Paradise Grilled Pineapple

Pepper on pineapple? Yes! It adds an exciting burst of flavor to the juicy fruit. The quality/freshness of the pineapple is all-important. A demi-sec champagne from Reims, France, is worth the splurge—one of the few wines that can handle the acidic pineapple.

For the glaze:

3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 slices fresh pineapple, about 1/2 inch thick each
1 teaspoon cracked dried green peppercorns or cracked black peppercorns
4 scoops vanilla ice cream

To make the glaze: In a small saucepan combine the glaze ingredients and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Keep the glaze warm or reheat when ready to serve.

Season both sides of the pineapple slices with the peppercorns. Grill over Indirect Medium heat until well marked, 6 to 8 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Serve each pineapple slice with a scoop of ice cream and some of the glaze drizzled over the top.

Makes 4 servings.