Don’t toss the overripe fruit...

Updated On: 06 February, 2022 07:08 AM IST | Mumbai | Nasrin Modak Siddiqi

Instead, embrace the imperfections and turn it into something delicious, insist chefs

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Cherry mustard

We all have that apple sitting in the fridge that’s making us feel guilty for having it past its lifespan. Or, the box of berries that look soft and squishy. The good news is you don’t need to be a master preserver to avoid wasting this bounty. According to a study from the University of Innsbruck in Austria, overripe fruit is packed with healthful compounds like disease-fighting antioxidants called non-fluorescing chlorophyll catabolites. There is a way to make them pretty again as well—cut them into chunks, simmer the roughly chopped fruit into a sauce and blend it into a smoothie. As Hanoze Shroff, executive chef, Saz, Lower Parel, says, “Overripe fruits and berries can be frozen in ziploc bags, and used in smoothies or to make rich sauces and reductions, that can later be added to enhance vinaigrettes or dips. If in doubt whether the fruit is rotten or overripe, it’s best to play safe and send it to the compost pit instead.” But, Chef Arun D’Souza, Perch Wine and Coffee Bar, Bandra, warns against the use of mouldy fruits. As for overripe fruits, he suggests, “Altough past-its-prime produce packs unique nutrients, most would not like the texture of overripe fruit, so mashing and pureeing helps erase the mental block.” Here are a few ways to turn overripe fruits into works of art.

Hanoze Shroff, Executive Chef, Saz, pairs overripe cherries with smoked duck breast tartine. Pics/Bipin Kokate