Tropical Fruit Salad with Grilled Pineapple

When I was a kid, my mother often made fruit salad for special holiday dinners.  I remember how laborious it was to peel and slice the fresh fruit, juices running all over the cutting board. She added marshmallows in the salad for extra sweetness. On my first visit to Costa Rica, I ate a tropical fruit salad that tasted nothing like my mother’s. Instead of the fruit being served as dessert, it was actually a salad, with lettuces and ripe fruit that had just been picked from the fields. After that trip to Costa Rica, I started grilling fresh pineapple, glazed with vanilla paste. It adds a smoky flavor, reminiscent of beach barbecues and tropical cocktails (grilled pineapple is delicious in cocktails!). I cherish the memories of my mother making fruit salad with marshmallows, but I now prefer my version from the tropics.

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Ingredients

Serves 6

Salad:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1-inch pieces

• 1 mango, peeled, cored and sliced

• 12 cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 mild red chile, sliced thinly

• 1/2 red onion, cut into thin slices

• 1/2 cup sliced and toasted almonds

• 6 cups baby arugula

• Maple Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Croutons:

• 1/2 loaf of sourdough bread, crust removed

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• Kosher salt

Maple Vinaigrette:

• 3 tablespoons Champagne Vinegar

• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Process

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To make croutons, cut the bread into 1-inch pieces and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and salt. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the croutons are toasted. Let cool.

Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. (Alternatively, prepare a grill to medium-high heat.) In a small bowl, combine the coconut oil and vanilla bean paste. Brush the slices of pineapple with the mixture, then place in the hot skillet (or on grill) and sear on all sides until just browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and cool on a plate. Cut the grilled pineapple into 2-inch pieces and set aside.

In a large salad bowl, whisk all the ingredients for the maple vinaigrette. Add the croutons, grilled pineapple, tomatoes, red onion, almonds, arugula, sprouts, and chile. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and gently toss. Top with the sliced mango and avocado and serve right away.