Florida Fruit Salad Recipes

FLORIDA CITRUS GARDEN SALAD

Steps:

• Microwave limes for about 30 seconds to release essential oils, and set aside to cool.
• Turn on the blender and through the feed-tube, add the parsley, chives, honey, rice wine vinegar, and fresh ginger, and blend together until a smooth paste has formed. At this point the limes should be cool enough to squeeze. With the power on, add the lime juice through the blender feed-tube, and then very slowly add the oil and water until the mixture thickens and can coat the back of a spoon. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside in refrigerator until needed. (When chilled, the dressing should resemble something like mayonnaise.)
• In a large bowl, toss lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and grapefruit with enough dressing to coat.

FLORIDA SALAD WITH GINGER DRESSING

Steps:

• Add the dressing ingredients to a blender container.
• Blend until smooth.
• Toss the salad greens with half of the dressing.
• Divide salad greens on individual salad plates.
• Add papaya cubes to the center of each salad plate.
• Arrange the mango, avocado, and grapefruit pieces around the papaya like a pinwheel.
• Drizzle the rest of the dressing over the fruit.
• Garnish with kiwi slices and walnuts.

FLORIDA AMBROSIA SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Pierce the softest eye of the coconut with a metal skewer or small screwdriver and drain any liquid into a small bowl to sample-you should have about 1/2 cup liquid. (If the liquid tastes sweet, the coconut is fresh; if it tastes oily, the coconut is rancid and should be discarded.)
• Bake the coconut for 15 minutes then transfer to a folded towel on a work surface. Using the back of a knife or a cleaver, crack the shell open. Break the shell into large pieces and use a strong knife to carefully remove the flesh from the shell. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the brown skin then shave the coconut into thin strips-you should have about 4 cups shaved coconut. Reserve 2 cups for the ambrosia salad; wrap and freeze the remainder for another use. DO AHEAD: Coconut shavings can stored, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator up to 1 week or frozen up to 3 months.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the peel off the grapefruits and oranges. Cut the fruit crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds then cut the rounds into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a large bowl; add the pineapple, kumquats, pomegranate seeds, 2 cups coconut shavings, 1/2 cup coconut juice, and the apple juice, and toss gently to combine. Serve at room temperature or chilled. DO AHEAD: Florida Ambrosia Salad can be prepared ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to 8 hours.