Monday's Food Tip: Grill Some Fruit!

When you’ve got the grill all fired up for the main course, save some heat for dessert. Many fruits are perfect for grilling, particularly stone fruits such as peaches, nectarines and apricots. And they make a delicious dessert served over ice cream.

To grill, simply slice the fruit in half, remove the pit and place the fruit cut side down directly on the rack over the coals. Wait for grill marks to appear, turn the fruit over and continue cooking. Remove the fruit from the heat as soon as it’s tender (and before it falls apart).

Extra Tip: When you can easily insert the tip of a knife into the fruit, it's done.


Here are a couple of more elaborate grilled fruit recipes to try:



GRILLED PEACHES
From BRILLIANT FOOD TIPS AND COOKING TRICKS
By David Joachim

Divide 4 pitted and sliced peaches among four 8" pieces of foil. Top each with 1/4 of a vanilla bean (or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract), 1 teaspoon chopped crystallized ginger, and 1 teaspoon each, unsalted butter, honey, and orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier). Wrap the foil around its contents, sealing tightly. Grill over a medium-hot fire 5 minutes. Serve over ice cream. Makes 4 servings.




GRILLED SUGAR-DIPPED PINEAPPLE
From HOME COOKING WITH AMY COLEMAN

1 ripe pineapple
8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. grated lime zest
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 c. dark rum, for flambeing (optional)


Preheat the grill to HIGH.

Cut the leafy top off the pineapple, then cut off the rind. Slice the fruit into 8 or 10 even rounds. Using a pineapple corer or paring knife, remove the core from each round.

When ready to cook, place the melted butter in a shallow bowl; combine the sugar, lime zest, cinnamon and cloves in a separate bowl. Bring both bowls to the grillside. Oil the grill grates. Dip each slice of pineapple first in melted butter, then in the sugar mixture, shaking off the excess. Arrange the pineapple slices on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until browned and sizzling, 5 to 8 minutes per side. Transfer the pineapple slices to plates or a platter, arranging the slices in an overlapping fashion.

If using the rum, warm it in a small saucepan on one side of the grill; do not let it boil or even become hot. Remove it from the heat and then, making sure your sleeves are rolled up and hair is tied back, light a long match and use it to ignite the rum, averting your face as you do so. Very carefully pour the flaming rum over the pineapple and serve it immediately.