How to Make Grapefruit Your Brunch Hero

Three and a half easy, sweet and savory broiled grapefruit recipes.

I’ll aim to keep this introduction brief, but to get straight to the recipes, scroll down.

Grapefruit is a classic for brunch but can feel somewhat uninspiring in its traditional form — halved and topped with brown sugar. It has so much more to offer a brunch crowd. With a few tweaks in preparation, grapefruit can please both sweet and savory palates. It can feel both classic and a little innovative. It can serve as the base for a dish and drinks, making for a brunch that feels like a celebration of Citrus Season.

While grapefruit is quite nice in its raw form, broil it for a few minutes and this fruit becomes a complex, flavorful treat. Broiling brings an element of smokiness, amps up the sweet notes of this tart fruit, and caramelizes any sugar you add on top. Sprinkle a little salt on top to further amplify the flavor. I was first introduced to broiled grapefruit through Melissa Clark’s excellent recipe in The New York Times and was immediately taken with the way it transformed something quite simple and enjoyable into something impressive. While broiled grapefruit is excellent on it’s own, I love using it as a base for brunch dishes aimed to please a crowd and convert those who might shy away from grapefruit.

Below, you’ll find a few of my favorite ways to serve grapefruit:

• As an impressive brunch dish on its own in Basic…