If you want a side that would balance out your barbecue menu, fresh produce is the way to go! Fruits will add not only color and texture to heavy entrees like grilled meat, but it will also make your meals more nutritious!
Just keep in mind that different fruits require different treatments on the grill. Soft fruits like peaches, plums, papayas and nectarines will cook quickly while harder fruits like apples, pears and pineapples will take more time.
Try these quick and easy grilled fruit recipes the next time you have a barbecue:
Caramelized Grilled Peaches
What you need:
4 ripe white or yellow peaches, halved
4 ripe red plums, halved
4 small ripe bananas, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Mix together the brown sugar and the melted butter in a large bowl. Add the peaches, plums and bananas to the bowl and toss to coat with the brown sugar mixture.
Take a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and form into a shallow “pan”. Place the fruits, cut side down, in the foil. Place the foil in a pre-heated grill (medium-high heat) and cook until fruits are browned and caramelized around the edges.
Spicy Maple Grilled Fruit Skewers
What you need:
- 2 cups peach chunks
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 cup banana chunks
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Bamboo skewers, soaked in water
In a medium bowl, combine the maple syrup, cayenne pepper, ground cumin and ground cinnamon. Add the peach, pineapple and banana chunks to the bowl and toss until fruits are coated with the glaze. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 mins.
When ready, thread fruit alternately into skewers. Cook on a pre-heated grill directly over medium-high heat until caramelized, about 2 mins. per side. Best served warm.
Grilled Cinnamon Sugar Grapefruit
What you need:
- 3-4 grapefruits
- 1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup double cream
- 3 tablespoons unrefined golden icing sugar
- Juice of 1 lime
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon unrefined golden caster sugar
Whip together the Mascarpone cheese, double cream, lime juice, lime zest and caster sugar in a bowl. Set aside.
Slice the grapefruits in half. Combine the icing sugar with cinnamon then dust the cut sides of the fruit with the mixture. Grill the grapefruits, cut side down, for 4-5 minutes.
When ready, serve warm with Mascarpone cheese mixture.
These quick and easy grilled fruit recipes are what your barbecue needs!