Use one seedless orange per person for the salad.

Peel three of the oranges with a vegetable peeler to remove only the orange part of the rind. This will be used for the julienne candied orange rind. Then, proceed as below:

• To peel the oranges, hold each fruit in one hand and with a sharp knife, cut a slide across the top to expose the flesh.
• Remove the skin in a strip, cutting deep enough to go right down to the flesh.
• Cut each section right down to the core by following as close to the membrane as you can with the knife.
• Squeeze the membrane over the orange sections to extract all remaining juices.

Candied orange rind

• Use the peels of the orange part of the rind only.
• The white skin between the peel and the flesh is bitter.
• Stack a few peels together and cut into very thin strips; this is called a julienne.
• Blanch the julienne twice to remove the bitterness: plunge the julienne in about 1 cup of boiling water.
• Return to a boil and let cook for about 2 minutes.
• Strain immediately and rinse under cold water.
• Repeat this process and keep the julienne in cold water until ready to use.
• Meantime, make a syrup with 1/4 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar.
• Cook until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add julienne and boil until all syrup is absorbed and the peel is transparent.
• Spread on rack to dry.

Praline

1 full cup of almonds
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of water

• Preheat oven 400°F
• Roast almonds on an ungreased 9 inch metal pan. Put them in a bowl and set aside.
• When the metal pan has cooled, butter it and set aside.
• In a saucepan, mix granulated sugar and water.
• Cook over high heat until golden brown.
• Stir in the prepared almonds and pour in the metal pan, let cool for an hour.
• Invert the pan with a hard rap on the counter to dislodge the hard caramel and almonds.
• Pulverize the pieces in a food processor.
• Serve the orange salad sprinkled with the praline and decorated with the candied orange rind.

Serves 4

Fraises glacées

1 lb of firm ripe strawberries
1 package of frozen raspberries
1/4 cup of sugar
The juice of 1/2 lemon

• Hull the strawberries, slice them lengthwise.
• Refrigerate.
• Melt the raspberries and purée in the food processor.
• Add the lemon and strain the raspberry juice with a fine sieve to remove the pips.
• Add the sugar and mix well.
• Coat the strawberries with the raspberry purée. Refrigerate.

Crème Chantilly

2/3 cup of heavy cream
2 Tbsp of milk
1 tsp of sugar

• Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Whisk until the cream forms soft peaks.

Praline

1 cup of pecans or almonds
1/2 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Roast nuts on a cookie sheet for 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside.
• Butter a 9 inch metal pan and set aside.
• In a heavy saucepan mix the sugar and water to make the caramel.
• Cook on high heat without stirring until golden brown.
• Stir in the prepared nuts.
• Pour into the buttered metal pan and let cool completely.
• Return the pan with a hard rap on the counter to dislodge the caramel and pulverize the pieces in a food processor.

To serve

Set the strawberries in wide sherbet glasses, cover with a dab of Chantilly and sprinkle with praline.

Serves 6 to 8.

1 1/2 lb of strawberries
1/2 cup of sugar

1 1/4 cups of whole milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbsp of flour
2 tsp of vanilla extract
3 Tbsp of orange liqueur (Cointreau or Grand Marnier)
1 cup of sliced, blanched almonds

• Roast the almonds at 400°F oven for 3 minutes or until brown
• Wash, drain and dry the strawberries, remove the stems.
• Sprinkle with the sugar and let macerate for 2 or 3 hours.

Crème patissière

• Assemble and measure all ingredients before starting. Work quickly.
• Put flour in 2 quart mixing bowl. Add sugar and mix well. Add enough milk to make a paste without lumps.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs slightly with a fork.
• In a 2 1/2 quart saucepan bring the rest of the milk to a boil.
• Pour 1/2 the milk in the flour/sugar mixture and beat quickly until smooth.
• Add the eggs and blend well.
• Pour this mixture into the remaining milk (bring back to the boil if necessary) and cook for 30 seconds or until it thickens.
• Cool by putting bottom of pan in cold water. Continue beating.
• When just warm, add orange liqueur and vanilla extract.
• Refrigerate until cold.

To serve

• Divide the strawberries evenly in wide dessert glasses, pour the macerated juice over them, cover with the cream, sprinkle with roasted almonds.
• Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.