Reinvent baked apple by grilling

For a side, simply halve and core the apples, then either brush them with olive oil or spritz them with cooking spray. Dust the halves with salt and pepper, then place cut-side down over direct heat on a hot grill. Cook with the grill covered.

After about 3 to 5 minutes, the apples should have pronounced grill marks on their cut sides. Use tongs to flip the apples and reduce the heat under them to low or indirect. Close the grill and cook until the apples are just tender.

To serve, sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over the apples and offer as a side to pork, chicken or steak.

Or grill the apples for dessert, as in these Grilled Cinnamon Apples with Mascarpone. This recipe also works with pears.

GRILLED CINNAMON APPLES WITH MASCARPONE

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

2 large, firm apples

Olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

4 teaspoons fig jam, divided

4 tablespoons mascarpone, divided

Heat a grill to high.

Cut each apple in half down the center. Use a melon baller to scoop out the core. You may also need to use a paring knife to notch out both ends of the stem. Brush the cut sides of the apple halves with olive oil.

Sprinkle each apple half with a bit of salt and cinnamon. Place the apples, cut-side down, on the grill. Cover the grill and cook until the apples have thick grill marks on the underside, about 3 minutes.

Use tongs to flip the apples. Reduce the heat directly under the apples to low, or move them to a cooler part of the grill. Cover the grill and cook until the apples are just tender, about 4 minutes.

Transfer each apple half to a serving plate. Place 1 teaspoon of fig jam in the hollow at the center of each half, then dollop 1 tablespoon of mascarpone next to it. Serve warm.

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