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Cook the Book: Caramelized Pineapple with Pineapple Sherbet

Posted by Lucy Baker, June 13, 2008 at 1:30 PM

My dad isn't much of a fruit-and-vegetable kind of guy, but he loves pineapples. Growing up, we always had Dole juice in the fridge, and fresh pineapples ripening on the counter—I learned from an early age that canned rings just wouldn't do.

Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from New South Grilling, is for a perfect Father's Day dessert: Caramelized Pineapple with Pineapple Sherbet. Wedges of fresh pineapple are brushed with melted butter and sugar, then grilled until the flavors are nutty and concentrated and paired with a simple version of sherbet made with sweetened condensed milk.

The best thing about this recipe is that each half stands out on its own. If you don't have a grill, just make the sherbet and serve scoops garnished with fresh mint and sugar cookies. Likewise, if you don’t have an ice cream machine, top the grilled pineapple slices with premium store-bought vanilla.

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Caramelized Pineapple with Pineapple Sherbet

Adapted from New South Grilling by Robert St. John.
- makes 8-12 slices-

Ingredients

1 whole ripe pineapple
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
Pineapple Sherbet (recipe follows)

Procedure

1. Place the pineapple on its side and cut off about 1/2 inch from the top and bottom. Stand the pineapple upright and cut lengthwise to remove the tough outer skin After the skin has been removed, shave off any remaining hard bits of peel. Cut the pineapple into quarters, lengthwise, through the core. Lay each quarter flat and, slicing at an angle, remove the hard center core. Cut each quarter in half lengthwise again, rendering 8 long, slender pieces of pineapple.

2. Prepare grill for medium heat direct cooking.

3. Melt butter in a medium-sized sauté pan. Stir in the sugar and cook just until the sugar begins to dissolve. Using about one quarter of this mixture, lightly brush the surfaces of the pineapple. Grill for 8-10 minutes, turning once.

4. Serve with Pineapple Sherbet.

Pineapple Sherbet

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 whole pineapple, peeled, core removed, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup cold milk
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Procedure

1. Place the sweetened condensed milk and the pineapple chunks in a blender and puree until very smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, press firmly. Discard the remaining pulp. Stir the milk and lemon juice into the pineapple puree, and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Freeze the sherbet in an ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions. Place it in an airtight container and cover. Freeze at least 1 hour before serving.

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Tags: desserts, grilling, pineapple, Robert St. John, sherbet