Caribbean Roasted Pineapple Food

CARIBBEAN BAKED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F Remove all but about 1 inch of green leaves from top of pineapple. Cut pineapple in half lengthwise. With a serrated knife, carefully cut around the perimeter of each half pineapple. With a large serving spoon, carefully scoop out pineapple, separating it from the shell - be sure to keep the shell intact.
• Cut the flesh (not the shell) of each half pineapple in half again, lengthwise. Cut out the tough inner core. Cut the pineapple in 1-inch bite-size pieces (about 3 cups). Drain one pineapple shell on paper toweling. Discard the other shell.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pineapple, lime segments, sugar and red pepper flakes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer pineapple mixture, including all butter, to pineapple shell. Set aside.
• Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs and saute, stirring frequently, until crumbs are toasted and browned. Top pineapple with tasted breadcrumbs.
• Place pineapple shell in an appropriately sized baking dish. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. (You can prepare this recipe early in the day, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until baking. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.).
• NOTE: In the tropics, fruit is quite often cooked like a vegetable and served as a side dish. If you want an even more peppery kick to this dish, add 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the breadcrumb-butter mixture.

ROASTED PINEAPPLE CARPACCIO

Steps:

• For the Pineapple: Peel the pineapple and leave whole. In a saute pan, melt the butter and add the brown sugar and vanilla beans. Cook to caramelize the sugar; then place the pineapple in and cook on all sides until brown. Add some water to the pan and continue cooking, turning the pineapple with tongs and basting occasionally until cooked through to the core. It may take 1 hour or more. Chill, then slice thin on an electric slicer set on #12 or slice thinly by hand.
• For the Coconut Cilantro Dressing: Whisk the ingredients together and chill.
• For the Macadamia Nut Brittle: In a saucepan, boil the sugar and water together to make a caramel. Test the color of the caramel on a white plate--you're looking for a topaz color. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter with a wooden spoon then stir in the nuts. Pour onto a silicone baking mat and let cool. Chop and keep in an airtight container.
• For the Crystallized Cilantro Leaves: Place egg white in a small bowl and whisk it slightly to break it up a bit. Dip the individual leaves in the egg white and wipe them off on the edge of the bowl to remove any excess. Dip into granulated sugar on both sides. Let dry.
• For the Coconut Butter Cookies: In a mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the butter until very light and fluffy, warming the bottom of the bowl with a torch if needed. Add the sugar and continue whipping; then add the rum and vanilla and mix. Toss together the coconut, flour, and salt; then add to the butter mixture and mix until blended.
• Butter a small sheet pan and line it with plastic all the way up the sides. Spread the dough evenly into the pan, cover it with plastic and freeze. Cut into 2-inch strips and roll in flour. Wrap and freeze or cut into 1/8-inch bars and place on parchment lined sheet pan. Bake in a preheated 250 degree F. oven until crisp but barely any color, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• To make the Coconut Strips: Heat a whole coconut over a gas flame to slightly char all sides. Wrap it in a tea towel and whack it on the floor to break it open. Carefully pry the meat from the shell in as whole pieces as possible. With a vegetable peeler, peel off thin strips of the fresh coconut meat to end up with curves of fresh coconut. Store in simple syrup, chilled to cover.
• To serve the dish: Place 5 to 7 slices of pineapple on a plate in a flower pattern, with 1 in the center, surrounded by the others. Brush the surface of all the slices with the coconut cilantro dressing. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and warm it in the microwave oven for about 1 minute. Remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and macadamia nut brittle.
• Place a quenelle of lime sherbet in the middle and drape coconut shavings in an X over the sherbet. Place 2 crystallized cilantro leaves on top. Serve with a side of coconut shortbread cookies using colorful origami paper under the cookies and stacking them in a criss-cross tower, like bruscetta with the carpaccio.

ROASTED PINEAPPLE WITH LEMONGRASS CHIBOOST

Steps:

• Roasted Pineapple:
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the seeded vanilla bean. Add the granulated and the light brown sugar, stirring continuously. Add the diced pineapple. Cook the mixture until the pineapple is translucent, about 10 to 20 minutes.
• Lemongrass Pastry Cream:
• Pour the milk in a large pot on high heat. Clean and slice the lemongrass and add to the milk and bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Let steep for 1 hour. Add seeded vanilla bean. Bring to a boil again. Take out the vanilla bean and strain the mixture through a sieve into a mixing bowl. Combine sugar, pastry flour and yolks and temper by adding in the hot liquid slowly. This mixture will form a stiff pastry cream. Whisk rapidly over low flame for 1 minute. Put mixture in a blender. Blend out lumps.
• Italian Meringue:
• Heat the sugar (123 degrees C) to soft-ball stage. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form and then pour in the hot sugar. Continue whipping the mixture together until stiff peaks form. Fold the Italian Meringue into the lemongrass pastry cream. Pipe the mixture into round flexible molds. Freeze the molds overnight. Take the molds out of the freezer 3 hours before serving. Once the cream begins to thaw, turn the mold upside down and remove the formed cream onto the center of a plate.
• Garnish the plate with the roasted pineapple mixture. For added presentation, sprinkle sugar on top and torch.

CARIBBEAN ROASTED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
• On a plate, mix together the peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon and salt. Sprinkle the spice rub evenly over the pineapple or roll the pineapple in it so it is evenly coated.
• Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and place the pineapple in the pan. Cook, rotating the pineapple regularly, until light brown all over, about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven. Roast until tender to the core when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 45 minutes. Uncover and allow the pineapple to cool to room temperature in the pan.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the cream, sugar and rum. Using a handheld mixer, beat on high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
• Slice the pineapple into 1-inch-thick rounds. Place 1 slice on each plate. Dollop with a spoonful of cream and a crumble of gingersnaps. Drizzle any remaining juice over the top.

HAITIAN BAKED PINEAPPLE (CARIBBEAN)

Steps:

• Remove top rack and place bottom rack on lowest level of oven; preheat oven to 350°F.
• Carefully cut the top from the pineapple without spoiling the frond, and remove the pulp from inside the top, reserving the pulp in a bowl.
• With a grapefruit knife, remove the core and the pulp from the rest of the pineapple, taking care to leave 1/4 inch layer on the inside of the rind to keep juices from running out while baking.
• Place the frond in water to cover, to soak in preparation for baking.
• Slice the banana thinly, dice the pineapple pulp; combine in a bowl with the 1/4 cup sugar.
• Pour the rum into a heatproof bowl or saucepan.
• Ignite the rum and when flame subsides, pour over the fruit mixture and stir gently.
• Place the empty pineapple bottom upright into a baking dish.
• Fill the pineapple bottom with the fruit.
• Remove the frond from the water and cover it with aluminum foil.
• Secure the top of the pineapple to the bottom with toothpicks.
• Bake the pineapple, standing upright, for 25 minutes.
• Remove the foil from the fronds and serve hot.