Thursday, January 31, 2008

Chocolate Strawberries


Ingredients
5 oz milk chocolate
5 oz dark chocolate
5 oz white chocolate
2 pounds large strawberries, washed, dried

Directions:
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Break milk chocolate into even pieces. Place into a heat-proof bowl.
One-third fill a saucepan with water. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Place chocolate bowl over saucepan (don't let bowl touch water). Stir with a metal spoon until smooth.
Dip one-third of the strawberries into chocolate. Place onto tray. Repeat with dark and white chocolate. Refrigerate until set.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Kiwi Fruit Puree with Mango & Passionfruit Gelato


Ingredients
4 mangoes or 2 cups of mango pulp
6 oz caster sugar
1 lime, zested
3 limes, juiced
1 1/4 cup thick cream
6-8 passionfruit, halved
12 kiwi fruit
Biscotti, to serve
Directions:
Remove flesh from mangoes and place in a food processor. Add 2 oz of the caster sugar and the zest and juice of 1 lime. Process until smooth then transfer to a bowl. Whip cream lightly, then fold into the mango mixture to combine.
Place mixture in a shallow container and freeze until frozen at the edges. Scoop the passionfruit pulp from the fruit, then add to the gelato mixture. Beat with an electric beater, pour back into container and refreeze.
Alternatively you can use an ice-cream maker. Churn the cream and mango mixture in an ice-cream machine for 10 minutes, or until semi-frozen. Add the passionfruit pulp and churn for a further 10 minutes.
Peel the kiwi fruit, place the flesh in a food processor with remaining caster sugar and lime juice and process until smooth. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Divide the kiwi puree between serving bowls, top with a scoop of gelato and biscotti.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Spiced Fruit Compote


Ingredients:
3/4 cup water
orange rind
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/3 cup, firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
7 oz pkt dried fruit salad mix
5 dried figs, halved lengthways
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, cut into thin wedges
Method
Combine water, orange rind, orange juice, sugar, cinnamon and cardamom in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high. Add dried fruit and figs, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add apple and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes or until tender. Spoon into serving bowls.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

Grilled Mixed Fruit


1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
4 bananas, halved lengthwise
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 lemon, juiced
3 tablespoons simple syrup, recipe follows
Place a grill pan over medium-high heat.
In a medium bowl, toss the fruit in the sugar to coat. Grill over medium heat, until a golden crust begins to form on the fruit, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
In another medium bowl, mix together the mint, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Arrange the fruit on a serving platter, drizzle the mint syrup over top, and serve.
Simple syrup:
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
In a saucepan, combine water and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Take pan off heat and cool the syrup before using. Any extra cooled syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Square Watermelons?


Farmers in the southern Japanese town of Zentsuji have figured out how to grow their watermelons so they turn out square.
It's not a fad. The technique actually has practical applications. "The reason they're doing this in Japan is because of lack of space," said Samantha Winters of the National Watermelon Promotion Board in Orlando, Florida.
A fat, round watermelon can take up a lot of room in a refrigerator, and the usually round fruit often sits awkwardly on refrigerator shelves. But clever Japanese farmers have solved this dilemma by forcing their watermelons to grow into a square shape. Farmers insert the melons into square, tempered glass cases while the fruit is still growing on the vine.
The square boxes are the exact dimensions of Japanese refrigerators, allowing full-grown watermelons to fit conveniently and precisely onto refrigerator shelves.
But cubic fruit comes with a caveat: Each square watermelon costs 10,000 yen, the equivalent of about $82. Regular watermelons in Japan cost from $15 to $25 each.
At $82 apiece, Winters said she didn't know if there would be a market for square-grown watermelons in the United States.
"I think that's a pretty expensive watermelon," she said. "Maybe they give them as gifts. Maybe it says something for the gift-fruit market, perhaps."
But Winters also said that there does appear to be a growing U.S. market for watermelon that is more refrigerator-friendly. She said the industry is hearing from consumers that size matters.
"Our growers grow round, seedless melons in various sizes," she said. "And that's one reason why we grow the smaller watermelons ... so they'll fit into a refrigerator."
Winters added that so-called fresh-cut watermelon is widely available at U.S. groceries, another possible solution to a crisis created by oversized melons.
A recipe on the board's website calls for half-inch watermelon squares for use in martinis.
"You can find two-inch cubes" in groceries, Winters said. "They have watermelon that's cut in quarters and halves. And you can find clamshell containers with fresh-cut watermelon in there as well." Watermelon also can be pureed and poured into ice-cube trays for freezing.
So it seems U.S. watermelon lovers will have to settle for fresh-cut for now, and the $82, square watermelon won't be showing up at American groceries anytime soon.



Friday, January 18, 2008

Easy Fruit Bowl


INGREDIENTS:
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup lime or lemon juice
1 teaspoon anise extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 oranges, peeled and sectioned
3 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
2 grapefruit, peeled and sectioned
2 large apples, cubed
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 pound seedless green grapes
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
DIRECTIONS:
In a medium saucepan, combine water, sugar, lime juice, anise and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. Combine fruit in a large bowl; add dressing and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Basic Jam Recipe


Ingredients:
1 lemon, halved
18 oz fruit remove stone or stalk and chop fruit
1 1/2 cups white sugar
Directions:
Juice the lemon. Place fruit, lemon juice and the rind halves in a large microwave safe bowl. Cook, uncovered, on High/100% power, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes.
Add the sugar and cook on High/100% power for 20 minutes or until the jam reaches setting point. (To do this, cool some jam on a chilled saucer and run your finger through it. If the jam wrinkles and stays separate it is ready to bottle.)
Discard lemon rind and spoon the hot jam into a clean jar. Invert for 2 minutes then turn upright to cool.
Notes & tips
Make the most of summer berries and stone fruit with just the touch of a microwave button. You won't believe how easy it is

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Baked Fruit Slice


Ingredients:
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup custard powder
2 tablespoons icing sugar
125g butter, cubed, chilled
1 egg
2 tablespoons iced water
425g canned pie apple (see variation)
1 cup fruit medley or mixed fruit
1 teaspoon mixed spice
icing sugar, for dusting
Directions:
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Combine flours, custard powder and icing sugar in a food processor. Process for 20 seconds until well combined. Add butter and process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and water. Process until mixture comes together in a ball.
Remove dough from food processor. Knead gently until smooth. Cut in half. Flatten each half into a 2cm-thick disc. Wrap in greaseproof paper. Place in fridge to rest for 20 minutes.
Roll each piece of pastry out into a 26cm square. Place 1 piece onto prepared tray.
Combine pie apple, fruit medley and mixed spice. Spoon over pastry, leaving a 1cm border. Place second square of pastry on top. Press edges together.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until pastry is firm and light golden. Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with clotted cream or ice-cream, if desired.
Notes & tips

Variation:
Canned pie apricot may be used in place of canned pie apple

Monday, January 14, 2008

Start strawberry season, and healthier eating, now


The strawberries I've been seeing and buying in my local supermarket and produce market have been terrific lately.
Although peak season for strawberries is considered to be April-June, our farmers are doing something right, because these Florida and Louisiana strawberries are delicious.
We've been enjoying them sliced on cereal, layered in peanut butter and jam sandwiches and in brown-bag lunches.
But if you want something a little more special without overdoing your calorie and fat budget, today's recipe may be just what you are looking for. You might even think ahead to Valentine's Day. This dessert would be special enough for a romantic dinner.
Strawberries are delicious and nutritious. Just eight strawberries contain more vitamin C than a medium orange. As you may know, vitamin C is important for our immune system and for keeping the body's cells healthy and strong.
Like most fruits and vegetables, strawberries have plenty of phytochemicals that do wonders for our health. Strawberries are a rich source of anthocyanins and ellagitannins, two types of phenols. The anthocyanins help give strawberries their beautiful color and protect the body's cells from the harmful effects of oxygen.
The ellagitannins in strawberries may help lower the risk of developing cancer.
In addition, strawberries, and fruit in general, may help lower the risk of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). This disease is the main cause of vision loss in adults.
A study published in Archives of Ophthalmology showed eating three or more servings of fruit a day could cut the risk of ARMD by 36 percent, when compared to adults who eat less than 11/2 servings of fruit daily. In this study, researchers found, while vegetables also contain many of the same antioxidants and phytochemicals, fruit consumption made the most difference in lowering incidence of ARMD.
Strawberries can help you work in all those fruit servings. Slice them into yogurt or cottage cheese, or put them in a blender with blueberries and bananas and a little soy milk for a quick breakfast smoothie. Add cut-up strawberries to green salads or mix them into muffin batter. Or eat them for dessert, plain or embellished, like the shortcake recipe I've included today.
The more you add fruit -- including strawberries -- to your diet, the better your health can be.
A serving of the strawberry shortcake recipe offered today will provide just a tad over a half-cup of fruit. For most men and women, the recommended amount is 11/2 to 2 cups of fruit per day.

Friday, January 11, 2008

Dragon Fruit

The pitaya (also known as pitahaya, dragon fruit, huǒ lóng guǒ ("fire dragon fruit"), strawberry pear, nanettikafruit, or thanh long) is the fruit of several cactus species, especially of the genus Hylocereus, but also see Stenocereus. Native to Mexico and Central and South America, these vine-like epiphytic cacti are also cultivated in Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. They are also found in Taiwan, Okinawa, Israel, and southern China. The pitaya blooms only at night; they are large white fragrant flowers, typical of cactus, that are often called Moonflower or Queen of the Night.
The species Stenocereus gummosus in the Sonoran Desert has been an important food source for Native American peoples. The Seri people of northwestern Mexico still harvest the highly appreciated fruit of the pitaya agria (Spanish), which the Seris call ziix is ccapxl - "thing whose fruit is sour".
Cultivation
The plant has adapted to live in dry tropical climates with a moderate amount of rain. The dragonfruit sets on the cactus-like tree 30-50 days after flowering and can sometimes have 5-6 cycles of harvests per year. There are some farms in Vietnam that produce 30 tons of fruit per hectare every year.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Fruit Pizza


Pizza Dough:
1 package store bought sugar cookie dough
Toppings:
8 ounces softened cream cheese
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large peach, sliced
1 large green apple, sliced
1 large orange, sectioned
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
6 ounces fresh blueberries
6 ounces fresh raspberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup chocolate syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Flatten cookie dough onto a 6-inch pizza pan. Bake until firm to touch, about 11 to 15 minutes. Cool. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar. Spread the baked cookie with the cream cheese mixture and decorate with sliced fruit. In a small bowl, combine melted white chocolate with chocolate syrup. Top the pizza with remaining berries and chocolate mixture. Slice and serve immediately.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Fruit Facts

Fruit is one of the most naturally existing nutritious and healthy foods in this world. It is always recommended to eat at least 5 pieces of fruits everyday.


Fruits have their own origin. They specifically originated in one part of the world and subsequently migrated to other parts either through explorers or traders. For example, Columbus took the pineapple to Spain from America.


Botanically, fruit is identified as the ripened ovary of a flowering plant. They are usually fleshy, sweet or sour in taste and plucked naturally when fully ripe. The well-liked sweet fruits are apple, mango, banana, and orange whereas citrus fruits like lime, lemon, and grapefruit are immensely popular for their tangy sour taste.

In various parts of the world, fruits are eaten after drying. Examples of these types of fruits are raisins, prunes, and apricots.


You must be wondering about the benefits of eating fruits. Here are several reasons:
Water is most necessary for human body and fruit is the only natural food that consists of 80% of water. No other food can meet the water requirement for the human body like fruit does.
In this junk food dominated society, fruit is the only natural food that contains less bad-cholesterol.
Fruits are the ultimate stimulating factor for your brain. They can be said to be the fuel for the brain. If you want to enhance your memory power, you should consume fruit regularly.
Fiber, fiber and more fiber - nothing else satisfies the fiber requirement for your body easier than fruit. Thus, it helps you fight corpulence, high blood pressure and reduces the risk of heart disease.