A few months after our wedding, Mr. How Sweet and I went shopping to finish our registry.
One of the items we picked up was a cast iron grill pan.
You can imagine how thrilled Mr. How Sweet was, especially after carrying that heavy pan (and other things) around for hours.
He was even more thrilled the next morning when, still half-asleep at 5 a.m., he kicked it with his foot. That was an accident, of course. Have you ever kicked a cast iron pan? It’s not graceful. In the mornings he stumbles around like he’d had a dozen tequila shots the night before and can’t see.
A few days later I tried to season the pan and nearly set our little place on fire. That probably would have been the best thing to happen to Mr. How Sweet’s bachelor pad. Just sayin’.
Needless to say, the grill pan went into the basement and was rarely seen again. I’m surprised it even made it to our new house.
I finally dug it out to make this grilled pineapple.
I’m frankly afraid of the outdoor grill; I’m convinced I’ll blow myself up if I use it alone, so grilling is always left to the self-appointed “Grill Sergeant.”
Grilling pineapple caramelizes the sugars and deepens the flavor, making it wonderfully sweet and slightly smoky. Toasted coconut adds a crunchy, creamy contrast, and a bright squeeze of lime brings everything together. It’s an ideal summer side or light dessert.
Because pineapple and lime are fairly acidic, I recommend serving this with something less acidic on the plate if you want to balance flavors. (Bacon would do the trick. Kidding. Sort of.)
If you don’t balance it, the acidity can feel intense on the lips—speaking from experience after an ill-advised experiment where some friends soaked pineapple in vodka for weeks and then made smoothies. Lesson learned.
Grilled Pineapple with Toasted Coconut and Lime
3 pineapple slices, about 2 inches thick
2 tablespoons toasted coconut
1 lime, cut into wedges
Heat a grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the pineapple slices until they develop light char marks and begin to caramelize, about 2–4 minutes per side depending on heat. Transfer the pineapple to a plate, sprinkle with toasted coconut, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the top.
Even though Mr. How Sweet had many items from living on his own for years, I was hesitant to use a lot of them—some were caked in mysterious goo. We ended up buying what we actually needed.
He also decided I “needed” a mink wrap at the end of winter, since we had gift cards to use. I suppose he has his moments.
Tomorrow How Sweet It Is will undergo some routine maintenance and may be offline for much of the day. Check back on Sunday!