Minted Fruit Salad

This is a make-ahead fruit salad that works because the fruit sits in syrup long enough to actually take on flavor. A simple stir-together of orange juice, fresh lemon juice, water, and sugar carries a quiet hit of mint extract through every bite.

Use 8 cups of whatever fruit looks best at the market. Berries, melon, pineapple, peaches, grapes, and stone fruit all work. Avoid bananas and apples though, both turn brown and mealy in citrus syrup.

The syrup itself is light, not cloying. Once the sugar dissolves, the citrus and mint do the rest. Three hours is the minimum for the flavors to seep in, but overnight is when this really comes alive. Stir it once or twice during chilling so the fruit on top gets a turn in the juice.

Kitchen Tips

• Cut all the fruit to a similar bite size so it spoons up evenly. Roughly ¾ inch chunks work well.
• Add berries last and stir gently. Strawberries and raspberries break down fast in acidic syrup.
• If you only have fresh mint, skip the extract and bruise 8 to 10 leaves into the syrup, then pull them out before serving.
• Serve with a slotted spoon so the fruit does not float in a puddle, and save the leftover syrup for sparkling water or cocktails.

Variations

• Replace the water with prosecco or sparkling wine just before serving for a brunch-friendly boozy version.
• Stir in a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh basil along with the mint leaves for a more herbal lift.
• Use lime juice in place of half the lemon for a tropical-leaning version that loves mango and pineapple.