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Burgers and hot dogs? Of course. Corn on the cob? Why not. Pizza? " It's been done." How daring is the BBQ king or queen at your house? Grilled fruit is the cook-out craze of the summer.

Grilled fruit makes appetizers, side dishes and desserts sure to wow your family and friends. Because fruit is often little more than water and sugar, grilling it concentrates flavors by reducing the water content and caramelizing the natural sugars.

All you need to get started is the sliced fruit of your choice, some water and just a little cooking oil or spray. Apples, pears, pineapples and other hard fruits will be easier to prepare because they retain their shape and texture on the grill. Softer fruits like peaches, nectarines, plums and mangos can easily become overcooked and mushy.

Grilled Fruit with Pineapple-Mint Glaze

Our recipe for Grilled Fruit with Pineapple-Mint Glaze comes from Whole Foods Market and will serve 6.

Glaze Ingredients

  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • 3/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint

Fruit Ingredients

  • 1 ripe honeydew melon, halved, seeded
  • 1 ripe cantaloupe melon, halved, seeded
  • 1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into 2x1-inch pieces
  • 24 bamboo skewers (6-inch), soaked in water, 1 hour, drained
  • canola oil

Preparing the glaze: Combine the pineapple juice, orange juice and vinegar in a saucepan over high heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 25 minutes, until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup. Pour 1/2 cup of the juice mixture into a small bowl. Set aside to cool, about 30 minutes. Once cool, add lime juice and mint, stir to blend, set aside. Brush the remaining 1/4 cup of glaze on fruit while grilling.

Preparing the fruit: Use a melon ball cutter to scoop out 4 cups total from the honeydew and cantaloupe, or cut the melons into 2x1-inch pieces. Cut the pineapple into 2x1-inch pieces. Alternate each skewer with honeydew, pineapple, and cantaloupe leaving about 3/4-inch of the skewer exposed at the blunt end. Wrap with foil to prevent burning.

Grilling: Preheat the grill to 375F (or a medium-hot fire). Leave fruit skewers on a hot, lightly oiled grill until golden brown and slightly charred. Brush with reserved glaze on each side during last 30 seconds of cooking, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove foil and arrange kebobs on individual serving plates, drizzle with minted glaze and serve.

Find more delicious grilled fruit recipes on these sites:

The Food network
Recipe Goldmine
Epicurious.com