Grilled Pineapple À La Mode + Rum Caramel Sauce

We may be experiencing an early onset of June gloom here in the Bay Area but that certainly isn’t stopping me from dusting off the grill in preparation for the long weekend. It’s the start of summer, after all! So after you devour Karen’s Korean gochujang sliders and achieve that perfect buzz from Todd’s smokey olallieberry cocktail, might I suggest throwing some grilled pineapple for dessert? How topping it with creamy vanilla ice cream? And why not smother with a burnt caramel sauce, spiked with rum? My version of grilled pineapple à la mode is a guaranteed crowd pleaser – and quite possibly the most fuss free dessert.

GRILLED PINEAPPLE À LA MODE + RUM CARAMEL SAUCE

Ingredients for pineapple à la mode:

• pineapple, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch thick rounds
• 3 tbs butter
• chopped mint
• vanilla bean ice cream (or try this coconut vanilla vegan ice cream)

Ingredients for caramel:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 stick salted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/3 cup dark rum

Directions:

• marinate pineapple rounds with melted butter and mint and set aside
• combine sugar and water in small pot over medium high heat
• once dissolved add butter and allow it boil until it becomes dark brown in color
• remove from heat and add heavy cream (beware, it will splatter!)
• whisk together and reheat to a slow boil
• reduce over low heat for 10 minutes
• add rum and reduce for another 5 minutes until creamy
• set the rum caramel sauce aside
• place pineapple on a medium high grill – 10 minutes on the first side and 8 on the other
• remove pineapple, add a scoop of ice cream and top with rum caramel sauce

(image by HonestlyYUM)