St. Patty Day’s Recipe: Patty’s Pretty-Fruity Salad

 

I’m not letting some leprechauns taking over my kitchen this weekend, I’m in total control.  No drinking…just grinning (or greening!).  Not hosting a party, but was actually invited to a St. Patrick’s Day party — and need to bring something green, of course, I meant a green-colored dish or dessert.  Well, I decided to bring both.   My hubby insisted on my special pizza with Laing (what’s that…oh don’t you worry, you’ll meet this interesting pizza topping on my pizza post)…he really loved loved loved (3 times is a charm) this pizza.   Now what bout dessert…don’t like bringing a cake, am pretty sure there will be lots of store-bought decorated cupcakes, and oh please, I don’t enjoy vegetable shortening frosting (Paula Deen needs to lobby for butter for all store-bought cupcakes hehe).  So….am thinking…am still thinking…and here’s what I finally decided.

Patty’s Pretty-Fruity Salad
Go ahead and freeze this…and let the party guests enjoy this salad partially frozen, yum!

“P” fruits (my Patty fruits):
1 firm-ripe Papaya, peeled and seeded, and then cut into big chunks
1 can Peach halves, drained and cut into chunks
1 can Pineapple chunks, drained
Drain well and combine all fruits in a large bowl.

Pandan Jelly:
2 packets Knox unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup sugar
1 can (17.6 fl oz) Foco Coconut Juice + enough water to equal 3 cups
1/4 teaspoon Mc Cormick Buco Pandan Extract (available at Oriental stores)
3 drops green food coloring
Slowly sprinkle unflavored gelatin in liquid measuring cup filled with 1/2 cup water; let bloom for a minute.  Zap mixture in microwave 1 minute (may need to zap more in 10 seconds intervals) to fully dissolve gelatin.    In a medium mixing bowl, mix sugar and coconut juice.   Stir in buco pandan extract, green food coloring and dissolved gelatin mixture, whisking well to combine.   Transfer to a Pyrex square dish and refrigerate overnight until set to a firm but soft gel.

Pistachio Fruit Salad Dressing:
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 box pistachio flavored Jello instant pudding and pie filling
Whisk all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl to mix well.

Now you’re ready to give this salad a “green” light.   Cut jelly into nice chunks and gently mix with the fruits.  Pour pistachio dressing in fruits, slowly tossing well.   Transfer to plastic containers and freeze away.  And then “grin”!  That’s easy…and be ready for recipe requests at the party.

 

Green Tea (Matcha) Jelly

A small can of good quality green tea powder costs about $ 7.00, but it’s worth it.  Since you really don’t need a lot of matcha to impart that “grassy green tastes” in your cooking or baking, a little matcha goes a long, long way, you’d use your matcha for months.  Once opened, I store my canned matcha in the fridge to retain its sweet and mild tastes.

I used matcha for cookies and ice cream.  But it’s time to make something different, something new.  I found this recipe of Green Tea Jelly from Harumi Kurihara’s book, Harumi’s Japanese Cooking.  I tried it  with some minor adjustments and I fell in love with it…it didn’t last too long in my fridge.  It’s easy!

GREEN TEA (MATCHA) JELLY
(Adapted from Harumi’s Japanese Cooking)

The Jelly:
1 packet Knox unflavored gelatin, dissolved in 1/4 cup water
3 teaspoons green tea (matcha) powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups cold water

Slowly sprinkle unflavored gelatin in liquid measuring cup filled with 1/4 cup water; let bloom for a minute.  Zap mixture in microwave 1 minute (may need to zap more in 10 seconds intervals) to fully dissolve gelatin.   In a medium mixing bowl, mix green tea powder and sugar and mix in gelatin mixture.   Slowly stir in 1 1/2 cups cold water, whisking well to combine.   Transfer to a mold and refrigerate overnight until set to a soft gel.

The Sauce:
1/2  cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2  cup whole milk

Combine the 2 milks together in a medium bowl.  Drop scoops (using a spoon) of the jelly in combined milk and blend well.   Serve in parfait glasses and top with “halo-halo” mix (available in oriental stores).

It’s addicting…and it’s healthy!