market.

Although summer fruits are wonderful when consumed as Mother Nature intended, a little variety never hurts.

Here are some recipes that will help you to enjoy the refreshing flavour of fresh summer fruits: *** FRUIT CURRY 2 onions, thinly sliced 1 ounce butter 1 small green chili, de-seeded and finely chopped 2 tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon milk 2 slices pineapple, peeled and cut into pieces 1 small pawpaw, peeled, de-seeded and cut into pieces 2 bananas, peeled and roughly sliced 1 apple, cored and chopped (optional) 1 lime 1 pint (U.S. 21 cups) coconut water 1 tablespoon coconut cream 1 ounce peeled ripe coconut, grated 1 teaspoon powdered ginger 20 stoned raisins Salt and pepper FRY the onions in butter in a thick saucepan, add the chili pieces and brown them. Stir in the curry powder and milk and cook, stirring, over a high heat for 5 minutes.

Mix the pineapple, pawpaw, banana pieces and apple, if using, and squeeze the lime over them before putting the fruit and coconut water in the pan with the onion curry. Cook for a further 10 minutes.

Stir in the coconut cream, grated coconut, ginger, raisins, salt and pepper.

Stir once, then simmer over a low heat for 1 hour. Serve with plain boiled rice.

Note: This is a very good dish for vegetarians and can be made with most of the fruit found in temperature climates. Melon is a good substitute for the pawpaw which can be bought tinned, and sometimes fresh, away from the tropics.

If liked, the raisins can be soaked in rum to plump them; drain before adding to the curry. For a dry curry, omit the coconut water.

*** THE ISLES OF JUNE FRUIT SALAD 1 large cantaloupe melon 3 large bananas Juice 1 lime 2 tangerines or canned mandarin oranges 1 small pawpaw 2 mangoes (optional) 11 ounce castor sugar 1 tablespoon white rum 12 ounces strawberries, hulled 8 garden cherries, halved and stoned (optional) FOR THE DRESSING: 5 tablespoons strained orange juice 1 tablespoon strained lime juice 2 ounces castor sugar 2 egg yolks 1 pint (U.S. 2 cup) single cream SLASH the melon down the section lines, but do not cut through to the base.

Carefully open it out like a flower and scoop out a little of the flesh and the seeds. Drain of the juice and reserve it. Refrigerate the melon without allowing it to become too cold as this destroys the flavour.

Peel and slice the bananas and dip lime juice to preserve the colour. Peel tangerines, if used, removing all the white pith. Cut into segments and remove pips. Cut pawpaw in half, remove seeds and dice flesh. If using mangoes, peel, remove stones and slice.

Strain the melon juice, mix with the sugar, add the rum and blend well. Set aside a few strawberries for decorating, add the prepared fruit together with part, or all, the scooped-out melon to the sweetened juice and chill.

FOR THE DRESSING: Put the orange and lime juice in the top of a double boiler. Add the sugar and cook for about 3 minutes until the sugar dissolves, stirring all the time until very hot. Remove from the heat and allow the juice to cool slightly then add the egg yolks, one at a time and beating continuously.

Replace the mixture over the bottom saucepan and cook over boiling water, stirring all the time from the bottom of the pan, until the sauce is thick and creamy. Allow to cool and when cold, beat in the cream and chill.

Just before serving, fill the melon with some of the fruit salad and put the remainder round the base. Pour over enough juice to moisten but do not make it too wet. Decorate in between the melon slices with reserved strawberries.

Serve the dressing separately or spoon over the fruit round the base.

Recipes from Tropical Island Cooking.

*** FRUIT COLESLAW 1 small white cabbage (about 325 grams 12 ounces) 110 grams 4 ounces small seedless grapes 15 grams 1 ounces desiccated coconut 110 grams 4 ounces pineapple, cut into slices then slivers 4 tablespoons Light Mayonnaise 2 tablespoons low-fat natural yogurt SLICE the cabbage thinly, then chop it into 3 cm 11 lengths and put these into a salad bowl. Halve the grapes and mix them into the cabbage together with the coconut and pineapple.

Combine the light mayonnaise with the yogurt and pour this dressing over the salad. Toss lightly to combine and chill before serving.

Note: you can add extra ingredients to this salad as you fancy: for example, grated carrots or onions, chopped apple or fresh apricots.

*** BAKED PEACHES 4 ripe peaches 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 15 grams 1 ounces butter or vegetarian margarine PREHEAT the oven to 180 degrees C 350 degrees F gas 4.

Cut off a thin layer of flesh from the top and bottom of the peaches and sit them on a baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar and lemon juice over them, dot with butter and bake for 20 minutes.

Note: These are lovely with vanilla ice-cream.

Recipes from Slim and Healthy Vegetarian.

*** FRESH BERRY COMPOTE IN HONEY GINGER CREAM 1 cup light cream 1 heavy cream 1 cup mild honey, such as clover 2 tablespoons sugar A big thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled 1 teaspoon vanilla extract About 4 cups (total) fresh blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries IN a small nonreactive saucepan, combine the creams, honey, and sugar. Cut the ginger into quarter-size slices and add them too. Heat for about 5 minutes, bringing the mixture to a near boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour the liquid into a large glass measuring cup or bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

When you are ready to serve, put about 1 cup of mixed berries into 4 dessert bowls; if you are using large strawberries, halve or quarter them first.

Strain the cream though a sieve, then pour some of it over each portion. Serve right away.

Keep in mind that the cream needs to be prepared the evening before, or at least several hours ahead, so it has time to chill and really absorb the flavour of the ginger.

*** RASPBERRY, GRAPEFRUIT AND MELON COMPOTE 1 pint fresh raspberries 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 2 large ruby red grapefruit, halved and sectioned 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 ripe cantaloupe Ground nutmeg PUREE half the raspberries and the sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds. Scrape down the sides and continue to puree for a few more seconds.

If you don't mind the seeds, pour the puree into a bowl; otherwise strain it through a sieve into a bowl. Squeeze the grapefruit sections and their juice into the bowl with the raspberry puree. Stir in the lemon juice.

Cut the melon into bite-size chunks or balls and stir them into the compote.

Chill the compote for an hour.

Divide the mixture evenly between dessert bowls, gently stirring some of the remaining fresh raspberries into each portion. Dust with nutmeg and serve.

Try to give this an hour in the refrigerator before serving, and chill your dessert bowls while you wait.

*** CHUNKY SUMMER FRUIT SALSA 1 pound ripe plums, quartered, pitted, and cut in small chunks (about 2 cups) 1 cup fresh blueberries 1 cup pitted sour cherry halves (optional) 21 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (optional) 5 to 6 fresh mint leaves, chopped JUST toss everything together in a big bowl, using the lesser amount of vinegar. Taste, and use more vinegar if you like. Cover and refrigerate for at least several hours before serving.

Serve this with mascarpone crepes, over vanilla ice cream, with pound cake, and on its very own.

Recipes from Simple Desserts