Poached Pineapple Food

GRILLED PEACHES AND PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for medium-low to low heat. Spray a grill tray with holes with cooking spray.
• Mix the olive oil and maple syrup together in a small bowl and brush over the peaches and pineapple. Put the fruit cut-side down on the prepared grill tray and cook low and slow, rotating them 90 degrees halfway through, about 5 minutes. Monitor the cooking temperature and keep it low enough so that the maple syrup doesn't burn but browns a little. Set the fruit aside to cool.
• To serve, arrange the fruit over scoops of vanilla ice cream, sprinkle pecans all over the top and drizzle with extra maple syrup.

VANILLA-POACHED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Peel pineapple, then quarter lengthwise. Cut out core, then cut each quarter lengthwise into 4 pieces (for a total of 16).
• Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a 12-inch heavy skillet with tip of a paring knife, then add pod, wine, Grand Marnier, brown sugar, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, and a large pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
• Add pineapple to wine mixture and return to a boil. Remove from heat. Cool pineapple in liquid, about 1 hour. Transfer pineapple with a slotted spoon to a 4-sided sheet pan, then boil liquid until reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 35 minutes.
• Preheat broiler.
• Sprinkle pineapple with granulated sugar, then broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until slightly caramelized and lightly charred in spots, 10 to 15 minutes (watch carefully and remove any pineapple that colors more quickly). Serve drizzled with syrup.

POACHED PEARS BELLE HELENE

Steps:

• Place water in a heavy pot. Stir in zest and juice of 1 lemon. Place pears in pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds and split pods to the poaching liquid. Pour in sugar.
• Bring pot to a simmer over medium-high heat; stir gently to dissolve sugar with minimal jostling of the pears. Reduce heat so pears continue cooking over a steady, gentle simmer. Pears need to stay submerged, so place a small plate over them in the pot to keep them under the liquid. Simmer until pears are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. (Remove plate to test the pears for doneness.) Remove pot from heat and let pears cool to room temperature in the poaching liquid.
• Transfer pears and vanilla beans to a storage container and cover with some of the poaching liquid. Cover and refrigerate until pears are thoroughly chilled, several hours or overnight. Reserve all of the poaching liquid (see footnote).
• Heat hot fudge sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warm. Dip base of pear into the chocolate and spoon chocolate along the sides except for the top inch or so of the pear.
• Place dipped pears in individual serving bowls with another generous spoonful of syrup and a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.

SLOW COOKED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• If using whole pineapple: Peel, quarter, and cut away the core from the pineapple. Discard the core. Cut each quarter in half lengthwise then slice 1/4-inch thick slices crosswise.
• Stir the pineapple together with the sugar, ginger, and cinnamon in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, until the pineapple is very tender and slightly sweet.
• Serve warm with scoops of coconut ice cream on top. The compote keeps for up to a week tightly sealed in the refrigerator.

POACHED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, combine sugar, 6 cups water, star anise, vanilla bean, and salt. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Add pineapple, and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand until room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 3 days.

FRESH PINEAPPLE POACHED IN CINNAMON SYRUP

Steps:

• Stir 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, ginger and lemon in heavy large pot over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring syrup to boil; cover and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Add pineapple and simmer until pineapple is just translucent, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Transfer pineapple and syrup to bowl. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)

POACHED PINEAPPLE SUNDAES

Steps:

• Remove skin from pineapple as well as all 'eyes'.
• Cut pineapple crosswise into 8 thick rounds.
• Remove core with small knife.
• In large skillet combine pineapple, water and honey.
• Bring to boil; add tea bags or rose hips and lower heat to simmer.
• Cover and cook 20 minutes or until pineapple is just tender.
• Remove pineapple with slotted spoon and place in shallow casserole.
• Discard tea bags or strain rose hips through sieve.
• Cook remaining liquid over high heat until reduced to 2 cups; pour over pineapple.
• Cover and chill until very cold.
• Place yogurt in glasses; top with pineapple and drizzle with syrup.
• Great served with cinnamon wontons.

PINEAPPLE & COCONUT ICE WITH POACHED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• Prepare Ahead: Peel the large pineapple and cut in half, then into quarters down length, then cut out and discard the central core. Roughly chop then whizz in a food processor until it forms a rough purée. Tip into a bowl and stir in the lime juice, sugar and coconut cream. Put the bowl in the freezer for 2-3 hours until set about 3cm/1in in from the edges, then remove and whisk to break down the large ice crystals. Freeze for a further 1-2 hours until firm.
• Meanwhile, peel the medium pineapple and thinly slice. Tip the sugar, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons water into a pan. Gently heat until the sugar has dissolved, then boil until it forms a light syrup. Add the pineapple and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning them, until they start to intensify in colour, remove from the heat and cool.
• On the day: half an hour before serving, transfer the ice to the fridge. Serve with the pineapple and scatter with mint leaves and cinnamon from the poaching liquid.

VANILLA-POACHED PINEAPPLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut pineapple into quarters lengthwise; cut each quarter crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, and set aside.
• Scrap seeds from vanilla bean into a skillet; discard bean (or make vanilla sugar).
• Add water, sugar, and ginger root to skillet; stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Add pineapple slices; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
• Pour into a bowl; cover and chill.