Grapefruit Reinvented

by Shauna Sever — March 14, 2008

Often stuck with its 1970s diet food stigma, grapefruit takes it pretty hard compared to its more popular and versatile citrus fruit sisters. Grapefruit tastes like, well, grapefruit, and there's not many foods that pair well with its tangy, almost bitter, more-sour-than-sweet flavor. So grapefruit often just ends up juiced or going it alone, halved cold on a breakfast plate and paired with a spoon (at least it merits its own variety of spoon). But when that plain old grapefruit is lightly sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and broiled until just warmed, it becomes something else entirely--even juicier, more vibrant, living up to the potential suggested by its beautiful, soft peachy-pink colored rind. I wonder if the Grapefruit Diet will make a comeback now?

Broiled Grapefruit

1 grapefruit
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar or turbinado sugar ("Sugar in the Raw")
Cinnamon to taste

Preheat broiler and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the grapefruit in half and set both halves on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle the cut sides generously with brown sugar or turbinado sugar and cinnamon. Place under the broiler under the sugar melts and the fruit juice just begins to bubble, about 3-5 minutes.