Summer Fruit Salad with Lemon and Mint

It’s hot this week.  Like 100 degrees hot.  Which means spending time in water (if you can handle the heat then), or spending in in air conditioning (if you can’t).  Either way, this salad needs to be on your menu.  Maybe even twice every day, it is simply that good.  The mint and lemon simple syrup adds an amazingly refreshing quality, and I am considering making it for every fruit salad I ever make in the future. 

You can definitely stray from the recipe here.  Add any fruit you want, although I think the watermelon needs to stay.  I also found that the syrup (for me) was enough for two salads.  You can decide what is enough for you!

 I liked the strength of the mint, but if you aren’t too sure, only steep one or two mint sprigs in the syrup, and skip the mint garnish.  My husband thought it was a bit strong, so I will skip the garnish next time I make it.

Which will probably be tonight.

Summer Fruit Salad with Lemon and Mint
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¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
3 sprigs fresh mint
1 lemon, zested
Juice of 1 lemon
Dash of salt
3 cup cubed watermelon
2 cups fresh blueberries
Chopped mint (optional), for garnish

Bring water and sugar to a simmer in small sauce pan.  Remove from heat, and add mint sprigs.  Cover and steep for 10 minutes.  Add lemon zest, juice, and dash of salt.  Toss with fruit, and let stand 15 minutes (I refrigerated it at this point). Top with chopped mint and serve.

Source: Food Network Magazine