Shake it up and load your grill with fruit next time you fire up the barbie. Natural sugars caramelize giving you a sweet, easy and healthy treat
Tonight, it’s barbecue night. But switch up sausages and burgers and flip fruit instead for new flavour sensations. First on the to-do list is getting the BBQ fired up well in advance. Always grill over gentle embers and don’t let the food come in direct contact with the heat and never in the flames.
To get maximum flavour from the fruit and to add flavour twists you can coat it with a little olive oil or a drizzle of brown sugar syrup or honey.
For fruit kebabs, peel your chosen fruit; remove the stone, if necessary, cut into slices or small chunks and place on skewers. Once on the grill, keep a close eye on them as they’ll be ready in no time, just as soon as they turn golden brown.
When grilling fruit, the natural sugars caramelise over the heat and flavours intensify as excess water evaporates. However, not all fruit is suited to being skewered – some make great starters when combined with savoury extras and others are best served sweet, making them ideal desserts.
Avocados are perfect as a starter when grilled with a dash of Dijon mustard and served with a balsamic dressing or simply a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt. Equally, barbecued watermelon is mouthwatering with salty, creamy feta cheese and fresh mint. Figs are fantastic wrapped in ham or grilled and served with ricotta cheese and honey. Barbecued apricots are heavenly whether plain or with a knob of butter and a dusting of sugar, lemon juice and brandy.
For sweet sensations, look no further than peaches, either on their own or in mixed fruit kebabs. They hold their own with no added extras or with a sprinkling of sugar. Simple, grilled pineapple works wonders, but with Nutella it is out of this world. Try plums, halved and grilled with a touch of cinnamon and served with hazelnut ice cream.
All varieties of red berries taste wonderful warm. Try sprinkling with sugar and roasting en papillote (wrapped in aluminium foil), the same goes for bananas, but added sugar is optional. Elevate them to a whole new level by cooking in their skins and coating with a honey-rum glaze before and/or after grilling for melt-in-the-mouth results, also delicious served with caramel, grated coconut and chocolate.
