Grilled Pineapple

Grilled Sunshine

Cookouts don't always have to mean hamburger patties and hot dogs - prepare this tropical dessert for your next picnic and reap the sweet rewards.

Several years ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to a special dinner at The Culinary Institute of America's West Coast site, housed in a century-old stone winery at Greystone in Napa Valley, Calif. It has been renovated and outfitted with the most modern cooking facilities, including a 15,000-square-foot teaching kitchen. At the time, the restaurant was set up as an open environment, so we could see the students and instructors as they went through the preparation and plating of each course. Out on the patio, there were several barbecue grills where small bundles were turning slowly on rotisserie spits. Every few minutes one of the students would brush them with some sort of glaze. We had no idea if they were part of our meal, but they looked and smelled intriguing.

After the main course was cleared, the rotisserie skewers were whisked away to the kitchen, and a few minutes later we were served dessert - pineapple slices grilled to golden-brown sweetness with rum, butter and cinnamon topped by a scoop of sumptuous coconut ice cream. The combination of flavors, textures and even temperatures was spectacular, and the memory has stayed with me. But like so many memorable foods, they were actually very simple in their construction. With a little planning and the help of an outdoor grill and a small ice-cream maker, you can raise the culinary bar at your next cookout with this incredible dessert.

Grilled Pineapple Serves 6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dark rum 1/2 cup water 1 cinnamon stick Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime 1 whole pineapple, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch slices 1/4 cup dark-brown sugar 4 tablespoons (one-half stick) melted butter	Instructions: Place the rum, water, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and lemon zest into a large plastic zip bag. Add the pineapple slices and let marinate overnight. Strain the marinade into a bowl and stir in the sugar and melted butter. Heat the grill to low, and carefully place the slices directly onto the grate. (Be sure to clean the grate carefully before you grill the pineapple. Leftover chicken or hamburger bits will not be a welcome addition. Wipe the grates down with a little vegetable oil to avoid sticking.) Be careful when putting the slices down because the rum in the marinade may cause an initial flare-up. Once the slices are grilled on both sides and starting to soften, begin basting with the butter-rum mixture. Keep grilling and turning until the slices are well-glazed, but be careful: The sugar tends to burn easily. Keep the heat low. Place 1 slice into the bottom of a bowl and top with a scoop of ice cream. You can also serve the pineapple as a side dish with grilled seafood. For a sweet/zesty combo, try adding a finely chopped jalapeño pepper to the marinade.
Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredients: 1 14-ounce can of coconut milk 2 cups half and half 1 cup coconut flakes Special equipment required: Ice cream maker	Instructions: Put the coconut cream in a blender or food processor with 1 cup of the half and half. Process until smooth. Mix in the remaining half and half and the coconut flakes. Put into the bowl of an ice cream maker and process according to direction. Serve soft or hardened. More Recipes Printer Friendly Page

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