Broiled Grapefruit

Growing up in my household, orange juice was a breakfast staple. While that might not be anything out of the ordinary for an American family, what was more unusual was my pronounced dislike for orange juice and love of grapefruit. Grapefruit juice and grapefruits were rare treats bought by my mother when they were on sale. While my sisters spurned it for its bitterness and size, I appropriated the “greatfruit” as my own favorite. It wasn’t until high school, however, that I discovered the broiled grapefruit, known by some recipes as “Grapefruit Brûlée.”

By merely slicing the grapefruit in half, putting it on a pan, sprinkling brown sugar on the top, and popping it under the broiler for ten minutes or so, one can get a deliciously sweet and arguably healthy treat that is warm on the top and refreshingly cool on the inside. Now that I have an oven in my high rise room, I actually have been having broiled grapefruit a few times a week for breakfast. Grapefruits are a winter fruit, and this way of cooking it adds just the right amount of sweetness and warmth. Some recipes suggest sprinkling cinnamon or ground ginger on the top, as well as sugar. So if you haven’t been the biggest grapefruit fan before, this might be the way that works for you!

Picture courtesy of Williams-Sonoma