Along with the typical burgers, ribs, or steak, try placing some seasonal fresh fruit on the grill for a salad that is sure to make any grilled meal complete.
Even if you do not have a barbeque, a stove-top grill pan works beautifully.
Molasses (Crosby’s Fancy Molasses) and Canadian maple syrup are featured in this recipe. This combination, along with some coarse-grained mustard and vanilla in the glaze and vinaigrette, brings a deeply flavourful complexity to the grilling experience. …and it is so easy!
Grilled Summer Fruit Salad
Prep Time: 30 minutes Grilling Time: 5-6 minutes
Number of Serving: 4-6
Grilled Fruit:
3-4 cups of prepared fruit – any of the following summer fruits work well on the grill. Use fruit that is firm, not over-ripe, but still ‘gives’ a little to gentle pressure. Halve or quarter the fruit as to your personal preference.
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Pears
- Plums
- Apricots
- Strawberries
Grilling Glaze:
- Vegetable oil – to brush on before you grill the fruit
And then, after the grilling, brush with a light glaze.
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon (5 mL) rum or vanilla extract
- Sea salt
After glazing, coarsely ground black pepper completes the process.
Salad Ingredients:
- 2 cups baby spinach and/or mixed greens
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- ¼ cup chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Garnish:
- Crumbled feta cheese
- Candied pecans* (recipe follows)
Vinaigrette:
1 ½ tablespoons (25 mL) white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 mL) Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
2 teaspoons (10 mL) maple syrup
2 teaspoons (10 mL) course-grained mustard
2-3 drops of vanilla extract
3-4 tablespoons (45-60 mL) vegetable oil
Sea salt; freshly ground black pepper
Method:
- *Prepare Candied Pecans: In a 3250F oven, toast ½ cup of whole pecans for about 2 minutes (on a parchment-covered baking sheet). Place warm pecans in a small bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of fancy molasses, 2 teaspoons of maple syrup, and a sprinkle of sea salt. Return to baking sheet and continue to toast for an additional 5-6 minutes. Stir up once or twice during toasting time. Let cool on baking sheet. Gently break up pecans after cooling. Leave pecans whole, or give them a rough chop prior to garnishing.
- Prepare Salad Greens: Place the spinach/mixed greens, green onions, red onions, and chopped mint in a large salad bowl. Gently stir to combine. Set aside.
- Prepare Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine vinegar, molasses, maple syrup, mustard, and vanilla. Whisk in oil; Season to taste.
- Prepare Fruit for grilling: Halve fruit and pit: Cut into wedges or leave in halves. Brush with vegetable oil. On a hot grill, grill 2-3 minutes per side; 5-6 minutes total. Fruit pieces can be turned a few times during grilling time. When grilling on the final side – when you have made the final turn – brush with molasses-maple syrup glaze; and a sprinkle of sea salt. Finish with some course grinds of fresh black pepper. Transfer fruit pieces to a large plate or platter.
- Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette over the salad greens and stir to combine. Divide salad greens among 4-6 individual salad plates; or on a large salad platter.
- Place grilled fruit pieces on top of the greens. Drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over all; Garnish with a sprinkle of feta cheese and the candied pecans.
Questions and comments are always welcome alex@chilipeppersandpears.com
