Pineapples

Know Your Ingredients

This is the first installment of Know Your Ingredients.  We will explore pineapple.  Pineapples are rich in Vitamin C, potassium and manganese.  They also have copper, folate and B vitamins.  They are a good source of fiber.   Pineapples may be used in juice form, baked into desserts or added to main dishes (like kebabs) and side dishes (like mashed sweet potatoes).  Pineapples are a versatile ingredient.  People claim that pineapple aids in digestion, offer anti-inflammatory properties, and assist our immune system with antioxidants.   One cup of fresh pineapple is about 83 calories.

How to select your pineapple

            Most pineapples that you find in the grocery store are green.  A ripe pineapple should be golden with no green except he leaves on top.  Pineapple is a fruit that will ripen after being picked.  Choose a pineapple with some golden color at the base.  Then follow the directions below to ripen your pineapple.   The green portion will be at the top of the pineapple under the green leaves called bracts.  This is the crown of the pineapple.  The golden part will be at the base of the pineapple and move toward the top.

            If you are using canned pineapple, choose pineapple in its own juice.  Canned pineapple can be found in slices, chunks, crushed or juice.  Pineapple is one fruit that does well in the canned form.

Cooking with pineapples

            Fresh pineapple can be used in the same way as canned pineapple.  It’s my opinion that fresh pineapple is best enjoyed in its own glory or grilled.  Most of my pineapple recipes call for canned pineapple.  To prepare a fresh pineapple, the rough skin and fibrous core through the center should be removed.  There are tools that will do this in one shot. 

Remove the crown

I borrowed a corer and this is the first time I've used one

 

Strong constant pressure is need.





My rings were too thin, need practice
 



The hollowed out pineapple is left.  It can be used as a serving dish or for beverages

 

My method is to cut the pineapple vertically in half.  The leaves can be left on for presentation or be removed.  Next cut each half vertically.  This leaves the pineapple in four wedges.  Remove the core which will be the tip of the wedge.  Then cut the pineapple from the skin.  If the pineapple is to be served fresh, slice the pineapple wedge horizontally in bit size slices and leave the pineapple on the skin.  If the pineapple is to be used in recipe, cut the pineapple wedges in the desired shape.       

Cut the pineapple in half vertically



Cut in half



Cut in quarters

Remove the core that runs through the center
of the pineapple cut the fruit from the rough skin.

Slice into bite sizes.



Presentation for a buffet or party

One note of caution, pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain.   This enzyme will prevent gelatin from setting.  Do not use fresh pineapple or kiwi fruit with gelatin dishes.  It is best to allow the gelatin to begin to set before adding fruit to it.  Canned pineapple does not have this effect on gelatin, but be sure that the gelatin is in a soft set before adding the pineapple.

This Week’s Challenge

            Buy a fresh pineapple and allow it to ripen for three days as described below.   Fine a recipe or method to use your perfectly ripe pineapple.  Record you results in your journal.

Tip for this Week – How to ripen a fresh pineapple

            Friends native to Hawaii taught me this trick and it really works.  Place your pineapple upside-down on the counter for three days.  Place the green leave down on the counter.  Lean the pineapple against a wall or prop it up with a jar or something.  Watch it each day as the pineapple slowly turns a beautiful golden.

Home from the store

Propped against the wall.






Day Two a small change

Day Three just about ready



 



         

 

Ready to prepare

 

 

 

 This method works because the enzyme that causes the pineapple to ripen is produced in the base of the pineapple.  Placing the pineapple upside-down on the counter uses gravity to help the enzyme spread throughout the pineapple and speed up the ripening process.

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

 

1          Cake mix, yellow, white or pineapple

            Eggs

¼ C     Butter

½ C     Brown sugar

5          Slices of canned pineapple, with the juice reserved

            Maraschino cherries

 

The ingredients

1.    In a 10 inch, oven-proof skillet, melt the butter and set aside. 

Melt the butter and set aside

 

2.    Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. 

3.    Drain the pineapple slices and reserve juice.

4.    Remove the stems, rinse and drain the cherries. 

5.    Prepare the cake mix according to the directions, only use the pineapple juice adding enough water to equal the required amount of water for the cake mix.

Prepare the cake mix using the pineapple juice.

 

6.   Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bottom of the skillet.  Do not cover the entire bottom and the butter should not be totally absorbed by the sugar. 

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the melted butter

It should look like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.    Arrange the pineapple slices over the sugar.  Place a cherry in the center of each pineapple slice and between the slices. 

 

Arrange the pineapple



Decorate with the cherries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.    Gently pour the cake batter over the pineapple and bake according to the directions. 

 

 

Try to cover all the fruit.

 

Ready for the oven

9.    When the cake is done, cool for a few minutes.  Place the serving plate over the cake and turn over so that the cake can drop out of the skillet onto the plate.  Serve warm or cold.

 

Toothpick comes out clean, it's done.

Place the serving dish over the skillet.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turn the skillet over ad the cake should drop on to the plate.



Viola

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Variations:  I have used canned sliced peaches and canned whole cranberry sauce in this recipe with great results.  I would be interesting to try different canned pie fillings.

 

            Pineapple Bread Pudding

 

Pineapple Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream

30 oz.             Crushed pineapple

4                      Eggs

6                      Slices of white bread, with crusts removed

½ C                 Sugar

¼ C                 Butter, melted

The ingredients

 

1.    Remove crusts from the bread and cut in cubes. 

 

Cut the bread

Remove the crusts and tear into pieces

Place the bread in the baking dish.

 

2.    Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish and layer the bottom with bread. 

3.    Mix the other ingredients together and pour over the bread.   

 

Pineapple and sugar

 

Mix in the eggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blend in the melted butter.

Pour the pineapple mixture of the bread.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.    Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. 

 

 

It is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

I usually double the bread in this recipe for the 13 x 9 baking dish.  Fresh French bread makes this more delicate than most bread puddings.  I don’t measure the bread, but it will take ¾ or more of a loaf.  Fill the dish half way with torn up bread and pour the pineapple mixture over it.  I have not experimented with adding things to this like raisins or coconut.  It is a light delicate bread pudding.  This can be used as a side dish or a dessert.

 

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

 

1 C      Pineapple, grilled and finely diced

½ C     Red bell pepper, finely diced

¼ C     Green bell pepper, finely diced

1 T       Jalapeno or serrano chile, very finely diced

1          Garlic clove, small, minced

¼ C     Cilantro, chopped and firmly packed

¼ C     Red onion or shallot, minced

2-3 T   Citrus juice (prefer lime, but lemon, orange or grapefruit will work)

            Salt and pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

1.    Quickly grill the pineapple.  Watch it closely, it goes very fast.  Grill it long enough to give it grill marks and to warm the fruit through.  Fresh or canned pineapple can be used to grill.

 

I used my grill pan.

Grilling fruit is very fast, long enough to add some color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.    While the pineapple is cooling, dice or mince the other ingredients, except the juice.  Salsa is made of small or finely diced fresh ingredients.  Add to a small bowl with enough room to stir.

 

Red onion and red and green bell pepper

Chopped cilantro

Pressed garlic

 

 

3.    Dice the pineapple and add to the bowl.

4.    Added the juice and seasoning and stir gently to blend.

 

Pineapple and jalapeno added

 

5.    Refrigerate until time to use, at least 30 minutes.

 

It is best to use the salsa the same day.  Serve it with meat or fish or as a dip with chips.  It can be used as a condiment for tacos or other Mexican dishes.  This can also be made with grilled mango or grilled peaches instead of the grilled pineapple.

 

 

Also This Week

 

Road Trip to Sadona, AZ!  It was a beautiful area and the day I was there was much cooler than California.  On the way home, I ate in Flagstaff at Salsa Bravo.  This is a Mexican Restaurant featured on Guy Fieri Diner, Drive-ins and Dives. 

Salsa Bravo

 

2220 East Route 66 (Santa Fe)
Flagstaff, Arizona 86004
(928) 779-5293 

http://www.salsabravaflagstaff.com/index.html

Atmosphere Family, casual
 

Service is excellent.

 

Menu Sonora style Mexican and Southwestern

The food is very good and there is a lot of it.  They have a salsa bar with a wide variety of choices.  My favorite is the tomatillo, but this time I tried the pineapple habanero.

This was my third visit and I will always stop in whenever I’m in Flagstaff, even if I’m just passing through.  The style of Mexican food is different from what we have in California which is a separate, regional style of Mexican food.  If you have not had Sonora style or Tex-Mex you are in for a treat.

Happy Cooking!