Grilling: It’s Not Just For Vegetables (Grilled Peaches Recipe)

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Move over, zucchini. The peaches are taking over the grill.

If you didn’t know me, you’d think I was talking about beef and chicken and lamb (oh, my).

Nope, what I’m talking about is grilled fruit and, more specifically, grilled peaches: a delightful summer treat that celebrates this sunshiny, juicy stone fruit. It’s quite simple and the results can be enjoyed in either sweet or savory dishes. Think: warm scallop salad with grilled peaches and baby chard or seared scallops with grilled peaches, corn, and kale.

(By the way, the two dishes I just mentioned were two of my favorite recipes that I created I this summer, so check them out!)

Super easy, here’s the how-to.

Grilled Peaches

1. Cut peaches in half, remove pits, and oil lightly; olive or canola oil works well. Season with a bit of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, too. Place face down on a very hot grill (indoor or out) and cook ~5 minutes, until soft. Don’t peel the fruit: skins adds beauty, texture, and fiber. (Those indoor grills sure do get smoky…)

2. Turn the peaches over once you see grill marks, and continue cooking another few minutes. The fruit should be soft—go ahead, give it a gentle poke—yet should retain its shape. Seeing the grill marks is the best part! It also indicates that you’ve achieved caramelization, which enhances the sweetness of the fruit.

That’s all there is to it, folks.

And did I mention you could also just eat these tasty morsels out of hand? Sure can, and they’re delicious. But you’ve gone to all this trouble, so at least plate them prettily, perhaps garnish with a sprig of thyme, and employ utensils: it will make it last that much longer and a dessert this elegant deserves it.

Succulent and sweet, fruit never tasted this good.

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Learn more about nutrition scientist and food personality Dr. P.K. Newby, and check out her newest book. You can also follow her on FB, where she is much more active than on this blog. Or, click here if you just want to ogle food porn featuring plant-based, globally-inspired cuisine.

healthyfrenchie | 30Aug

Yum, you seem to know exactly what I have in my pantry and you’re giving me some awesome ideas… Thank you

Dr. P.K. Newby is a nutrition scientist, speaker, and author with expertise in all things food, farm to fork, whether preventing obesity and other chronic diseases through diet or teaching planet-conscious eating. As a health expert and food personality, she brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability to educate and inspire, helping people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. Healthy Hedonism (TM) is her philosophy: Because healthy food shouldn’t suck.