You Can Grill Peaches With a Waffle Iron
Grilling a piece of fresh fruit adds charcoal, volume and flavor. The heat makes these juices flow while the grates caramelize and burn the sugar – which is especially welcome if you’re dealing with a low-quality peach or not quite ripe nectarine.
Grilled fruit is easiest to prepare if you already have a grill, but a waffle iron works well in a pinch (or in an apartment). While it won’t impart exactly the same flavor as charcoal, the hot plates of the waffle iron create pockets of charred sugar and flavor much like scorched grill grates. The fruit becomes warm and juicy – perfect for a plate, ice cream or cocktail.
You can “grill” peaches, pineapples and mangoes, as well as any hard fruits that won’t fall apart under extreme stress. (I would completely avoid berries.) However, it is very important that you start with a clean, fat-free waffle iron, otherwise the sweet, ripe taste of your fruit may be overpowered – I don’t know – by spam or something else. So peel it off properly and maybe fry something sweet ahead of time, like Honeybun or a slice of pie .
To make the waffle iron, simply place the slices in the waffle iron and close it, but don’t press down first. (The back of the waffle iron is where the action takes place, so place a few slices in there, rather than scattering them evenly all over the iron.) Once the fruit is hot and gives off a little, press gently for about 10 seconds, then check the condition of the fruit and press again (lightly) until the fruit has absorbed the desired amount of char. Repeat until you run out of fruit, then serve with cake slices, whipped or whipped cream wrapped in prosciutto, or separately with a little brown sugar.