Grilled Pineapple

Not only are the eight broads great friends and colleagues, but we enjoy a terrific community of innkeepers from around North America.  I think the idea for grilled pineapple originated with Lynnette (one of the Broads).  I initially started with pineapple spears marinated in a honey lemon sauce that were grilled on the stove in butter.  I served with coconut sprinkled on top and guests loved it.


Then I stayed with friends and colleagues Ashley and Glenn Mon at Hamanassett Bed & Breakfast in the Brandywine Valley area of Pennsylvania.  Ashley served grilled pineapple that morning and I immediately came back to The Beechmont and started my own version.  It certainly deserves a nod to Ashley!


I was not raised in Hawaii, so my knowledge of pineapples is from experience and from reading.  Pineapples have to travel to those of us on the mainland from quite a distance and it's hard to judge freshness.  Some are flown in while others arrive via boats or trucks whether from the Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, or Puerto Rico.  The trip can take a few hours or several days.


It's a myth, as I understand, to assume you can pull a leaf from the top and judge its freshness (the easier to pull the leaf the fresher the pineapple: not true).  Starting at the base, look for a yellow color, which should indicate more flavor and sugar content.  There should be a pleasant, mild pineapple aroma at the base and a firm or perhaps gently yielding give to the touch.  Do not purchase a pineapple that smells moldy.  An overripe pineapple might be wrinkled or cushiony, and you certainly do not want one that leaks, has cracks in it, is brown, or has withered leaves.


INGREDIENTS

One pineapple
Brown sugar (approximately 1/2 cup for a whole pineapple)
Cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg
Strawberries, raspberries, mandarin oranges for garnish
Coconut for garnish
Lemon sorbet or coconut gelato for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Slice the top and bottom of the pineapple.

Slice the pineapple in rounds, about 1/3 inch in thickness

Cut around each slice to remove the outer covering of the pineapple

Core the center

Place on a sheet lined with foil

Sprinkle generously with brown sugar

Sprinkle with cinnamon

Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the broiler.

Place the baking sheet under the broiler for 4 minutes.  Check.  If the brown sugar isn't bubbly, then set the timer for another minute and check.

Keep warm in a 300 degree oven until you are ready to serve.

Serve on a plate with a scoop of gelato or sorbet in the center, berries or other fruit for garnish, and a sprinkle of coconut on top. 

http://www.thebeechmont.com

Kathryn White
Bed and Breakfast Foodie