Tropical, tasty passion fruit is one of summer’s greatest hits

Juicy and aromatic passion fruit is having its moment at the top of the charts as this summer’s favorite fruit.

To see why, cut one in half horizontally and spoon the seeds and pulp into your mouth for a taste thrill of tropical flavors all in one small egg-shaped container. I’ll bet you can’t stop at one. Although passion fruit is available year-round, it’s at peak abundance and flavor right now.

Passion fruit makes a fabulous pie (substitute passion fruit puree for key lime juice in a traditional key lime pie), and passion fruit curd (just like lemon curd) is delicious swirled into yogurt or spread over scones.

Passion fruit is usually associated with desserts, but its perfumed flavor and acidity is a welcome addition to savory dishes, especially chicken, fish, and pork.

Mix up a zingy passion fruit vinaigrette: combine ½ cup passion fruit pulp, either fresh or frozen, 1 tablespoon honey, 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and freshly ground pepper in a blender or food processor container, and blend until smooth and emulsified. Pour over a green salad with diced avocado and cucumbers.

At the market, choose fruits that are large and heavy, with wrinkly, yet firm shells. Avoid those that are soft.

To ripen passion fruit, store at room temperature until it becomes dimply and sloshes when shaken. When ripe, store in the refrigerator, or freeze, intact, in plastic freezer bags. When you’re ready to use frozen passion fruit, just take them out of the freezer and halve. The pulp will defrost quickly and taste fresh. One passion fruit will yield about 1 tablespoon of pulp.

Most people use passion fruit as a flavoring rather than a primary ingredient, like a splash of liqueur or vanilla.

You can either strain out the seeds or enjoy their nice crunch. To separate the fruit pulp from the seeds, heat the pulp over medium-low, stirring frequently, remove from heat when near boiling and strain out the seeds.

A great alternative to fresh fruit is the frozen passion fruit pulp sold at most supermarkets. The frozen pulp has the dual advantage of being inexpensive and seedless.

This recipe is adapted from Eat Cool—Good Food for Hot Days by Vanessa Seder, Rizzoli International Publications ($39.95).

Ca’ Furlan Brut Rosé Prosecco Cuvée Mariana NV ($12) from the Veneto region of Italy has delicate accents of pickled ginger and orchard blossom enmeshed with notes of peach skin, blood orange sorbet and stone fruit. The acidity and subtle minerality of the wine compliment the flavor of passion fruit quite nicely.