Dark Star
Híbrido comercial
- Reference colour
- Purple flesh
- Working profile
- Deep colour and a sweet profile.
Produce notebook · 01
Dragon fruitThe fruit that flowers at night.
Fresh, delicate and visually remarkable. Dragon fruit calls for precise cooking: restrained sweetness, clean acidity and contrasts that respect its texture.
- Scientific name
- Selenicereus spp. (sin. Hylocereus spp.)
- Season
- June — October
- Origin
- Algemesí, Valencia
Botanical identity
A family of climbing cacti, not one single fruit.
Dragon fruit is the commercial name for fruit produced by several species and hybrids of climbing cactus. Taxonomy has changed: many names formerly placed in Hylocereus are now classified within Selenicereus.
Skin may be red or yellow and flesh white, pink, magenta or red. Colour alone cannot identify a cultivar: naming the farm’s plants correctly will require nursery traceability and observation of flower, stem and fruit.
- Family
- Cactaceae
- Flesh
- White · pink · red
- Flowering
- At night
- Texture
- Juicy, fine seeds
Farm varieties
Three varieties, three harvest profiles.
Dark Star, Halley’s Comet and Purple Haze make up the current dragon fruit selection.
Finca Les Arcades’ current variety selection.
Halley’s Comet
Híbrido comercial
- Reference colour
- Pink flesh
- Working profile
- Large, sweet and aromatic fruit.
Purple Haze
Híbrido comercial
- Reference colour
- Purple flesh
- Working profile
- Sweet, fragrant and deeply coloured.
Individual varieties will be shipped according to availability.
Nutrition without hype
Whole fruit, water, fibre and diversity.
Dragon fruit is enjoyed fresh, with edible seeds and a high proportion of water. Composition varies across species, cultivars, soil and ripeness.
Whole fruit
Keeps flesh and seeds together; this is the culinary form we prioritise.
Fibre
The flesh and tiny seeds add structure to the diet.
Natural colour
Red varieties contain plant pigments; colour is a quality, not a therapeutic promise.
A considered portion
Its value belongs within a varied diet, not as a miracle ingredient.
We will not publish quantities or specific vitamin and antioxidant claims until cultivars are identified and representative harvest analysis is available.
A chef’s reading
Treat it as subtle produce, not decoration.
Chilling sharpens the bite, salt wakes up sweetness and brief acidity brings order. Overly sweet preparations erase its personality.
- Sweetness
- Medium and clean
- Acidity
- Low to moderate
- Texture
- Juicy, gently crunchy seeds
- Aroma
- Floral and softly green
Affinities
- Lime, yuzu and grapefruit
- Tomato, cucumber and radish
- Basil, mint and coriander
- Yoghurt, fresh cheese and kefir
- Pistachio, sesame and almond
- Ginger, mild chilli and pink peppercorn
Techniques
- Cut well chilled and dress at the last moment
- Granita with restrained sugar
- Brief salt-and-citrus cure
- Controlled lactic fermentation
- Clarified water for sauces and alcohol-free drinks
Farm recipes
Three dishes to discover its culinary range.
Designed for four and adaptable to a home kitchen. The fruit should be ripe, chilled and freshly cut.
Dragon fruit, tomato water and basil oil
A transparent, savoury and deeply fresh starter.
Ingredients
- 2 red dragon fruits
- 500 g ripe tomato
- 1 lime
- Basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
Method
- Blend the tomato with a pinch of salt, strain through fine cloth and chill the clear water.
- Cut the dragon fruit into large dice and season with a few drops of lime and salt.
- Pour the tomato water, add the fruit and finish with basil oil.
Chef’s noteAdd lime immediately before serving to protect the texture.
Cured dragon fruit, fresh cheese and pistachio
Lactic, crunchy and gently peppery contrast.
Ingredients
- 2 dragon fruits
- 160 g fresh goat’s cheese
- 40 g pistachios
- 1 tsp honey
- Pink peppercorn
- Lime
Method
- Season thick dragon fruit slices with a pinch of salt and rest for five minutes.
- Mix the cheese with lime zest and a teaspoon of juice.
- Layer and finish with pistachio, a measured touch of honey and pink peppercorn.
Chef’s noteHoney is an accent; dragon fruit must remain the lead.
Dragon fruit, lime and ginger granita
A clean, fragrant dessert with measured sweetness.
Ingredients
- 500 g dragon fruit flesh
- 2 limes
- 10 g fresh ginger
- 60 ml water
- 20–40 g sugar, depending on ripeness
Method
- Blend the flesh with water, lime juice, ginger and the minimum sugar required.
- Freeze in a wide tray and scrape with a fork every 40 minutes.
- Serve in chilled glasses with lime zest and a mint leaf.
Chef’s noteTaste before sweetening: no two harvests ask for the same amount.
Sources and approach
Culinary and educational content; it is not individual nutritional or medical advice.