“Hi Sandy, I really am enjoying following your blog and thank you for some really fun tips – the Football Fajita idea went down a treat!  One thing I am always struggling with is how to update a fruit salad recipe. It’s an easy dessert to whip up, but I’m very bored of using all the standard fruits – do you have any ideas?” Charlotte in Cape Town

“Hi Charlotte, thank you for your wonderful support and I’m really glad that my recipes are finding their way to your table. A traditional fruit salad can definitely fall a bit flat, since it is such an overdone 1970’s recipe. HOWEVER, I don’t think beautiful bright fruit can ever go out of fashion, so why don’t you try this recipe that is so pretty to look at – I’m sure you will have to make heaps more! It quite exotic and is quite a different take on a traditional fruit salad – please do let me know if you liked it!

Perfumed Lychee, Griddled Peach, Grapes and Mint

These kind of recipes always take me by surprise … they look almost too simple to make ‘high end fashion’ cuisine but trust me, when I rustled this together for a casual shorts and slippers Sunday brunch, the reaction was well worth an earlier-than-usual start for the weekend..

  • 2 cans of very high quality lychees (available in most well stocked supermarkets )
  • 1 bunch of ruby black grapes, as fresh as they come
  • 5 firm peaches – just make sure they are not overripe (canned peaches can work, but will give a less authentic flavor and will not need to be griddled)
  • 2 teaspoons of honey
  • 1 large bunch of fresh mint, roughly torn NOT chopped.
  • Rind of ½ lime and juice of 1 lime
  • 3 pieces of star anise
  • 1 punnet of strawberries, quartered
  • 3 tbs of creme de cassis

Serve with:

  • 500 ml of single cream, combined with 2 teaspoons of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence.

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  • Slice the peaches into medium but even sized wedges and toss gently in the honey.  (If you are using canned peaches, do not griddle)
  • Heat a griddle pan till hot but not smoking.
  • Place the peach wedges on the hot griddle and grill for 30 secs on each side, being careful not to burn but gently caramelize to give a toffee hue on the outside. Set aside.

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  • Empty the lychees into a large glass bowl, including half of the natural juice from the can – the perfumed water is actually quite nice and not the overpowering sugar brine found in other canned fruit varieties.
  • Add the lime juice, rind, creme de cassis and the black grapes plucked from the stalks.
  • Finally add the peaches and the freshly torn mint.
  • Combine gently and let it cool in the fridge for at least 45 minutes before serving.

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