Fresh Pineapple Packs a Flavour Punch
Its brightly coloured, luscious flesh is a nutrional hit too.
Feb 13, 2009
The exotic fruits of the ananas comosus plant have been traded around the world for more than 400 years and it’s easy to understand why – its unmistakable flavour, easy of shipment and unique health and medical applications are unmatched. One cup of juice provides 94% of our daily Vitamin C requirement, according to the USDA Nutrition Database.
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Pineapples reach the peak of flavour in March and retain it through July so now’s the time to ponder pineapple as an unusual alterative to citrus and storage fruits. Pineapple is robustly flavoured and for some, an acquired taste, but once acquired, it’s a keeper. Piquant and sweet, fruit and intense, it is seductively complex and highly scented.
It’s best to pop open a nicely ripened pineapple yourself, but in a pinch, prepared alternatives are available. But nothing matches the fragrance, texture and taste of freshly sliced. Nutritionally, it’s the only way. Nix on canned pineapple which is heavily sweetened.
Lots of Ways to Skin a Pineapple
There are myriad ways to enjoy pineapple besides treating it like a giant cob of corn. Sliced with other fresh and dried tropical fruits and served with cheese and pino grigio, it comes wonderfully into its own.
Slices can be braised or grilled with herbs and honey or as an accompaniment to Asian fish, meat and poultry dishes. It aligns naturally and beautifully with coconut, shrimp and coriander and the juice makes a stupendously festive Mojto.
Pineapple makes killer fruit soup bases, chutneys, meringues, fruit crumbles, cheesecakes and good old-fashioned pineapple upside down cakes.
It also provides a base for comforting desserts like mum used to make.
Old Fashioned Pineapple Recipes
Pineapple Raisin Nut Bread
2 cups sifted cake and pastry flour
1 cup grated pineapple
Pineapple juice
½ cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup raisin
½ cup walnuts
1 beaten agg
1 tsp vanilla
Sift together dry ingredients and add raisins and nuts. Combine the egg, vanilla and melted butter and to the dry ingredients. Dissolve the baking soda in pineapple juice and add to the mixture. Pour into an oiled or papered loaf pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.
Cool and serve with cream cheese and pineapple spears.
Pineapple Sponge
¼ pint of pineapple juice
1 ounce sugar
¼ ounce of gelatine
White of an egg
Lemon juice
Stir liquids on a low heat until sugar is dissolved and cool
Beat egg white until stiff
Fold ingredients together and chill in a bowl.
Slice and serve with fresh pineapple spears, herb sprigs, whipped cream or drizzled chocolate.
Pineapple Bavarian Cream
2 tablespoons gelatine soaked in ½ cup cold water
2 cups grated pineapple
½ cup sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
½ pint whipping cream
Chocolate ganache or sauce
Heat pineapple, sugar, lemon juice and pour over gelatine
Chill in a pan of ice water.
Fold stiffly whipped cream into cold, thickened pineapple mixture.
Pour into wine glasses and chill.
Serve with chocolate, lemon slices and a mint sprig.
These recipes were handwritten by my grandmother in a book so well used that it’s falling apart at the seams. She was a major pineapple and chocolate fan. I've added some modern flourishes.
