Dessert · Fruit · Gluten Free

Pineapple with rum syrup and lime crème fraîche

This hot and fruity dinner party-pleaser from Delicious Magazine only takes 30 minutes to make. It’s sweet, citrusy and drowned in a boozy rum syrup – it’s sure to go down well!

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Vegetable oil for frying
1 large pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 8 long wedges (see tip)
2 tbsp unsalted butter

For the rum syrup
7oz (200g) caster (superfine) sugar
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out and added
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lime
Finely grated zest ½ orange
1 star anise
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 bird’s eye chili (optional)
2 kaffir lime leaves
3.5 oz (100ml) dark rum

For the lime crème fraÎche
7oz (200g) full-fat crème fraîche
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lime
1 tbsp icing (confectioners) sugar

First make the rum syrup: put 7 fl oz (200ml) water and the sugar in a pan, then bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar. Add the rest of the syrup ingredients except the rum. Bubble for 1 minute, then cool for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of vegetable oil, then add the pineapple wedges and cook for 5 minutes or until golden on the bottom. Turn the wedges over and add the butter, reducing the heat to medium. Fry the pineapple until golden all over and cooked all the way through. Transfer to a bowl or plate, then pour over the pan juices.

Put the frying pan back over the heat and add the rum (be very careful as it may flame). Use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the base of the pan. Bubble until reduced by half.

Add the cooled syrup to the rum in the pan. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a coating consistency. Strain the liquid, remove the spices (discard), then pour 3/4″( 2cm) of the syrup back into the pan with the pineapple and juices to warm through.

Mix the crème fraîche with the lime juice and icing sugar.
Serve the pineapple with a dollop of lime crème fraîche, a sprinkling of lime zest and the remaining syrup and lime crème fraîche on the side.

Dessert · Fruit · Gluten Free · Nuts

Roasted pineapple with mint, pistachios and honey

This was recently posted in Bon Appetite Magazine, but I happen to have been making this very simple dessert for a while.

Serves 4

1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
3 tbsp flowery honey
1 medium ripe pineapple, peeled, cored, cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
1/4 cup creme fraiche or Greek yoghurt
1/3 cup natural unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp torn fresh mint leaves

Preheat the oven to 450 F
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Stir the first 3 ingredients together in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves.
Add the pineapple wedges and toss to coat.
Let this marinade, tossing occasionally, for 10 to 20 minutes.
Place the pineapple, one flat side down, on the prepared cooking sheet; Reserve the marinade.

Roast the pineapple for 15 mins. Turn, brush with more marinade and roast until tender and caramelized, 10 to 20 minutes.
Drizzle over with the remaining marinade and let the pineapple cool slightly.

Divide the pineapple among plates. Spoon the creme fraiche or yoghurt alongside.
Garnish with the nuts and fresh mint.

Asian flavors · Dessert · Gluten Free

Grilled pineapple with rum, lime-ginger syrup and ice cream

I made this yesterday from my new favorite recipe book, “In the hands of a Chef” by Jody Adams and Ken Rivard.
We were having the traditional BBQ on July 4th with the family and we’re all trying to eat less (Ha!) so I thought this would be light. It is  but not only is it light, it’s incredibly simple and the syrup will knock your socks off!
Serves 4
Syrup
 
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
grated zest of 1 orange
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 star anise
1 ripe pineapple (make sure it’s ripe as they don’t ripen on the counter top and won’t be sweet enough).
2 tbsp grape seed oil or other mild tasting vegetable oil
1/4 cup dark rum
4 scoops vanilla, mango or coconut ice cream
2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cut into very thin strips, for garnish
Combine all the syrup ingredients in a non reactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Remove the vanilla bean and allow it to cool. When cool enough to handle, scrape the seeds into the syrup. Discard the pod or save for another use.
Prepare a medium fire in a grill or use a ridged grill pan over the element on your stove.
Chop off the pineapple flower (the sprout with the spiky leaves) and the top inch or so of the fruit. Cut a slice off the bottom of the pineapple so it will stand upright. Slice off the skin in long vertical strips. If there are any “eyes” remaining, cut them out with a paring knife or potato peeler. If you have a pineapple corer, use it to remove the core, then lay the fruit on it’s side and cut into eight 1/2 inch thick slices.
If you don’t have a corer, just turn the pineapple on it’s side and cut the 8 slices, then use a paring knife or cookie cutter to remove the woody core at the center of each slice. (If you are lucky and can buy a ready made pineapple, go ahead and cut your work load down, I did!
Brush the pineapple rings with the oil and grill on both sides until lightly charred, about 5 minutes per side.
Arrange 2 pineapple rings on each plate. Pour a tbsp of rum over each set of rings then drizzle with the spiced syrup. Add a scoop of ice cream to each plate and sprinkle with the thin strips of fresh mint and serve