STARTERS
F IVE WAYS WI TH Pineapple
SWEET AND JUICY, THIS FRUIT CAN BE USED IN CLASSIC COCKTAILS AND TACO TOPPINGS. WORDS: VITELIO REYES
Native to South America, the pineapple represents some of what the region is about: warmth (it’s only grown in balmy weather) and sweetness, contained within a rough exterior. I think it’s a good metaphor for the people and culture. While they’re delicious on their own,
pineapples have countless culinary uses, from simple juices to indulgent desserts. At our Latin American restaurant Amazónico, pineapples are the star of the show. We slowly grill them in front of our guests, then glaze them with a delicate syrup made of the fruit’s own juice and brown sugar. The sweetness is off set by a coconut sorbet. Pineapples aren’t limited to use in sweet
dishes, however. They make an incredible glaze for a pork chop or chicken, for instance. At the restaurant, we also create things like
pineapple chimichurri to go with oysters, and a pineapple crisp to sit on top of tuna laqueado, a dish of marinated akami tuna, tamarillo ponzu and cashew nuts. When the fruit was introduced to Europe
around the 17th century, it was considered very exotic, and only aff ordable to the upper echelons of society. Thankfully, that’s changed, and pineapples are now available in grocers and supermarkets from as little as a pound or two. However, not all pineapples are created
equal. In my opinion, the best in the world come from Costa Rica, as the weather, humidity and soil make them wonderfully sweet; once ripe, you might notice notes of passion fruit, melon, apricot and vanilla. Vitelio Reyes is executive chef at Amazónico, London.
amazonicorestaurant.com
1
Topping Dice a pineapple into
small chunks, sauté with butter and season with sugar and chilli. This can be used as a topping for fish or pork tacos, or even a salad.
2 3
Sorbet Juice a pineapple,
then combine the juice with a small amount of mezcal, sugar syrup and sorbet stabiliser. Pass through a sorbet- maker and garnish with chopped mint.
Glaze Combine pineapple
juice with brown sugar, soy sauce and spices such as cardamom and cinnamon. Reduce to a sticky glaze, perfect for pork or chicken.
4
Grilled Peel and cut a
pineapple into steaks and grill on the embers of a barbecue. Once the juices from the pineapple start to spit and the fruit is caramelised, dust with sugar and cinnamon and enjoy warm.
5
Piña colada For this classic
cocktail, pour rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream into a cocktail shaker, shake well with ice and garnish with more pineapple.
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NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/FOOD-TRAVEL
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