Sunburst Fruit Salad Food

LOUISIANA SUNBURST SALAD

Steps:

• Soak the cranberries overnight in the port. Or for at least 6 hours.
• To toast the almonds: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scatter almonds on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake them 5 - 7 minutes or until just starting to turn golden and are fragrant. Watch them closely, as they can burn easily.
• In a large mixing bowl, or wooden salad bowl, add the oil, water, vinegar, Tabasco, cinnamon and sugar. Whisk until emulsified. Add the lettuce and toss. Season with salt and pepper. You can also add the vinaigrette ingredients to a mason jar and shake the jar to emulsify.
• Place the greens on serving plates and garnish with the crumbled cheese, cranberries, and almonds. Serve immediately.

NEW ORLEANS SOAKED SALAD

Steps:

• Note: It is important that at least two kinds of lettuce is used and the lettuce is very dry. I wash the lettuce, spin it in a salad spinner and then lay out on a clean kitchen towel to dry.
• Mix all the dressing ingrediants, including dried basil if using, in a bowl and whisk briskly at least 1 minute. If using fresh basil, toss with the lettuce.
• Toss the lettuce with the tomatoes and the shredded basil if using fresh. Pour salad dressing over and toss thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and refridgerate at least 3-4 hours, or longer if you have time.
• To serve, toss the salad again. Use salad bowls and add a couple of tablespoons of the liquid from the bottom of the bowl to each serving.

SUNBURST FRUIT SALAD

Steps:

• Drain pineapple and oranges, reserving juices. Measure 3/4 cup pineapple juice (add juice from oranges if there is not enough) into small saucepan. Stir in cornstarch and stir until smooth. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until thickened. Cool. Place fruit in large bowl. Drizzle with pineapple dressing and toss lightly.

SUNNY FRUIT SALAD!

Steps:

• Combine the orange marmalade, reserved mandarin orange syrup and almond or vanilla extract in a small bowl; set aside.
• Arrange kiwi slices and mandarin orange segments around bottom and lower sides of a 1 quart glass serving bowl. Arrange the sliced peaches, strawberries, grapes and melon chunks in the bowl.
• Drizzle the marmalade mixture over the fruit.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or until ready to serve.

LOUISIANA SUNBURST SALAD (CREOLE)

Steps:

• Soak cranberries overnight in the port wine.
• The next morning, in a large mixing bowl, add oil, water, vinegar, Tabasco, cinnamon & sugar, & whisk until emulsified.
• Add the lettuces & toss, then season with salt & pepper.
• Divide the greens among 4 plates & garnish each with crumbled cheese, cranberries & almonds.