Grilled Pears with Lime, Honey and Pepper

Ingredients

Grilled pears can be served warm, hot or cold as a side to grilled meat or seafood, or as a summery dessert sliced into fresh berry compote.  Perfect for picnics and vegetarian menus. Gluten free.  For a gorgeous appetizer, purchase or make fresh cheese to crumble overtop sliced or chopped grilled pears on sliced baguette, then drizzle with honey - yum!
Bonus:  Easy make-ahead party dish, alongside make-ahead marinated grilled vegetables.

• 4 ripe, medium-size pears
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• fresh ground pepper

Methodology

Warm the honey and lime juice just enough to combine.   Cut washed pears in half lengthwise and use a melon baller or small spoon to scoop out the small core.  Remove the stringy bits that run up the middle from the stem to the base.  Set pear halves cut-side up and brush exposed flesh with the juice combination, then grind a small amount of fresh pepper overtop.  

Gently pour excess juice mixture syrup off the pear halves and into a small bowl. Reserve, setting pears aside.

Grill pear halves cut side down over a hot but low-flame grill for 2-3 minutes, or until the flesh softens slightly and you can see beautiful grill marks.  Turn pear halves over and brush the reserved juice over the cut side, letting it pool in the cavities during the final few minutes of grilling. Serve immediately or at room temperature - one-half pear per person as an accompaniment or two halves as a side.  Children will almost always ask for (and devour) two halves, so plan ahead.

Roll-over item:  Left-over grilled fruit can be refrigerated and then chopped the next day, to add to salsa, chicken salad, grilled vegetables, etc, then rolled-up into a wrap on any kind.   Also mouth-wateringly delicious when sliced and added, along with sliced brie, to grilled beef or chicken burgers.

Submitted by:

C@H Kitchen