Episodes 148: Fruit

Grape Fruit Alaska
Melon in a Mint and Balsamic Sauce
Melon in a Mint and Port Sauce
Cold Honeydew and a Mint Soup in Canteloupe
Cranberry Eggs Benedict
Baked Apple & Fruit Charlotte

GRAPE FRUIT ALASKA

5 tablespoons of sugar - (75ml)
4 large egg whites
4 large scoops of vanilla ice cream (about 1 pint)
2 large pink grapefruits

Preheat oven to 425°F - (212°C)

Begin by cutting grapefruits in half, slicing along the equator of the grapefruit. Then use a grapefruit knife to cut out the flesh. In a large bowl combine the flesh and any juices and blend in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Carefully remove and throw away inner membranes from grapefruit halves. With the rinds still intact there should be four hollow cups. Distribute the sugar and grapefruit mixture between cups.

Using electric mixer blend the egg whites over slow speed until frothy, when frothy raise speed to medium and blend until whites transform into smooth white peaks and overall volume increases significantly in bowl. Progressively mix in the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, then blend on high speed until meringue is stiff and glossy.

Spoon one scoop of ice cream into every cup. Top with a generous amount of meringue and cover then entire surface all the way to the edges creating a sealed mound. Place the cups on a baking sheet and bake in middle of oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Yields: 4 servings
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MELON IN A MINT AND BALSAMIC SAUCE

Mint and Balsamic Sauce:
3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar - (45ml)
3 tablespoons of minced fresh mint leaves plus mint sprigs for garnish - (45ml)
1 ½ tablespoons of sugar - (22.5ml)
2 honeydew melons quartered and seeded
4 thin slices of Prosciutto (2oz)
Fresh mint sprigs for Garnish


For the sauce, combine the vinegar, minced mint, and sugar in a small bowl. Let this stand at room temperature for 30-40 minutes.

Strain this mixture through a fine sieve positioned over a bowl. Make sure to press hard on the herbs to push all the flavours through.

Set up 4 plates and place three wedges of the melon on each. Sprinkle each serving with some of the vinegar mixture. Wrap or drape a piece of Prosciutto on top of each grouping of melon. Garnish the plates with the mint sprigs.

Yields: 4 servings
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MELON IN A MINT AND PORT SAUCE

1/3 cup of water - (75ml)
5 tablespoons of minced fresh mint - (75ml)
3 tablespoons of sugar -(45ml)
½ cup tawny or ruby Port
2 Honeydew melons, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes.
Fresh mint sprigs for Garnish

For the sauce, combine 1/3 cup of water, 3 tablespoons of minced fresh mint, and add 3 tablespoons of sugar in a small saucepan. Bring this to a simmer over low heat then take off the stove and cover. Let this sit for 2 hours. Strain the sauce into a small bowl and stir in port and 2 tablespoons of fresh mint.

Place the cubed melon on a platter and drizzle these with the port syrup. Garnish with fresh mint.

Yield: approximately 64 melon cubes
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COLD HONEYDEW AND MINT SOUP IN CANTALOUPE

½ large honeydew melon - cut into 1 inch cubes
1 cup of loosely pack mint leaves - (250ml)
4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice - (60ml)
2 tablespoons of sugar - (30ml)
3 cantaloupes, halved and trimmed decoratively

Place cubed melon in a blender and puree in batches. Add the mint leaves, fresh lime juice, and sugar to taste. Blend until smooth and pour the mixture into a bowl. Cover it with saran wrap and cool in fridge for 2 to 24 hours.

When ready, cut the three cantaloupe melons in half. Seed them and using a knife, trim the edges decoratively. Ladle some soup into each half melon and garnish with mint.

Serve and enjoy!

Yields: 4 servings
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CRANBERRY EGGS BENEDICT

Cranberry Muffins:
2 cups of flour - (500ml)
6 tablespoons of sugar - (90ml)
2 teaspoons of baking powder - (10ml)
¼ teaspoon of salt - (1.25ml)
¾ cup of cranberry juice - (175ml)
½ cup of melted butter - (125ml)
1 beaten egg
½ cup of fresh or frozen chopped cranberries - (125ml)

Clarified Butter
1 pound of butter - (500grams)

Cranberry Hollandaise Sauce:
½ cup of sparkling white wine - (125ml)
½ cup of cranberry juice - (125ml)
¼ teaspoon of peppercorns - (1.25ml)
2 chopped parsley sprigs
4 egg yolks
½ cup of clarified butter (see recipe) - (125ml)
Fresh lemon juice - to taste
Salt and pepper - to taste

Cranberry Eggs Benedict:
8 medium size eggs
¼ cup of water - (60ml)
1 teaspoon of white vinegar - (5ml)
4 cranberry muffins
8 oz (1 cup) of Atlantic smoked salmon - (250ml)
1 cup of cranberry hollandaise sauce - (250ml)
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F - (200°C)

Combine all the cranberry muffin ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until consistency is smooth. Grease muffing molds. Pour the batter into the tins and proceed to bake for 25 minutes. Set them onto a cooling rack to come to room temperature.

Prepare the clarified butter by placing the butter into small saucepan over a low flame. Heat the butter slowly until foam rises to the top. Skim off the foam (fat solids) and carefully remove the clear liquid. This liquid is the clarified butter.

For the hollandaise sauce, in a saucepan combine sparkling wine, peppercorns, and parsley sprigs, and reduce the sauce to half the volume. It should coat the back of a spoon.

Using a heat proof bowl, beat your egg yolks together until frothy. Gradually - while whisking - incorporate the reduced wine/juice mixture. Do this slowly so that the eggs don't scramble.

Place the bowl over a pot of boiling water and whisk continuously until the mixture has doubled in consistency.

Keep whisking while very slowly pouring in the clarified butter until completely united. Strain the sauce into a clean bowl and add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

To poach the eggs, place water in a skillet. Add the vinegar. Crack one egg at a time into a small cup or bowl and slowly slide them into the water and poach until whites are solid, but yolks are still soft.

Cut the cranberry muffins in half or use just the caps. Place 1 oz of Atlantic smoked salmon on each half. Set one poached egg on each muffin half and drizzle with a generous amount of hollandaise sauce. Season once more with salt & pepper.

Yield: 4 Servings
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BAKED APPLE & FRUIT CHARLOTTE

You will need a 6 inch springform pan

14 thin slices of egg bread with crusts removed
3 medium sized Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
½ cup of lightly packed brown sugar - (125ml)
1 pinch of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg - (2.5ml)
½ cup of finely chopped walnuts - (125ml)

Optional ingredients:
1/3 cup of golden raisins or mixed dried fruits - (75ml)
Grated lemon zest
2 tablespoon of marmalade - (30ml)
¼ cup of smooth jam - (60ml)

Preheat oven to 375°F - (185 C)

Begin by brushing springform pan with softened butter. Slice six slices of bread in half to form rectangles. Then cut five slices in half at a diagonal to form triangles. Set aside remaining three slices.

Flip the mold upside down with the opening face down. The goal is to cover the entire mold in the bread slices using the upside down mold as a guide to sizing the bread. Place the triangle slices on top of the mold, so that they are sitting on the small end of the tin. Make sure the edges on the slices overlap. Hold down bread and with a scissor cut around and trim edges with scissors. Now these triangles should fit the base of the mold precisely.

Proceed to melt 2/3 cup of the butter, and then dip the trimmed triangles in the butter and position in the bottom of molds. Dip the rectangles in butter as well and position around the sides of the mold. Make sure that rectangles are completely overlapping the edges, making the mold now completely covered in bread. If openings are visible, pack with the bread trimmings. Go back to the reserved slices of bread and dip them in the butter and set aside for use later.

Melt ¼ cup of butter in a large saucepan. Add the chopped apples. Place some parchment paper over a saucepan and then cover with the lid. For 15 to 20 minutes, let apples cook until they become very soft and acquire the texture of apple sauce. Add the brown sugar and continue to cook on high heat stirring for 5 minutes. It should fall from a spoon in thick rich globule. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, walnuts, and raisins and take the saucepan off heat. Add in the marmalade and a little of lemon zest and set aside to cool.

Scoop the filling into the bread-coated charlotte until half full. Cover with half of the reserved butter dipped bread slices and push down firmly. Cover with the remainder of the filling. The filling should reach the edge of the charlotte. If it not level, trim the bread with the tip of a small knife or scissors so that it is even. Use the remaining reserved bread to create the final layer (base) and fill in any cracks. Press down gently and cover up with foil.

Place the Charlotte on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It should be golden and firm when done. Rest on a baking rack and cool for an hour until room temperature.

In a small skillet, add 2 tablespoons of water and the apricot jelly and cook until liquid. Brush a glaze of the apricot mixture onto the surface of the cooled down charlotte. Slice and serve.

Yield: 6 servings
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Recipe courtesy of Chef Caroline McCann-Bizjak