Macédoine of Cooled Fruit

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •1-quart saucepan
• •3-quart nonreactive glass or ceramic serving bowl
• •Broad serving spoon or flexible spatula
• •Kitchen scale

Instructions

1. 1

   Build and chill syrup

   Put the water in a small saucepan, add the sugar, and warm gently until every crystal dissolves. Bring the syrup to one clean simmer, then remove it immediately; 30° describes density, not temperature, and prolonged boiling would make the syrup too concentrated. Cool it for 15 minutes, then refrigerate until completely cold before stirring in the Kirsch or Maraschino. If the cooled syrup turns tacky or forms crystals, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 15 g) cold water, warm only until smooth, and chill it again. Ça se rattrape.

   Add the spirit only after the syrup is cold. Heat drives off the cherry perfume that should hover over the fruit.
2. 2

   Cut the firm fruit

   Chill a 3-quart nonreactive serving bowl. Only begin cutting once the syrup is cold. Peel, core, and slice the pear; peel, pit, and slice the peach; pit and slice the apricots; then peel and slice the banana. Keep the slices about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick so they macerate evenly without losing their shape. Although many savory macédoines are diced, this source calls for sliced fruit, and the source governs.

3. 3

   Add the tender fruit

   Add the strawberries, raspberries, white and red currants, and skinned almonds to the chilled bowl. Fold everything together twice with a broad spoon or flexible spatula, lifting from underneath rather than stirring in circles. The aim is a true mixture with every fruit visible, not a crushed berry compote.

4. 4

   Macerate and turn

   Pour the cold, kirsched syrup evenly over the fruit and fold gently until every piece glistens. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, turning the fruit carefully every 30 minutes as the source directs. The syrup will loosen as it draws juice from the fruit. If a deep pool develops because the fruit was exceptionally ripe, lift the fruit into another cold bowl with a slotted spoon, then return only enough liquid to coat it generously. Ça se rattrape.

5. 5

   Serve properly cold

   Give the Macédoine one final gentle turn and serve it from the chilled bowl, spooning a little of the fragrant syrup into each portion without drowning the fruit. For an outdoor table, nest the serving bowl briefly in a larger bowl of ice; for a picnic, carry it upright in a well-chilled cooler and bring it out only when everyone is ready. À table!

Chef Tips

• •The source gives a seasonal vocabulary, not a command to buy tired examples of every fruit. This dish truly needs fresh fruit with enough structure to survive maceration. Keep the total quantity close to 2¼ pounds (about 1 kg), preserve the balance of firm fruit, berries, tart currants, and almonds, and let the market decide the exact assortment.
• •Kirsch gives the drier, clearer finish, with the faint scent of cherry stones behind the fruit. Maraschino is softer and sweeter. Both belong to the source, so choose by the bottle already in your cupboard.
• •The fresh almonds of the original were newly shelled sweet almonds, pale and tender. Blanched raw sweet almonds are their honest home equivalent when fresh ones aren't sold. Don't toast them, and never use bitter almonds.
• •Frozen berries won't hold here; thawing breaks their cells and turns the syrup cloudy. Save them for a compote and wait for sound fresh berries for this Macédoine.

Advance Preparation

• •The sirop à 30° can be made up to 5 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Stir in the Kirsch or Maraschino once the syrup is cold.
• •Assemble the Macédoine 1 to 2 hours before serving. Don't leave it overnight, because the berries collapse, the banana softens, and the mixture loses the distinct textures that define it.
• •For a picnic, pack the covered bowl in a cooler with ice packs and keep it at or below 40°F (4°C). Toss it once just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 315g)