Ambrosia: 2000s Recipes + Menus : gourmet.com

2000s Recipes + Menus

Serves8

Active Time:35 min
Start to Finish:2 hrs (includes chilling)

January 2008

This juicy, fresh-fruit version evokes those described in 19th-century southern cookbooks. Flakes of fresh coconut provide a nice chew, and a little Sherry gives it sophistication and complexity. Ambrosia is often served as part of the transition to dessert, but at a generous meal like this one it fits in well earlier on, providing a bright, refreshing contrast to the main course.

1 medium coconut (see cooks' note, below)
8 large navel oranges
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of kosher or sea salt
3 tablespoons cream Sherry

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
Pierce softest eye of coconut with a small screwdriver, then drain liquid and discard. Bake coconut in a shallow baking pan until it cracks, about 20 minutes. When cool, wrap in a towel and break shell with a hammer. Pry flesh from shell with screwdriver and peel off brown membrane with a vegetable peeler. Rinse coconut flesh. Coarsely grate coconut on large holes of a box grater using light pressure in long strokes to produce long, feathery flakes.
Cut peel and pith from oranges with a sharp paring knife. Working over a large bowl, cut segments free from membranes, letting them drop into bowl; squeeze juice from membranes into bowl.
Gently toss oranges with coconut, sugar, salt, and Sherry.
Chill, covered, at least 1 hour.

Cooks' notes: Coconuts can sometimes be rancid. You may want to buy an extra one.
Orange can be cut 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.
Ambrosia can be chilled up to 2 hours.

Recipe by Scott Peacock

Photograph by Mikkel Vang