Mastering the Grill_ The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking - Andrew Schloss [230]
3. Heat the grill as directed.
4. Cut off the spiky top and ½ inch from the base of the pineapple. Stand it upright and cut downward around the fruit to remove the peel and eyes. Cut lengthwise into quarters and remove the core from each quarter by making a V-shaped cut around the core. Cut each quarter crosswise into wedges about 1½ inches thick. Peel the bananas and cut each crosswise into 4 pieces.
5. Arrange the pineapple wedges, banana pieces, and orange sections lengthwise on the skewers, putting a blueberry after each piece.
6. Brush the glaze generously over the fruit, reserving some to brush on after grilling.
7. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the skewers on the grill and cook until nicely grill-marked, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Brush with the remaining glaze and serve warm, using a wide spatula to lift them from the grill.
Photo: Grilled Fruit Skewers with Ginger-Poppy Seed Lacquer
Grilled Fruit Skewers with Honey Mustard
You’re probably familiar with the sweet-and-sour contrast of honey mustard on chicken or pork. It’s great on grilled fruit, too. Here it’s brushed on wedges of skewered peaches, plums, and blood oranges. A Mediterranean citrus, blood oranges have ruby or ruby-flecked flesh and a full orange flavor laced with plum or raspberry aromas. Serve these kebabs with grilled pork, chicken, or fish, such as Sicilian Pulled Pork (page 210), Tuscan Roasted Chicken Stuffed with Fragrant Greens (page 192), or Saffron-Citrus Salmon Steaks with Basil Oil (page 174).
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 inches deep
Clean, oiled grate set 3 inches above the fire
INGREDIENTS (MAKES 4 SERVINGS—2 SKEWERS PER SERVING)
1/3 cup honey, preferably orange blossom
3 tablespoons coarse Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon orange juice
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 small just-ripe freestone peaches
2 small just-ripe plums
2 blood oranges, peeled and sectioned
Oil for coating grill grate
DIRECTIONS
1. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes.
2. Heat the grill as directed.
3. Combine the honey, mustard, orange juice, and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Halve the peaches and plums from the stem end to the blossom end and twist to separate the halves. Remove and discard the pits. Cut the halved fruit into wedges about 1 inch thick at the wide end.
5. Arrange the peaches, orange sections, and plums on the skewers.
6. Brush the mustard glaze generously over the fruit, reserving some to brush on after grilling.
7. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the skewers on the grill and cook until nicely grill-marked, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Brush with the remaining glaze and serve warm, using a wide spatula to lift them from the grill.
Grilled Papaya with Sweet Saffron Butter and Lime Mascarpone Cream
Here’s what might happen if southern Italians and southern Indians were to grill dessert together in Hawaii. Okay, maybe that’s an unlikely scenario. But this is still a great flavor combination. We use lime oil here because the acidity of lime juice would curdle the mascarpone and make it grainy in texture. Pure lime extract works fine if you can’t find lime oil.
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 2 inches above the fire
* * *
TIMING
Prep: 15 minutes
Grill: 9 to 12 minutes
GRILL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
• Long-handled tongs
* * *
INGREDIENTS