too ;-)
And you’re more than welcome. Happy to see that adjusting to parenthood is going smoothly!
It’s such a simple recipe and the salad looks so delicious. Your idea for the salad dressing is incredible and you could use it with any combination of fruits you have available.
It’s so yummy and simple! Hope you try it and enjoy!