LibreRecipes

Nectarines, Strawberries and Melon in Orange-Honey Spiced Syrup

Rating

You can make the syrup a day ahead; however, add the fruit no more than eight hours in advance, to prevent it from getting soggy.

2 large oranges

2 cups water

1/3 cup honey

4 large whole star anise

1 cinnamon stick, broken in half

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 4-pound honeydew melon, halved, seeded

3 large nectarines (about 1 pound), pitted, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

1 1/21-pint baskets strawberries, hulled, quartered

Orange peel strips (optional)

Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) from oranges. Set peel aside (reserve oranges for another use).
Combine 2 cups water, honey, star anise and cinnamon stick in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve honey. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in reserved orange peel. Cool syrup. Strain into large bowl; discard solids. (Can be made 1 day ahead; chill.)
Using melon baller, scoop out enough fruit from melon to equal 4 cups. Combine melon balls, nectarines and strawberries in large bowl. Add syrup; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 5 hours and up to 8 hours.
Ladle fruit mixture into bowls. Garnish with orange peel strips, if desired.