Grilled Summer Fruit Salad

Prep Time:   30 minutes           Grilling Time: 5-6 minutes
Number of Serving: 4-6

Grilled Fruit: 

You will need about 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 ^[1] Fancy Molasses
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract or rum
• 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 ^[1] 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:

1. *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 the salad.
2. 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.
3. Prepare Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine vinegar, molasses, maple syrup, mustard, and vanilla.   Whisk in oil; Season to taste.
4. Prepare Fruit for grilling:   Halve fruit and pit: Cut in 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 the molasses-maple syrup glaze; and a sprinkle of sea salt.  Finish with some course grinds of fresh black pepper.   Transfer the fruit pieces to a large plate or platter.
5. Stir in 2 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.
6. 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 ^[2]