K’s Kitchen: Dessert hot off the barbecue

By Kathryn Reed

Plenty of people would say cantaloupe is perfect just as it is. I don’t disagree.

However, that did not stop me from trying something besides cutting it in wedges or tossing cubes into a fruit salad.

I’ve had barbecued peaches before, but this was a first for cantaloupe. The warmth of it reminded me of when I lived in the Central Valley and colleagues would bring cantaloupe in fresh from the fields. It was warm – naturally – from the sun. Oh, my, that was the sweetest, best most mouth-watering cantaloupe I’ve ever had.

I’m not saying cooking cantaloupe is the same. It just triggered a wonderful memory I had forgotten.

I remember my dad having vanilla ice cream with cantaloupe. I just shook my head. Not so anymore

There are lots of choices here – just barbecue the cantaloupe, barbecue with the sauce, blueberries are totally optional, as is the ice cream.

Barbecued Cantaloupe

1 cantaloupe, cut into wedges

¼ C butter

½ C honey

1/3 C mint, chopped

Oil

Blueberries, optional

Vanilla ice cream, optional

Melt butter, honey and mint over low heat.

Brush grill lightly with oil, heat to medium-low. Baste cantaloupe slices with sauce and then place on grill. Turn when there are char marks. It doesn’t take very long.

Serve by itself or with ice cream and/or blueberries. Drizzle remaining sauce onto individual servings.