A little vanilla ice cream and you're good to go. (image: twirlandtaste.com)
When it comes to grilling, meat always seems to steal the show. But as our favorite spatula-wielding diva Paula Deen reminds us, the best recipes come when you think out of the box. So, the San Jose Mercury News published some tips on grilling fruit this week, and we’re passing them along! The most important thing to remember? Direct high heat for short periods of time. Here are some other good tidbits to keep in mind:
• Make sure the grill is completely heated, from medium to high heat, before putting any fruit on it.
• Brushing lightly with a high-temperature oil (like coconut) will help to produce extra-beautiful grill marks.
• Bamboo skewers are perfect for preventing cherries, plums, figs, apricots and the like from slipping through the grate.
• Feelin’ fancy? Try stuffing cheese or nuts into any of the harder fruits like cored apples or pears.
• When grilling melons, which are awesome despite their high water content, choose melons that feel heavy for their size and cut them into large chunks or “steaks” before grilling.
“The high sugar content makes fruit ideal for the grill. The sugars melt, brown and caramelize, creating hundreds of new flavors,” says barbecue expert Andrew Schloss in his new grilling book “Fire it Up.” “It’s really a new twist on old-school desserts that cook fruits.”
If you’re still skeptical about the idea of hot fruit, here’s a ‘pro-approved recipe for grilled pear, brie and honey crostini, and a delightful how-to video on propane grilling with tropical fruit skewers:
[youtube 9QuoBaihj0k]