A taste of the West: a sharp and luscious fruit salad - recipes included - Food Guide

Sunset, Nov, 1995 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

Overindulgence and holiday entertaining are, unfortunately, a forged bond. Most of us struggle through with good intentions and unreliable discipline, finishing with a few extra pounds. So when I find a dish that is not only seasonally attuned but also delicious, quick, and lean, I'm happy - and I serve it often. This salad fits every criterion, putting to use the fall harvest of Fuyu persimmons, pomegranates, Asian pears, and ruby grapefruit with a fat-free dressing.

The salad is a handsome starter for any special meal, including Thanksgiving dinner. Presented on a tray or in a bowl, it also suits buffet menus. You can make lunch or a light supper of the salad with a bit of toast and a little cheese. And you can serve it with frisee - its mild bitterness balances the sweet fruit - or without.

Fall Fruit Salad

Cooking time: 2 to 3 minutes

Prep time: 20 to 25 minutes

Notes: As an alternative to frisee, use the tender inner leaves of curly endive.

Makes: 6 servings

1 to 2 tablespoons pine nuts 2 firm-ripe Fuyu persimmons (1/2 lb. each) 2 ruby grapefruit (1 lb. each) 1 Asian pear (about 3/4 lb.) 3 tablespoons lime juice 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons honey 2 to 3 cups frisee, rinsed and drained 3/4 cup pomegranate seed Salt

1. In a 6- to 8-inch frying pan over medium heat, frequently stir pine nuts until pale gold, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour from pan.

2. Rinse persimmons, then trim off and discard leaf tops. Slice persimmons crosswise into thin rounds.

3. With a knife, cut peel and white membrane from grapefruit. Holding fruit over a bowl, cut between segments and inner membrane to release fruit into bowl. Also squeeze juice from membrane into bowl, then discard membrane.

4. Rinse pear and discard stem. Cut fruit crosswise into thin rounds, right through center seeds. Coat pear slices with grapefruit juice.

5. Mix 3 tablespoons grapefruit juice (reserve remainder for other uses) with lime juice, rice vinegar, and honey.

6. Line a salad bowl or individual plates with the frisee. Arrange pieces of persimmon, pear, and grapefruit on the greens; sprinkle fruit with pomegranate seed and pine nuts, then moisten with the grapefruit-lime dressing. Add salt to taste.

Per serving: 190 cal., 6.8% (13 cal.) from fat; 2 g protein; 1.4 g fat (0.1 g sat.); 47 g carbo.; 8.1 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

NEW DIMENSIONS

Roast carrots for a sweet relish

Some of the most interesting dishes depend upon the plainest ingredients. This I've learned from cooks the world around who have worked with limited larders. One memorable result is this relish of carrots, onions, and ginger. Baking the diced vegetables first partially dehydrates them, intensifying their inherent sweetness and making them chewier, like dried fruit. Then the sugar and vinegar syrup saturates the vegetables as they simmer.

This is a relish to serve as you would any sweet-sour relish or chutney - with meat, poultry, or fish; in hamburgers or ham sandwiches; or spooned onto a bagel covered with cream cheese.

Carrot and Ginger Relish

Cooking time: About 1 hour and 15 minutes (1 hour to roast vegetables)

Prep time: About 35 minutes

Notes: The balsamic vinegar makes a darker relish; rice vinegar preserves the carrot color. Refrigerated, the relish keeps at least 1 month; stir occasionally to mix vegetables with syrup. Freeze to store longer.

Makes: About 2 1/2 cups

4 cups 1/8- to 1/4-inch cubed carrots 2 cups diced onions 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger 1 1/2 cups balsamic or rice vinegar 3/4 cup sugar

1. Combine carrots, onions, and ginger in a 10- by 15-inch pan. Bake in a 400 [degrees] oven, mixing occasionally with a wide spatula, until vegetables have shrunk to 2 to cups total, about 1 hour.

2. Scrape vegetables into a 4- to 5-quart pan; add 1 1/2 cups water, vinegar, and sugar. Boil, uncovered, on high heat, stirring occasionally, until only about 1/2 cup liquid is left (tilt pan to check). Watch closely to avoid scorching, and stir more frequently as liquid is reduced.

3. Let relish cool, then chill at least 1 day for flavors to mellow. Serve, or store airtight in the refrigerator.

Per 1/4 cup: 95 cal., 1.9% (1.8 cal.) from fat; 0.9 g protein; 0.2 g fat (0 g sat.); 24 g carbo.; 19 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

NEWS NOTE

The other turkey

The first wild turkey I ever cooked was for Thanksgiving last year. It took no more effort than roasting a chicken, and I learned that I would've made a good Pilgrim. The darker, firmer, less sweet wild turkey meat suits my taste. It's more like the mild, lean dark meat of young pheasant, but without any gaminess.

However, size and cost may be problems for some folks. About the biggest dressed wild turkey you can buy is 14 pounds, and the average is 7 to 8 pounds (including giblets). Wild turkeys (actually, they are farm-bred) have a lot more bone to meat, proportionately, than domestic birds. Wild turkey is also more expensive - about $5 a pound.

Around the holidays, you can often buy them fresh, and any market that takes game orders should be able to get you a bird. Or you can order directly from Polarica/Game Exchange, 105 Quint St., San Francisco, CA 94124; (800) 426-3872.