Sushi for Sweet Tooths

For variety, wrap some of your rolls with plum or papaya instead of mango. Equally moist, these fruits will adhere to the banana easily, too.

Serves 4

1 large mango, peeled

3 bananas, peeled

1⁄4c pomegranate seeds

Blueberries, or kiwi wedges, for topping 2Tbsp honey (optional)

Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, slice the mango from top to base into 16 thin strips, about 3⁄4″×3 1⁄2″ each. Tidy your strips with a paring knife if necessary. Slice the bananas crosswise into about 16 pieces, each 3⁄4″ thick.

Wrap the circumference of each banana slice with a mango strip.

Chopsticks may be the most commonly used utensils for sushi, but fondue sticks will do the job, too, especially if chocolate fondue sauce is your dip du jour. Serves 4.

1 small star fruit, about 4″ long, 1⁄4c blueberries, kiwi wedges, or pomegranate seeds, for topping.

12 large strawberries, about 1 1⁄4″ at widest point.

2 Tbsp chocolate fondue sauce or honey.

Slice the ends off the star fruit, then cut it cross- wise into 4 star-shaped slices, each about 3⁄4″ thick.

Using a serrated knife, slice the tops and bottoms off the strawberries to create 12 rounds, each about 3⁄4″ thick.

On 4 dessert plates, arrange a slice of star fruit in the center with 4 strawberry slices surrounding the star fruit. Garnish with fruit topping of your choice, using a dollop of chocolate fondue sauce or honey to adhere the garnish to the fruit slices. Serve with warm chocolate fondue or other sauce on the side.

Turn a mix of melons into a rainbow of sashimi. Watermelon makes realistic salmon, but a variety of melons makes the prettiest platter.

Serves a crowd

Slice melons in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice into quarters, then into 1″-thick wedges.

Turn the melon wedges on their sides and, using a paring knife, carefully remove the rinds. Slice off two 3″ pieces from each melon wedge, reserving the centers of the wedges for another use. Trim the bottoms of the melon sashimi to create a firm base. Cut the “tails” on a diagonal, as shown above.

Using a Y-shaped vegetable peeler, slice the mango from top to base into 1⁄4″-thick strips. Wrap each piece of melon with a strip of mango, trimming off the extra as necessary.

Arrange on dessert plates or a platter. Serve with ginger-lime or other dipping sauce.

Dip It! What is sushi without dipping sauces? This threesome is perfect for whatever fruity sushi you concoct. Provide spoons for easy dolloping.

Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce.

In a small bowl, combine 1 1⁄4tsp finely grated fresh ginger or 1tsp ground ginger with 2Tbsp honey. Whisk in 1⁄2c lime juice (about 6 limes).

Maple or Vanilla Yogurt Cream

Line a small colander or sieve with a coffee filter or a few layers of cheesecloth and place it in a bowl. Scoop one small container of maple- or vanilla- flavored whole-fat yogurt into the colander, and cover with a plate. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. The yogurt will have thickened into a cream.

Chocolate Fondue Sauce

Bring a double boiler or pot of water fitted with a mixing bowl to a simmer. Add 6oz coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate and 1⁄2c half-and-half to the bowl, stirring frequently over low heat, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk in 1⁄2tsp vanilla or liqueur, and serve warm.