pineapple salad

As we are rounding out the final stretch of winter, dreams of summer don’t seem so far off. Grilling is one of the great joys of warmer days, though this winter, we have been keeping the grill pan hot and busy. Grilling fruit is a wonderful way to accentuate its natural sweetness. With grilled pineapple, there is something magical that occurs when the hot grates of the grill come into contact with the smooth golden pineapple flesh. It becomes even more juicy, tender, and full of that distinctive sweet-tart pineapple flavor.

Grilled pineapple with ricotta, hazelnuts, and sage is incredibly simple to prepare and highly rewarding. The ricotta provides a cool, creamy contrast to the tangy pineapple, complemented by fragrant hazelnuts and earthy sage. Enjoy this grilled pineapple with ricotta, hazelnuts, and sage all year long!

ingredients

  • 1 pineapple
  • 16 ounces whole milk ricotta
  • ¼ cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 1 tablespoons sage leaves, chopped

steps

Place the ricotta in a mesh sieve and strain over a bowl. Let sit while preparing the other ingredients. Heat a grill pan or grill on high heat. While it heats, prepare the pineapple: slice the top and bottom of the pineapple then slice the skin along the sides until the smooth golden flesh is revealed. Slice the pineapple into thirds lengthwise. Then slice them again to create spears.

Place 4 or 5 spears on the grill pan (or more on a regular grill) and cook for 3-4 minutes, flip, and then cook for another 3-4 minutes on the other side. Transfer grilled pineapple to a plate and continue to grill the remaining pieces until all have been cooked.

Meanwhile, use a stand mixer, hand mixer, food processor, blender (basically anything that is powerful enough to get the ricotta going) to whip the ricotta on high for 5-7 minutes. Spoon the whipped ricotta over the grilled pineapple and top with chopped hazelnuts and sage leaves.