Sweet Grill of Mine

Throw a little fruit on the barbie and surprise your tastebuds!

story by Stacey Carefoot

This summer, slip out of your grilling groove and venture away from your cooking comfort zone when you grill more than just the same old steaks and burgers on the barbecue. Create exotic appetizers, side dishes and desserts by grilling your favourite fruit. It’s simple, delicious and super healthy.

Choosing the right fruit will ensure successful grilling. Hard fruits, such as apple, pear and pineapple, make the best choice for the rookie fruit griller. These fruits can be skewered or placed directly on the grill. Marinating in a combination of spices and liquids will create colourful flavours and aromas. Nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger are good beginner spices, while fruit juice and rum make the perfect marinating liquids. At the very least it is recommended to soak all fruit for a minimum of 20 minutes in enough cold water to completely cover. Preserve the fruit’s natural colour by adding a teaspoon of lemon juice to each cup of water. If soaking fruit in alcohol prior to grilling, be prepared for a large flame influx when fruit is first placed on the grill.

For best results grill fruit over medium heat on a clean grilling surface. There’s nothing worse than pineapple that tastes like last week’s chicken. Cooking times will vary based on heat sources; however, due to its high natural sugar content fruit may burn easily, so constant monitoring is necessary.

There’s no denying that almost everything tastes better when it’s grilled and fruit is no exception. Mix a dash of imagination with a pinch of appetite and you’ll create your own recipe for grilling success. life

Fruit keBABs With leMon

YoGurt sAuce

10 chunks each: banana, papaya, mango, pineapple and kiwi (all peeled)

10 strawberries

1/4 cup (50 ml) butter, melted

1/4 cup (50 ml) honey lemon yogurt sauce (recipe below) barbecue four to five minutes per side or until hot and glazed, brushing occasionally with honey butter, being careful not to burn. serve immediately with sauce.

Thread fruit chunks and strawberries onto 10 skewers. (if wooden skewers are used, soak in cold water for 20 minutes.)

Combine butter and honey. brush honey butter over kebabs.

leMon YoGurt sAuce

Combine 500-gram container of vanilla yogurt, 1/3 cup honey, 1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind and 2 tbsp. lemon juice. Chill one hour before serving. Makes 2 1/2 cups.

story by Alex Frazer-Harrison