Sunday 31 December 2023

Asian layered rice salad with pineapple

https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/asian-layered-rice-salad-recipe/ijv38cbw?r=recipes/x09u7yop

8 servings

2 x 250g packets microwave black rice; 1 small pineapple, peeled, quartered, cored; 3 baby pak choy, shredded; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks; 1 Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthways, seeded, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup fried noodles; 1/4 cup salted peanuts, roughly chopped; 1/4 cup fresh coriander sprigs

Chilli and lime dressing: 1 small red chilli, finely chopped; 1/4 cup lime juice, plus extra lime cheeks to serve; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 1/2 tbsp raw sugar

Step 1   Heat rice following packet directions. Spread out onto a large baking tray. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

Step 2   Meanwhile, make chilli and lime dressing: Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Step 3   Evenly spoon rice over base of a 3.5-litre-capacity flat-based glass serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon dressing. Cut pineapple into 1cm-thick slices. Top rice with an even layer of pak choy. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon remaining dressing. Layer half the pineapple over top. Continue layering with onion, carrot, cucumber and remaining pineapple. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

Step 4   Sprinkle with noodles, peanuts and coriander. Serve.

Wednesday 20 December 2023

Have a Sweet Pineapple Christmas


Thank you for these delicious Haig pineapple chocolates Yuka!!

I made two versions of this sweeeeeet slice, one with chopped red berry lollies instead of the ginger, and green and red m&ms for decoration. But the recipe below was easily my favourite! Anne

White Christmas slice

450g white chocolate, chopped; 3 cups rice bubbles; 80g almonds, toasted; 140g chopped crystallised ginger; 1 cup desiccated coconut; 1 tbsp yellow mini m&m's; 1 tblsp crushed pineapple candy (if you can get it); 3 tsp Christmas (or silver) cachous

Grease a 20cm x 30cm lamington pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above edges of pan on all sides.

Place white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 1 minute 30 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring with a metal spoon every 30 seconds. Cool 10 minutes.

Add rice bubbles, almonds, ginger and coconut. Stir until well combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, pressing with the back of a large spoon to compact. Sprinkle with m&m’s, crushed pineapple candy and cachous. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.

Remove slice from fridge. Stand 5 minutes. Using a hot knife, cut into bars. Serve.




 

Thursday 14 December 2023

Pineapple Crème Brûlée

French Classic: Crème Brûlée from tastyfeedsdaily on instagram

1 pineapple, halved and cut into cubes (save the two emptied rinds for serving); 400 ml thickened cream or coconut cream; 2 egg yolks; 2 tbsp cornstarch; 3 tablespoons sugar; 1 shot rum; Extra 4 tsp sugar for the brûlée top

Blend the pineapple flesh, cream, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and rum together until smooth. Strain.

Pour the blended mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and turns into a thick creamy consistency. Cool.

Pour the cooled cream mixture into the empty pineapple and refrigerate for 4h or overnight to set.

Sprinkle sugar on top and use a torch to caramelise!




Sunday 10 December 2023

"Cake the podcast"

The Pineapple Princesses were proud to attend the launch of "Cake the podcast" at Queensland State Library, Brisbane (pssst episode 2 is devoted to pineapple)

https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/discover/podcasts/cake


"Cake is not just a food, it’s an emotion. From the history of cake to the iconic cakes of our childhood, State Library’s 'Cake the podcast' takes you on a sweet journey that connects you to memories, community and family. Learn about the people, the places and the recipes that have influenced our insatiable taste for cake.

Join our award-winning host, Kaitlyn Sawrey of Who is Daniel Johns? podcast fame, and tuck into stories about lamingtons, pineapple cake, CWA scones, moon cake, Greek funeral cake, big cakes, celebration cake, and more" State Library Queensland

While at the State Library the Pineapple Princesses were treated to a look into the archives at a "white glove" display of Ruby Borrowdale's meticulous journal and recipe collection. Ruby was the creator of "The Golden Circle Tropical Recipe Book" which inspired this blog. 




At the Library there was also a collection of historical Golden Circle photographs, records and graphics in the form of posters, book covers and labels;







plus a wonderful collection of heritage cookbooks which we will be cooking from in future blog posts.


                                                               from the 1890s









                                      Queensland Nutrition Council's 1937 Year Book

To give you a taste of Queensland pineapple . . . 

“Judith May” International Butter & Ghee Recipes 1968 compiled by Gene Austin for the Queensland Butter Marketing Board

Polynesian casserole

Ingredients: 2 cups parboiled sweet potatoes; 2 tblspn brown sugar; 2 tblspn finely grated orange rind; 1 fresh pineapple, sliced thinly and cut into pieces; 3 tblspn freshly grated or desiccated coconut; 3 tblspn butter

Method: Peel & parboil the sweet potatoes in sated water 10 to 15 minutes. Strain & remove from saucepan, chill & slice about ¼ inch (7mm) in thickness (never attempt to slice hot sweet potatoes as they will break).

Butter a casserole dish, sprinkle the base with grated orange rind, dot with small pieces of butter, then arrange on top a layer of sliced pineapple pieces, sprinkle with brown sugar, top with a layer of sliced sweet potatoes. Repeat this process in layers until all ingredients are used. Sprinkle with coconut.

Bake in moderately hot oven (400 degrees F (200°C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot with pork fillets Polynesian style.

Sunday 3 December 2023

Sour cream pineapple slice

The Good Sams Cookbook: 150 years of perfecting recipes, Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of Saint Benedict 2007 Strathfield NSW



Base: 1 pkt vanilla cake mix; 125g butter; 1 cup desiccated coconut

Stir coconut into dry cake mix. Add melted butter & combine thoroughly. Press into greased lamington tin. Bake for 20 mins at 170°C. remove from oven.

Topping: 400g tin pineapple; 200g light sour cream

Drain pineapple. Mix with sour cream & spread on hot base. Sprinkle with nutmeg & bake a further 20 mins.


Wednesday 22 November 2023

Moa Samoa Sauce

Adapted from https://www.nzherald.co.nz/eatwell/recipes/moa-samoa-sauce/HGXDTRKYZOBY745ALDXK6ZFGKA/

Ingredients:

Sauce - 4 spring onions, chopped; 4 cups pineapple juice; 1 cup passionfruit pulp, unsweetened; 3 oranges, juiced and zested; 3 limes, juiced and zested; 3 cups soy sauce; 3 cups raw sugar; 7 cm fresh ginger, sliced; 8 star anise (I used 4 leaves of anise myrtle) Anne

10 chicken drumsticks

Directions:

Put sauce ingredients into a pot and reduce until almost as thick and dark as a treacle. Thin with 1 cup of water.

Trim excess skin from chicken drumsticks or thighs. Take off all the skin if you are weight watching. Place in a roasting pan, add a tablespoon of coconut oil and pour over the thinned Moa Samoa.

Roast in a medium oven, basting the chicken until it has cooked and the Moa Samoa has reduced to a glaze.

Monday 13 November 2023

Dragon-skin pears

Adapted from Amy Magill's contribution in Chotsie Blank & Ann Seymour’s 1982 “California Artists Cook Book”


Serves 4 to 8

Approx 3 cups assorted fresh, canned or candied fruit ie pineapple, papaya, mandarin, lychees, kumquats, candied ginger cut in 1.5cm chunks or cubes; 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice; 1 cup sugar; 2 tblspn Grand Marnier or other fruit liqueur (optional); ¼ tsp five-spice powder (optional); 4 barely ripe pears, with attractive skin markings; ½ cup brandy, heated

Spear the fruit chunks or cubes onto 24 toothpicks, alternating colours and flavours and making them look as attractive as possible. Set aside.

Stir the orange juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, boil 2 minutes, and reduce the heat to very low. Stir in the optional liqueur and five-spice powder and any syrups from canned fruits you have used.

Cut the pears in half and core them. Slide them into the simmering syrup, raise the heat slightly, and poach 3 to 10 minutes. The time will depend on the ripeness of the pears. They should be poached til tender but not mushy. Transfer the pears, skin up, to a warm platter, stick 3 of the toothpicks in each half.

Ignite the heated brandy and pour over the pears. The effect should be a cluster of flaming jewels.

Tuesday 7 November 2023

Pineapple Tizana

https://www.donpolo.com/blog-post/venezuela-tizana-recipe

Venezuelan Tizana Recipe

Ingredients:

Pineapple; cantelope; watermelon; grapes (cut in half or quarters); mango; red and green apples; banana ... (any other fruit that you would like to add)

Red creaming soda or grenadine.

Peel and cut all the fruit into tiny pieces (about 1cm). Start with the fruit that won’t discolour like cantaloupe, watermelon, and pineapple. Use the pineapple juice or lemon juice to keep the apples and bananas from browning.

Mix all the fruit except the banana in a large bowl or pitcher. Add the banana right before serving.

Add red creaming soda to the drink and serve. Only add the drink to the fruit that you can eat that day. Save the rest of the fruit for later and add soda when you want to eat it. You could serve fruit to individual cups and let people add soda individually as well.

Saturday 28 October 2023

Pinapalia - beginning and ending with cocktails!



The Whale Watcher, made here by Faith on the Alaskan Dream ship the Baranof - pineapple juice, Bacardi Rum, Blue Curacao and a cherry!

This is a collection of pineapple marvels, many of which were shared with us by family and friends.


My cousin Jenny enjoyed a pineapple gelato on a Mediterranean cruise!


Catherine T spotted this pineapple cart in Porto, Portugal!


Lyndall enjoyed this delicious juice in Hawaii!


Catherine K spotted these fabulous shoes in Tokyo! I hope she bought herself a pair!


Many thanks to Phyl and Greg for these magnificent earrings!!! Modelled by Ella!


Ann's knifty bottle opener!


Roadside pineapples !


Beautiful mural at the Haymarket, Sydney!


Delicious Chili and Pineapple Sauce from the Dungog markets. Thanks Sue! 


Jelly from Iran!


Pineapple and Cinnamon Mood Tea! 


Tasty Pineapple and Mountain Pepper Sauce. Thanks Ella!

The Mary Pickford cocktail

60ml white rum; 40ml pineapple juice; 1 teaspoon Maraschino liqueur; 2 teaspoons grenadine; cherry for garnish

Place the rum, pineapple juice, Maraschino liqueur and grenadine in a cocktail shaker. Add 2 handfuls of ice and shake until cold.

Strain the drink into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry if desired.