June Recipe of the Month: Gourmet Grilled Fruit

Island grilled mangoes and papaya with a rum butter sauce, exotic grilled pear salad with goat cheese and balsamic drizzle. These menu items can be found in high end eateries all of over the world! They sound ultra complicated, right? They are not! These delicious tastes can easily be replicated at home in your kitchen!! 

Fruit is made up of sugars and water. Grilling fruit takes out some of the water and caramelizes the natural sugars leaving delicious sweet fruit with a charred texture. This method is quick and easy, and the delicious grilled fruit leaves our taste buds craving more! 

Hard fruits are easier to grill. They won’t get mushy and fall apart on you. My favorites are apples, pears and pineapple! 

Try grill fruit as an appetizer, side, salad topper or skewer it with veggies, meat or fish!

Grilled Peaches 

Ingredients:
(Yields 4 servings)

4 Sliced white and yellow peaches
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp.cinnamon
1 tbsp. nutmeg

Directions:

Clean grill grate and spray with non stick cooking spray. (Olive oil is too strong for these fruits and will leave a dull taste. If anything use a little butter.)

Dust fruit with the spice mix.

Because the peaches are juicy, they caramelize quickly! Don’t leave them on too long!

Grill the fruit on medium heat until it is softened to your liking.(Pierce with a fork. The fruit should be cooked but still firm.) Approx. 4 minutes per side.

OR grill them in a frying pan! Peaches are soft enough to be cooked quickly right on the stove! 

Don’t forget a fabulous cheese pairing! Grilled pears are delicious with goat cheese or a creamy fontina, while grilled apples are most delicious when served with Gruyere or Brie. 

Guest Contributor- Terri Dowd

Terri Dowd, “The Parmesean Princess,” is an expert on the Pittsburgh Food Scene. She has been reviewing restaurants and creating delicious recipes for years, and she has hosted her own food show and has even been featured on Emeril Lagasse’s show! Terri contributes her considerable marketing and business expertise to Elle Ministries. She currently is the founder and CEO of WythU, a branding and marketing firm, and she works with major companies and startups on marketing, branding, and advertising strategies.

Follow her on instagram: @parmesanprincess