Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad

From Press Enterprise, July 15, 2015

Want an easy way to add a little punch to your otherwise humdrum fruit salad? Just add some heat.
Toss pineapple rings on the grill for just 4 to 5 minutes per side. The intense heat of the flames caramelizes the natural sugars of the pineapple and adds a smoky char
.
Once the pineapple rings come off the grill and cool a bit, they can be chopped and tossed with all the usual fruit salad suspects.

Want to take it even further? Thickly sliced peaches and nectarines also could be grill and added to this salad.

And for additional non-grilled items, consider tossing in some blueberries and grapes.

The peppery bite of torn fresh basil is called for here, but mint also would be good.

Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 6

1 pineapple
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved (or quartered for larger berries)
4 kiwi, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2 mangoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. Lay the pineapple on its side and slice of the top and bottom.  Stand it up, then slice off the peel on the sides one strip at a time.  Return the pineapple to its side and cut the pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.

3. Grill each slice for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly charred. Set aside to cool until easily handled.

4. Once the pineapple is cool, cut it into bite-sized pieces, trimming around and discarding the core.

5. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple chunks, strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, basil and a pinch of salt.  Stir very gently.

6. Chill for 20 minutes to allow the juices to meld.  Stir very gently before serving.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.

Nutritional information per serving: 210 calories; 10 calories from fat (5 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 51 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 40 g sugar; and 3 g protein.