Honeyed Hot Fruit Salad

A few turns on the grill transform fresh fruit into a sumptuous finale.

PREP: 15 minutes GRILL: 10 to 15 minutes

MAKES: 6 servings

½ cup honey

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves,
thinly sliced

1 medium pineapple, cut lengthwise
into 6 wedges, with leaves attached

2 large bananas, each peeled and cut
diagonally into thirds

3 medium plums, each cut in half and pitted

2 medium nectarines or peaches,
each cut into quarters and pitted

1. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat.

2. In cup, stir together honey, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon sliced mint.

3. With tongs, place fruit pieces on hot grill rack and grill, turning fruit occasionally and brushing it with honey mixture during last 3 minutes of cooking, until browned and tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. To serve, arrange grilled fruit on large platter; drizzle with any remaining honey mixture. Sprinkle with remaining mint.

EACH SERVING: About 215 calories, 2g protein, 55g carbohydrate, 1g total fat (0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium

PINEAPPLE PRIMER

Once you know how to select and cut a pineapple, it graduates from being an intimidating fruit to a great light dessert option. It’s fat-free, and 1 cup of fresh chunks contains just 80 calories and 40 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement.

CHOOSING A SWEETIE

Once a pineapple is harvested, it won’t get any sweeter. Growers don’t pick it until it’s juicy and ripe but firm. (If picked when too ripe and soft, it could spoil before distribution.) When you shop, smell the fruit—it should have a sweet floral aroma (less pronounced when the fruit is cold). Choose one that’s firm and heavy, with fresh green leaves. Don’t buy a pineapple with bruises or soft spots—especially at the base. At home, refrigerate it whole or cut for three to five days; for softer, juicier fruit, store whole at room temperature for up to five days.

GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

1. After cutting off the crown and stem ends with a sharp chef’s knife, hold the pineapple upright and cut the skin off in long pieces, slicing from top to base.

2. To remove the “eyes,” lay the pineapple on its side. Cut in at an angle on either side of a row of eyes, inserting the knife into fruit about ¼ inch, and lift out the row. Repeat with next row.

3. Cut the pineapple lengthwise into quarters, slicing straight down from the crown to stem end. Hold each quarter upright and cut off the tough core along the center edge, then cut the fruit as directed in the recipe.