November 2009 - Mojito Fruit Salad

Well, this is cutting it a lot finer than I had wanted. I had planned on doing this post this morning in between my doctor's appointment and going to work. However my doctor was running 30 minutes late (for her 2nd appointment of the day) and all I had time to do was race home and get changed and head back to the office. Then tonight I was off to my grandparents again as my uncle is leaving to go back home again early tomorrow morning. I was so good to see him. I hope that it is not another 2 years between visits. I guess I will just have to go up there. 

I fully intended on making Valli Little's Basil ice cream, well more of a basil frozen yoghurt. I was absolutely fascinated by this combination of the basil and the sweet frozen yoghurt. I really do want to make this. I recently purchased some seedlings of lemon basil so I might try making this ice cream with that once it has grown enough so that I can pick it. Although I suppose that I should also try it with the common sweet basil to see what it is like. 

Another recipe that I tossed around was making David Thompson's Black sticky rice with custard apple. David Thompson is the god of Thai cooking. He is an amazing chef. He books are wonderful, full of knowledge and, I think, absolutely necessary for any one wanting to make Thai food. I had recently purchased some black glutinous rice on a whim and it is sitting in the cupboard not being used. I will definitely have to try this recipe. I have only ever had custard apple once and I recall that I wasn't overly keen on it but I will give it a go for this recipe. 

I ended up making Jamie Oliver's Mojito fruit salad. This was a lovely light fruit salad that has the kick of the rum added to it. I actually divided my fruit mixture in half. Half I added the rum to and half I didn't. This was so that I could use the fruit on my muesli at breakfast. I really enjoyed this one a lot and as the summer months warm up I think that this will be made more than once. 

Mojito Fruit Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked
• finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• white rum, to taste
• 1/4 large watermelon, peeled, cut into chunks
• 2 ripe mangoes, stoned, flesh cut into chunks 
• 1 ripe pineapple. peeled, cored, cut into chunks

Method: 

• In a very clean pestle and mortar, bash most of the mint leaves with the finely grated lime zest.  
• Add the sugar, a good glug of rum and the lime juice, then mix again gently.  
• Toss the fruit together in a bowl with a little of the mojito mixture. 
• Leave for 30 minutes for flavours to combine.