With summer coming, grills everywhere are getting fired up. But there is so much more to what you can grill than just meat! With summer's bounty of fruit, why not try throwing some of the sweet stuff on the grill to bring out a new depth of flavor you never knew existed? I was so excited at the idea of doing a whole newsletter that I came up with 5 different ways to incorporate grilled fruit in to your meals! I hope you enjoy eating them as much as I did.

Salmon Burgers with

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Serves 4

For the salsa:

1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut in to large chunks (that won't fall through grill grates - see picture above)

1 red bell pepper

1 small red onion, sliced in to 1/4" thick rounds

1 serrano chile (or more if you like it spicier)

1 bunch cilantro, leaves removed from stems and minced

Juice from 1 lime

Canola oil, as needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the burger:

1 lb salmon, skin and pin bones removed

1 egg

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 green onion, green part only, sliced very thin

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, plus additional if needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Canola oil, for grilling

Brioche buns (or other buns), for serving

To make the salsa:

Preheat a grill on medium-high heat.

Toss pineapple, onion slices, bell pepper, and chile with just enough oil to barely coat and season with salt and pepper. Place on grill until strong grill marks have formed, and items are starting to soften. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Remove seeds and ribs from bell pepper and serrano. Cut pineapple, bell pepper, onion, and serrano in to small pieces. Mix all together with cilantro and lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside for flavors to meld while you are cooking the burgers.

To make the burger:

Cut the salmon in to 1" chunks and place in the freezer for 20 minutes. Process through the large die of a meat grinder. Alternatively, chop half of the salmon in to small pieces and place the remainder in a food processor with the egg and salmon and process until smooth.

Mix ground salmon with remaining ingredients. Form in to 4 patties. The mixture will be wet, but will firm up on the grill. If you cannot get patties to form, add extra panko, a tablespoon at a time until the patties just hold their shape. Oil the grill grates using a paper towel or towel. Place patties on the grill and cook until cooked through, approximately 7-9 minutes per side.

For serving:

Toast buns on grill. Place salmon patty on top of bun and top with salsa. Serve remaining salsa on the side with tortilla chips.

Grilled Peach Daiquiri

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 peach, pit removed and cut in quarters

1 oz white rum

1-2 teaspoons honey (depending on how sweet your peaches are and how sweet you like your drinks)

1 1/2 cups ice

Juice of 1/2 lime

Canola oil (or other high heat oil), for grill

Procedure:

Heat grill on a high heat. Oil grates with canola oil. Place peaches directly on the grill grate and cook on all sides until grill marks form and peaches begin to soften.

Cut one wedge off peach for garnish. Place all remaining ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately, garnished with reserved peach wedge.

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Ingredients:

1 small seedless watermelon (the really small ones), peeled and cut in to large chunks that won't fall through grill grates

Arugula

Shaved parmesan cheese

Aged balsamic (now is the time to pull out the really good jar)

Extra virgin olive oil (I have also used nut oils and flavored olive oils here also - you don't want it to be a neutral oil, but it needs to be high quality)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Procedure:

Preheat grill on medium-high heat. Place watermelon chunks on grill until grill marks have formed and watermelon has started to soften. Remove and set aside. If desired, cut in to smaller pieces.

Place arugula in a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange arugula and watermelon on plate as desired. Drizzle with aged balsamic and garnish with shaved parmesan.

Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Melon

Ingredients:

4 wedges of peeled cantaloupe, about 1/2" thick

4 pieces of thinly sliced prosciutto

Aged balsamic vinegar

Procedure:

Preheat grill on medium-high heat.

Cut cantaloupe wedges in half horizontally, creating 8 spears (see photo above). Cut slices of prosciutto lengthwise, creating 8 long strips. Wrap 1 strip of prosciutto around each spear of cantaloupe. Place, seam side down, on preheated grill. Cook until strong grill marks have formed, rotating to achieve desired pattern, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from grill, drizzle with aged balsamic, and serve.

Grilled Bananas Foster

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

2 bananas, cut in half lengthwise and again horizontally to create quarters

3 tablespoons dark rum (such as Myer's)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch Kosher salt

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Procedure:

Preheat grill on medium-high heat.

Mix together all ingredients except bananas and ice cream. If mixture is very gritty, you may need to gently warm it or add a touch of water to get the sugar to dissolve. Brush mixture on to cut sides of bananas, and place directly on the grates of preheated grill. Brush sauce on other side of bananas while the first side is cooking. When sugars have caramelized, approximately 2-3 minutes, flip bananas over and grill on other side. Once both sides are cooked, remove from grill. Serve with ice cream and extra sauce drizzled on top.