Plums falling to the bottom of my Weber is not the worst thing that’s ever happened. During a year whose motto seems to be “at least the murder hornets aren’t here,” ash-covered plums barely merit a shrug from my crew. But gorgeously grilled fruit is festive, fun, and one of the few desserts that doesn’t add inches to my quarantine physique. If ever there was a weekend to master the fine art of fruit ‘Q, this is it.
First, prepare your grill. Start by scrubbing the grate — you need it squeaky clean for this endeavor. Then light the charcoal or ignite the gas. We want a hot side and a cool side, known as “indirect grilling” in the barbecue universe. Medium heat is preferable, so use fewer briquettes, or throw your fruit on after you’ve grilled the entree and the coals have mellowed.
When selecting fruit, I look for stone fruit (like peaches, apricots and nectarines) that gives slightly when pressed. You want them a shade underripe, so the cut halves hold their shape on the hot grill. My aforementioned plums fell through because they were too soft, but if your plums are just right, you have my blessing and my jealousy. Slices of larger fruit, like watermelon and pineapple, stand up to the heat, particularly if you leave the rind on. Charred bananas and plantains are so delicious, you’ll want to throw one on the grill every time you fire it up. Simply slice them in half vertically, and leave the peel on for support.
Next comes the tricky part. You need an oil barrier between the fruit and the grill grate, lest the fruit’s natural sugars bond like Super Glue to the grate. When I oiled a cold grate, the oil smoked and burned off as soon as I lit the charcoal. When I wiped a hot grill with a wad of oily paper towels, the towels burst into flames. Oiling the fruit directly is a better choice. Dab the thinnest veneer onto the cut sides, so that the fruit glistens, but oil does not drip from it.
Place the fruit cut-side down on the hot side of the grill for a minute or two, until grill marks appear. Repeat on the second side if you wish, then transfer your fruit to the cool side, and cover with the grill lid. This allows you to cook the fruit until it softens without burning. You’ll be rewarded with fruit that is simultaneously smoky and deeply sweet.
You can serve grilled fruit as it is, under frozen yogurt or over fat-free angel food cake. If kebabs are your thing, cut the fruit into cubes and skewer them after grilling. Or dress the cubed fruit with the easiest, tastiest honey-lime glaze ever. Then celebrate summer and your sweet success.
Charred Summer Fruit Salad
Fruit that is ideal for grilling includes apricots, bananas, cantaloupe, mangoes, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums and watermelon. Smaller fruit, like strawberries and blueberries, are best grilled whole in a small grill basket.
2 pounds fresh fruit, skin and/or rinds on
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Prepare the grill for medium, indirect heat. Slice any stone fruit in half and remove the pits. Slice larger fruit, like watermelon and pineapple, into wedges that are 1 inch thick. Pour 2 tablespoons canola oil onto a handful of paper towels. Dab the oil-soaked towels lightly over the cut side(s) of the fruit. Fruit should glisten, but oil should not drip from the fruit.
Place the fruit cut-side down on the hot side of the grill. Grill for 1-2 minutes, until char marks appear. Flip and grill the second side, if desired. Transfer the fruit to the cool side and place the lid on the grill. Cook for 4 minutes longer, or until fruit softens. Remove the fruit from the grill.
Cut away any skin/rinds and slice the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Place the fruit in a serving bowl or thread onto skewers. Whisk the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and drizzle over the fruit. Serve immediately.
Serves 8.
Per serving, made with 3/4 pound peaches, 1/2 pound nectarines, 1/4 pound plums, 1/4 pound pineapple and 1/4 pound watermelon: 70 calories (percent of calories from fat, 4), 1 gram protein, 16 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, trace fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 1 milligram sodium.
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Healthy Cooking: Move over, burgers. There’s fruit on the grill - Atlanta Journal Constitution
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