Fruit Salad with Grand Marnier Sauce

Sauce

4-5 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Salad

½ cup sugar

1½ cups water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

2-3 oranges

3-4 kiwis

1 cantaloupe

½ honeydew melon

1 pineapple

4 ounces green or red grapes

1 star fruit (optional)

For the sauce: Place egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, or place them in a small saucepan over very low heat. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes, or until sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened. Set aside to cool. Whip cream until soft peaks form. Combine cream with yolk mixture and Grand Marnier. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1 week.

For the salad: In a small pot over medium-low heat, dissolve sugar in water, stirring until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool. Add lemon juice and Grand Marnier.

Peel oranges and kiwis and slice into bite-size pieces. Remove rinds from the melons and pineapple and cut fruit into bite-size pieces (discard seeds). Cut grapes in half and remove seeds, if desired. Thinly slice star fruit, if using. Add all the fruit to the syrup, toss, cover and chill thoroughly. Serve with Grand Marnier sauce on the side.

Serves eight.

“The Fearrington House Cookbook” by Jenny Fitch (Ventana Press, 1988)