Grapefruit and Strawberries with Dried Fruit

° Serves 6 to 8

The dried fruits for this refreshing dessert can be mixed several days ahead, and the oranges prepared up to a day ahead.

• 2½ cups mixed dried fruits (pears, apricots, cherries, peaches, prunes, raisins, and/or currants)
• 1 large lemon
• 1 large lime
• ⅓ cup honey
• 2 tablespoons dark rum
• 2 red grapefruits
• ¼ cup Grand Marnier
• 2 cups strawberries
• Store-bought pound cake, for serving

Prepare the dried fruit mixture (do this ahead of time so it can macerate): If any of the fruit is extremely dry, as dried pears and peaches sometimes are, cover with boiling water and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to soften, then drain. Cut all the dried fruit into ¼-inch pieces and place in a plastic bag.

Using a Microplane, remove about 1½ tablespoons of the rind from the lemon and lime.

Juice the lemon and lime (you should have approximately ⅓ cup combined juices). Add the juice, the lemon and lime rinds, the honey, and rum to the bag with the dried fruit and mix thoroughly. Tightly seal the plastic bag and set it aside in a cool place for at least 2 hours or up to 2 weeks. (The close confinement of the fruit and liquid facilitates the maceration process.)

Trim the grapefruits slightly at the base and top and remove the skin and white pith. Cut the grapefruit into ½-inch-thick slices. If the centers of the slices are seedy or tough, remove them with a serrated knife and discard.

Place the grapefruit slices in a gratin dish and pour the Grand Marnier over them. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for up to 1 day.

Shortly before serving, clean the strawberries, cut them into ¼- to ½-inch-thick wedges, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

At serving time, arrange a slice of grapefruit, with some of the liquid from the dish, on each dessert plate. Cover the grapefruit with the medley of dried fruit and sprinkle with the cut-up strawberries. Serve with slices of your favorite pound cake.