Passion fruit pulp is now more readily available north of the border than it is in Mexico. Here we have to wait for maracuya to come into season, whereas in the north, it is available year round in the form of Welch’s frozen passion fruit pulp.
Coriander seeds, a characteristic ingredient of many fruit vinaigrettes, are not native to Mexico but were introduced by the Spaniards and used most often in their sprouted form, cilantro, widely used in Mexican cooking. They are also said to be an aphrodesiac, mentioned as such in the tales of the Arabian Nights, dating back over 1,000 years.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup passion fruit pulp, fresh or frozen, thawed
- 1 large shallot, chopped
- 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
- 1/3 cup olive oil (or more, to taste)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6-8 cups salad greens (mesclun, curly leaf, red leaf lettuce, etc)
- mini pearl or other small tomatoes, such as grape tomatoes, for garnish
Preparation:
Place the passion fruit pulp, shallot, vinegar and coriander seeds in a blender and puree until smooth. With the blender still running, add the olive oil in a stream until emulsified. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the greens with the dressing and divide among 6 salad plates. Garnish with the tomatoes. Dressing may be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
