Last week I posted the Alice Phillip’s Harissa Veal Meatball-Fruit Kabobs – the winner of the 5th Annual Dole California Cook-Off and promised to share the recipe for the flavor packed, perfectly summery tropical fruit and berry sticky rice dessert from Carmell Childs, one of the three finalists.
Carmell didn’t walk away with the grand prize of $25,000 but she’s absolutely a force to be reckoned with in the cooking competition arena – last year she grabbed first in the Recipe category of the World Food Championship in Las Vegas for her White Chocolate Apricot Puffs. I was blown away by the experience and had no idea that I would gain so much from a cooking contest. I came away with some amazing new friends, an admiration for these ladies and their creativity, and this beautiful creation that combines some of my favorite flavors: tropical fruit, berries, coconut and sticky rice into a light sweet treat.
To mold her dessert, Carmell used a Dole Mandarin Orange can – genius! You don’t have to run out and buy molds at Sur La Table or Williams Sonoma – remove the top and bottom of the can with a can opener and Violà!
Tropical-Berry Sticky Rice With Mango Coulis
A stunning flavor bomb of tropical fruit, berries, coconut and sticky rice layered into a light, summery sweet treat.
Recipe by Carmell Childs.
Ingredients:
1- 1/2 cups Calrose rice
2 cups water
1/2 plus 3/4 teaspoon salt*
13.5 ounce can coconut milk
1 cup sugar
2 kiwis
15.25 ounce can Dole Tropical Fruit
4-8 ounces fresh Dole Strawberries
1 cup Dole Mango Chunks, defrosted
6 ounces Dole Blackberries
Zest of one lime, optional
Special equipment: For the mold, an 11 ounce Dole Mandarin Orange can (with top and bottom of can completely removed using a can opener.) Save mandarin oranges for another use.
1. Using the BBQ grill burner, prepare the rice, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan according to the package directions.
Plating: Using the mandarin can as a ring mold, make each individual “small plate” by placing can in the center of plate. Fill it with 1/3 cup of coconut rice, lightly packing it down evenly with spoon or bent finger tips, then spread with 1/4 cup diced fruit, top with another 1/3 cup of rice; gently pressing down to pack and smooth. Remove the can by slowly sliding it up, repeat this process to make 6 stacks total, wiping out the can with a paper towel after each use. Top the molded rice stacks with a scoop of remaining diced fruit and a blackberry in the center of each. Garnish plates with the mango coulis and serve with the remaining coconut sauce for drizzling (boil the remaining coconut sauce for 1-2 min. to thicken).
Enjoy 🙂
Carmell presents her dish at the judges table.
Lots of hugs and tears of joy followed the emotional announcement but we regained composure for a few parting shots – from the left: Michael Contreras, Digital Marketing Manager and spokesperson for Dole, finalist Lorie Roach, finalist Carmell Childs, Brad Bartlett, President of Dole Packaged Foods, winner Ally Phillips (Ally’s Kitchen), Chef Ben Ford, MC Tom, and the sous chefs: me, Sara O’Donnell (Average Betty) and Susan Whetzel (Doughmesstic).
Photo credit: Danny Moloshok
Special thanks to Dole and Finn Partners for sponsoring my attendance at the 2013 DOLE California Cook-Off.
Ally's Kitchen
Wowzeee, this was one amazingly gorgeous and inventive recipe from Carmell! I’m soooooo happy to have the recipe, cuz I’ll be making! What a winner! xo
Cathy Pollak ~ Noble Pig
I love the can idea! Use what you have!!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Such a creative idea, I love the mango coulis!
Patty
Yum- I like this creative dessert idea-it never ceases to amaze me the cool recipes that cooks come up with in cooking competitions – I am curious to try making sticky rice at home since it’s one of my husbands favorite things to order in a Thai restaurant 😉