… and now a break from our regularly scheduled program

We are taking a one-day break from our “Take Your Lunch to Work Week” so that I can put up a recipe I made last night for the first night of my 3-week cooking class series at Les Gourmettes.  I want my students to have all four of the links to the homemade versions of several components of this beautiful salad, at their fingertips, and not have to search for them.

The salad includes lemon curd, vanilla extract, limoncello, and granola – all items that can be store-bought or made from scratch. Mind you, while the vanilla extract and limoncello are easy to make, both take time to ferment, so if you’re craving this salad and want to have it NOW, buy those two items for the time being. But also get them going so the next time you just HAVE to have it, you’ll be armed and ready.

Finally, remember that any one of the four would make the perfect gift. Any lucky recipients would love you for life if you handed them a bottle or jar of homemade lemon curd, vanilla extract, limoncello, or granola. At least I know that I would!

Limoncello Fruit Salad

3/4 cup Greek honey-flavored yogurt (I prefer the Greek Gods brand)
1/2 cup purchased or homemade lemon curd
1/4 teaspoon purchased or homemade vanilla extract
4 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups raspberries
2 cups blueberries
1 cup blackberries
5 kiwi, peeled and diced
1/3 cup purchased or homemade limoncello liqueur
2 bananas, sliced
1/2 cup purchased or homemade granola
8 fresh mint sprigs

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, lemon curd, and vanilla extract and set aside at room temperature.

In a large bowl, carefully toss together the strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi, and limoncello. Allow mixture to stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes for the fruit to macerate.

Gently fold the banana into the berry mixture.

To serve; divided fruit salad between 8 small bowls, place a dollop of the lemon curd-yogurt on top, sprinkle with a tablespoon of the granola, and top each with a mint sprig.

Serves 8