Let us not forget the humble fruit salad during winter’s coldest months. It would be a real shame to do so, seeing as how this season includes some truly gorgeous fruit, which is practically dying to be shown off. A simple salad is the perfect way to do just that. The sparkling citrus, luscious pear, jewel-like pomegranate arils this is a fruit salad that pushes winter fruit into the limelight. This salad also makes a great dessert after a heavy winter meal, and you can swap in other fruits that strike your fancy, are on sale, or just look really good in the market that day. The vanilla-citrus dressing will complement just about any fresh fruit, including blood oranges, kumquats, mangoes, and kiwis.
Ingredients
- ½ cup [100 g] sugar
- One 1-in [2.5-cm] piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 lime
- 2 large grapefruits
- 3 navel oranges
- 1/3 cup [45 g] pomegranate arils
- 2 ripe pears or apples, cored and cut into wedges
- 3 or 4 fresh mint sprigs for garnish (optional)
How to Make It
- Pour 2 cups [480 ml] of water into a medium saucepan and add the sugar and ginger. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add, along with the pod. Use a vegetable peeler to remove wide strips of zest from the lime, 1 of the grapefruits, and 1 of the oranges, avoiding the bitter white pith, and add the strips to the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, lower the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes. Refrigerate until cold.
- Meanwhile, peel the remaining grapefruit and 2 oranges. With a paring knife, cut the fruit into supremes: holding the fruit over a large bowl, cut it along its natural curve between the visible membranes that separate the segments, allowing the fruit to fall into the bowl and leaving the membranes behind. After you’ve cut all of the fruit into supremes, squeeze the membranes over the bowl to release their juice. Add the pomegranate arils to the citrus in the bowl.
- Just before serving, add the sliced pears (if you add them too soon, they will begin to discolor). Serve the salad family style from a large platter or in individual bowls with the vanilla-citrus dressing on the side. Garnish with mint, if desired.