Melon-Citrus Mingle

This is the kind of fruit salad you make when you’re feeding a crowd and want it to last. Honeydew, cantaloupe, grapefruit sections, orange segments, fresh pineapple cubes, sliced bananas, and cherries all tossed in fresh-squeezed orange juice from four oranges.

The orange juice does triple duty here. It’s the dressing, it prevents the bananas from browning, and it creates a natural syrup as it mingles with the juices released by all the other fruit. After chilling, that combined liquid at the bottom of the container is almost like a citrus punch.

Ten oranges and ten grapefruits means serious sectioning work, but the payoff is a fruit salad that stores in the fridge for up to a week. The citrus juice’s acidity acts as a natural preservative that keeps the cut fruit fresher far longer than a typical fruit salad.

Kitchen Tips

• Section the citrus cleanly, removing all membrane and pith. White membrane turns bitter over time and spoils the clean, sweet flavor.
• Add the bananas last and stir gently so the citrus juice coats them immediately. This prevents browning better than any other method.
• Use a melon baller for uniform shapes that look better in the bowl, or cut into cubes if you’re in a hurry.
• Store in a sealed plastic container rather than a metal or glass bowl. Metal can react with the citrus acid.

Variations

• Add fresh strawberries or blueberries for more color and berry flavor.
• Stir in a tablespoon of honey and a pinch of fresh mint for a sweeter, more aromatic dressing.
• Use Bing cherries when in season for a deeper, more complex cherry flavor than maraschinos.