Mastering the Grill_ The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking - Andrew Schloss [224]
4. Put the pears upright in a disposable aluminum pan large enough to hold them, and pour in enough hot water to just cover the bottom. Put the pan on the grill away from the heat, cover the grill, and cook until the pears are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. As they cook, baste the pears frequently with the sugar syrup, using tongs to steady them as you baste. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 350°F.
5. Meanwhile, put the balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar in a small saucepan (on your grill’s side burner if it has one). Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the liquid reduces to about 2 tablespoons. Stir in the butter and nutmeg. Remove from the heat.
6. Remove the pears to plates with tongs and a spatula.
Drizzle with the balsamic sauce and serve.
Grilled Pears Drizzled with Melted Stilton
Halved and cored pears can be briefly grilled and stuffed with any number of fillings, such as sweetened mascarpone. Pears and blue cheese have a particular affinity for each other, so we drizzle these grilled Boscs with Frangelico-scented warm Stilton. Serve this as a first course or dessert. It’s excellent with port.
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes
Grill: 10 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled tongs
TIPS
• Core the pears with the small side of a melon baller.
• For information on pear varieties, see facing page.
* * *
THE GRILL
Gas:
Direct heat, medium-low (300°F)
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal:
Direct heat, medium ash
12-by-12-inch medium charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)
Clean, oiled grate on middle setting
Wood:
Direct heat, medium ash
12-by-12-inch bed, 3 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 4 inches above the fire
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon Frangelico or amaretto
1½ teaspoons sugar
8 ounces Stilton or other crumbly blue cheese
Oil for coating grill grate
4 just-ripe Bosc pears, halved lengthwise and cored
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the grill as directed.
2. Heat the butter, Frangelico, and sugar in a microwave or small saucepan over medium heat until melted (15 to 30 seconds in the microwave). Remove from the heat and stir in the Stilton until just beginning to melt. Heat briefly if necessary to break up the Stilton.
3. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Coat the pears all over with the 1 tablespoon oil, then put them cut-side down on the grill. Cover and cook until tender and nicely grill-marked, about 5 minutes per side.
4. Remove the pears to plates, cut-sides up. Drizzle with the Stilton mixture and serve.
Chile-Spiced Peaches
Many fruits are served as dessert, but peaches pair well with pork, poultry, and game. We flavor these grilled peach halves with a mixture of ground ancho chile, ground chipotle chile, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Serve them alongside Smoky Barbecued Duck (page 200), Molasses-Brined Pork Chops with Roasted Corn Salsa (page 149), or Spicy Maple Pork Shoulder (page 208).
TIMING
Prep: 5 minutes
Grill: About 5 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled tongs
TIP
• For a novel dessert, serve the peaches with whipped cream that has been flavored with vanilla or maple syrup.
* * *
THE GRILL
Gas:
Direct heat, medium-high (400° to 450°F)
Clean, oiled grate
Charcoal:
Direct heat, light ash
12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals)
Clean, oiled grate on lowest setting
Wood:
Direct heat, light ash
12-by-12-inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 3 inches above the fire
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS)
4 large, ripe freestone peaches
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground ancho chile
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
No-stick spray oil or vegetable oil
Oil for coating grill grate
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the grill as directed.
2. Halve the peaches from the stem end to the blossom end and twist to separate the halves. Remove and discard the pits.
3. Combine the brown sugar, ground ancho, ground chipotle, and nutmeg. Coat the peaches all over with oil,