Hot stuff - A dash of pepper enhances fruit salads

A hint of hot seasoning can offer a delicious contrast and exotic flair to summer fruit salads.

These fruit salad recipes use green pepper sauce, pairing spicy and sweet much in the same way these elements are used in Caribbean jerk dishes, Thai chili sauces, and Mexico's mole sauces-- which combine chocolate and peppers.

The small amount of pepper sauce in these recipes also can bring out subtle flavors in the fruit to create a distinctive taste.

Piquant Peach Melba

Two 1/2-pint containers of raspberries (or 1 pint total)

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon green pepper sauce

4 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced

3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 cup blackberries or blueberries

Press 1/2-pint raspberries through fine sieve to remove seeds, to make a purée. Combine raspberry purée, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon green pepper sauce.

Combine peaches, orange juice, orange peel and remaining 1/2 teaspoon green pepper sauce in large bowl; toss to mix well.

Toss peach mixture with puréed raspberry mixture.

Stir in remaining raspberries and blackberries.

Makes 6 servings.

Island Fruit Salad

1 large pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into bite-sized chunks

2 red plums, pitted and sliced

1 star fruit, sliced

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon green pepper sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon grated lime peel

1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted

Combine pineapple, plums, star fruit, brown sugar, green pepper sauce, lime juice and lime peel in large bowl until well mixed.

To serve, sprinkle fruit with toasted coconut.

Makes 6 servings.

Summer Melon Basket

1 honeydew melon

1 cup green seedless grapes

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into chunks

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into chunks

1/4 cup white grape juice

2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint

1 tablespoon green pepper sauce

1 tablespoon lime juice

Cut off top third of honeydew. Remove seeds and spoon out flesh. If desired, scallop edge of melon to make basket. Cut melon flesh into bite-size chunks; place in large bowl.

Combine melon chunks with grapes, apple chunks, kiwi fruit, white grape juice, mint, green pepper sauce and lime juice. Toss to mix well.

Spoon fruit mixture into prepared melon.

Makes 6 servings.