Fresh fruit is one of the extravagant luxuries delivered to us by nature during the summer months. From crisp apples to juicy papaya, from the tangy sweetness of an orange to the melt-in-your-mouth tenderness of a pear, a good piece of fruit is a high point in any eating experience.
Another summer tradition is grilling. Steaks, chicken, vegetable kabobs, fish… You name it, we’ll grill it. Even fruit!
Which Fruits Can You Grill?
Most of us have probably had the classics—grilled peaches and pineapple. But just in case you’ve never grilled them yourself or want to try a new recipe, keep reading.
Watermelon and cantaloupe grill up beautifully. Plums are amazing. Strawberries must be experienced for yourself to be believed (you’ll want to kabob them since they get soft). And coconut? Ever thought of grilling coconut? And then dipping it in chocolate sauce? You should!
You can even get exotic and grill figs, then serve them wrapped in prosciutto for an appetizer people will go home and dream about.
One Rule
You’ll always want to brush your fruit down with olive oil before grilling it. Don’t forget!
Recipes—Come One, Come All!
Let’s start with the stone fruits. Peaches, apricots, plums, or nectarines. Here are a couple different glazes you can drizzle over them.
Glaze 1
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- ½ inch chunk of peeled ginger
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Glaze 2
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. white sugar
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- Several ounces of crumbled cheese (goat cheese, feta, of bleu cheese)
Combine vinegar, sugar, and seasonings in a saucepan and simmer it until it is reduced by about half and sticks to the back of a spoon. Discard the lump of ginger from Glaze 1. Drizzle the glaze over your grilled stone fruit. Top fruit with crumbled cheese for Glaze 2.
Another good topping for grilled stone fruits is flavored whipped cream. Put 1 cup of heavy whipping cream, 2 tsp. of sugar, ½ tsp. of vanilla, and 1 tsp. of either bourbon or Grand Marnier in a bowl and whip it. We could tell you that leftovers of this decadent topping keep well in the fridge, but we seriously doubt you’ll have any leftovers.
What about the tropical fruits like pineapple and mango?
Cut half of a pineapple into spears and toss them in a plastic back with ½ cup brown sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon. Let the bag sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, then grill the fruit.
For mango, keep it simple. The fruit is already so rich and perfect, just grill it, then drizzle it with lime juice, and serve it with mint leaves for a fabulous, fresh, low-calorie dessert.
Don’t Forget the Salad
Grilled fruit in salad is a fabulous summer treat! Cut 2-3 pounds of seedless watermelon into 3x3x1 inch chunks and grill for about two minutes on each side. Salt them and set them aside.
Make beds of salad greens on individual plates. Top with slices of grilled watermelon, crumbled Chevre (goat cheese), balsamic vinegar that has been reduced by half, and freshly ground black pepper.
If you’re a fan of fruit salad, take it to the next level by grilling the fruit. Kiwi, mango, papaya, apples, pineapple, strawberries, peaches, grapes, all the fruits you would normally put in it—just kabob them if they’re small, grill them, then put your salad together like your normally would.
There is no end to the goodness of fresh fruit in summer. Incorporate some of these simple grilling ideas into healthy meals that your family will love.