Exotic Salad Food

EXOTIC AVOCADO SALAD

Steps:

• Dry-fry the pumpkin seeds in a frying pan for a few minutes, tossing and turning them until they look toasted. Tip them out of the pan and let them go cold. Peel the papayas, halve them lengthways and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into long, thin slices. Halve the avocados and remove the stones, then peel off the skin and slice the flesh lengthways into thin slices.
• Put the papayas, avocados, pumpkin seeds and watercress into a large bowl. Chop about 1 tbsp of the mint leaves and set aside. Pick the remaining leaves from the stalks and tear them into the bowl.
• Mix the lime juice and olive oil with the rest of the chopped mint to make a dressing, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the salad and gently mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Taste and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it, then transfer to a serving platter.

EXOTIC FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Place the mandarin oranges, with their syrup, in a medium-size saucepan. Add the Champagne and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture has reduced to about 1 cup. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Place the cooled mixture in a blender, and process until smooth. Stir in the sour cream, honey, and poppy seeds.
• Toss the prepared fruit together in a large bowl, and pour the dressing over the fruit. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Decorate the fruit salad with flaked coconut or chopped nuts, and serve.

EXOTIC FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk sugar, lemon juice, vanilla, and Chinese 5-spice powder; adjust to taste, adding more or less ingredients. Add mangoes and raspberries and toss together.
• Just before serving arrange kiwis in a circle on outside edge of each of 4 dessert plates, arrange an inside circle of banana slices overlapping kiwis, leaving a space in center of dessert plate. Spoon macerated raspberries and mangoes in the middle; dust with confectioners' sugar and garnish with mint leaves.

EXOTIC FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• In a nonreactive bowl, combine all the fruit; add the papaya nectar and lime juice, toss to coat.
• Divide the salad among 4 chilled serving plates and garnish with mint spring, serve immediately.

EXOTIC LUNCHEON SALAD

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, chestnuts, grapes, celery, and pineapple chunks.
• In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, whipped cream, lemon juice, curry powder, soy sauce and sugar.
• Combine chicken mixture with salad dressing mixture; add slivered almonds.
• Serve in lettuce cups.