Fermented Pineapple Sambal

Thanks for this link Kat!

https://www.cornersmith.com.au/blogs/recipes/fermented-pineapple-sambal?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fermenting%20projects%20%20new%20equipment%20books%20and%20recipes&utm_content=Fermenting%20projects%20%20new%20equipment%20books%20and%20recipes+CID_2d097e4e7687d1eee286a48b3d914784&utm_source=Email%20Marketing%20CM&utm_term=SEE%20RECIPE

“Fermented fruit sambals and chutneys are a specialty of Southern Asia, they are therefore well suited to the Australian climate where things ferment fast! Make tacos more interesting, serve alongside baked fish or a fiery vegetarian curry” the website  

Makes 600ml

Ingredients: 1 kg pineapple, about 1 medium sized pineapple; 2 limes juiced and zested; 1 tablespoon grated ginger; 1 long red chilli finely sliced; 1/3 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds; 2 teaspoons salt

Method: Peel the pineapple. Cut into 2 cm cubes, including the core and place in a bowl.

Juice and zest lime adding both to the bowl of pineapple. Add salt, coriander seeds and chilli. Mix well and gently squeeze all the ingredients together with your hands, your looking to combine and create plenty of juices.

Pack sambal into clean jars, leaving 1 cm head space, making sure it is well covered with juices.

Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel and seal.

Let the jar sit at room temperature (out of direct sunlight) for 2-4 days. Over this time the fruit will ferment, become a bit bubbly and create delicious sour zesty flavours.

Fruit ferments quickly so keep an eye on your sambal, tasting it every day, until you are happy with the tangy fermented flavour.

Refrigerate once your sambal is ready. It will last for up to 3 months in the fridge.

Pineapple Danish

The following recipe was adapted from: https://www.greatgrubdelicioustreats.com/pineapple-cream-cheese-danish/

Makes 8 (or you could make 2 large ones)

Ingredients: 2 X puff pastry sheets (I used gluten free)

Pineapple cream cheese filling: 1/2 fresh pineapple, crush in a blender, strain through a sieve keeping the juice and the pulp separate; 130g cream cheese (I used lactose free) room temperature; 1/4 cup sugar; 1 egg yolk;1/4 tsp vanilla

Pineapple drizzle: 1 cup icing sugar; 2 tsp pineapple juice

Instructions:

For the pineapple cream cheese filling:

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, pineapple juice and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Pastry: Cut each of the sheets of puff pastry into 4 squares

Place squares on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread 3 tspns cream cheese mixture into the centre of each square. Add 4 tspns drained crushed pineapple on top of cream cheese mixture.

Fold the tips of the squares into the centre one at a time gently pressing together into a parcel. Squeeze closed the corners and splash with a little milk evenly over the surface of each parcel.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for about 10-15 minutes.

Pineapple glaze:

Mix together ½ cup icing sugar and pineapple juice (a little at a time until you get a runny but firm consistency) and stir until combined. You can drink any remaining juice! Drizzle glaze over pastry parcels.

Merilyn's latest cocktail sensation: The French Martini

Thanks Merilyn, don't be surprised if I turn up at your door with a crate of various alcoholic ingredients one day!! Anne

“Look, if you bring all the cocktail ingredients to my house* like Amy did, you know I'm gonna drink it. This was a combination that sounded odd at first - vodka, chambord, pineapple juice - but it actually turned out super lovely. Look at that head! Sweet and delicious.” Merilyn

Chicken manchamanteles with fried pineapple

 https://taste.co.za/recipes/chicken-manchamanteles/

Chicken manchamanteles

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

4 dried red chillies, deseeded; 1 medium onion, peeled and halved; 3 cloves garlic, peeled; 1 stick cinnamon; 4 cloves; 4 black peppercorns; 1 tblsp blanched almonds; 3 tblsp sunflower oil; 3 large ripe tomatoes; ½ tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp dried thyme; sea salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 chicken (about 1.5kg), cut into portions; 1½ cups water; 1 tsp salt; a few sprigs of parsley; 500g peeled and cubed sweet potato; 1 tblsp butter; 1 small pineapple, peeled and cubed; fresh coriander leaves, for garnishing; soft warm flour tortillas, for serving; 2 firm bananas, sliced

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

To bring out their flavour, first toast the *chillies in a heated cast-iron pan. Press lightly for a minute or two, until they begin to change colour, taking care not to burn them.

Cover with hot water and leave to soak for 20 minutes, then drain and chop roughly.

In the same way, roast the peeled onion and garlic in a cast-iron pan until charred on the outside, then chop roughly.

Pan-roast the cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and almonds, stirring to prevent catching. First crush the cinnamon stick, then blend or process all the roasted ingredients with the drained chillies.

Stir-fry the mixture in 15ml (1T) heated oil for 4 or 5 minutes, until fragrant.

Pan-roast the tomatoes in the same way or slide under a hot grill until charred. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and chop roughly.

Blend or process the tomato, then stir into the chilli mixture with the dried herbs and cook briskly for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time. Season lightly with salt.

Heat the remaining 30ml (2T) oil in a heavy casserole. Add the chicken, in batches, and fry until lightly browned. Return to the casserole. Add the water, salt and parsley, and bring to a bubble.

Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the chilli sauce and sweet potato, and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken and potato are very tender. Check seasoning.

Heat the butter then fry the banana and pineapple pieces until lightly browned and starting to catch. Spoon over the chicken. Sprinkle generously with coriander leaves.

Serve with warm flour tortillas for mopping up the sauce.

Pineapple and Avocado Macarons

These melt in your mouth macarons are a combo between two recipes I came across - Pineapple and Avocado Macaroon Filling in “Poh's Kitchen: My cooking adventures” Poh Ling Yeow 2010 Australia and the Chocolate Macarons in https://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipes/chocolate-macarons-recipe/946qcnd9

The following is what I did. You could add a touch of food colouring to the macaron mix ie yellow or green for an added pineapple effect but I thought I’d be subtle (for a change)

Macarons:

Ingredients: 3 egg whites; 1/4 cup caster sugar; 1 1/4 cups icing sugar; 3/4 cup ground almonds

Method: Preheat the oven to 130°C or 110°C fan-forced, line oven trays with baking paper.

Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add caster sugar, beat for approximately 10 minutes until sugar dissolves.

Transfer the mixture to a larger bowl, fold in sifted icing sugar and sifted ground almonds.

Spoon mixture into piping bag and pipe 4 cm rounds onto baking tray 3 cm apart. Tap trays so macarons spread slightly. Stand for 30 minutes.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes until set to the touch. Dry, but not brown. Cool on trays.

White chocolate, pineapple and avocado ganache filling:

Ingredients: 1/4 cup cream; 150 g white chocolate finely chopped; ¼  small pineapple, finely chopped; ½ ripe avocado, diced; 75g caster sugar; ½ tsp vanilla essence; ¼ tsp ground black pepper

White chocolate ganache: Bring cream to the boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat and add chocolate, stir until smooth. Stand at room temperature until a spreadable consistency.

Pineapple and avocado coulis: Place pineapple, avocado, caster sugar, vanilla essence and black pepper in a saucepan and heat for 5 minutes or until softened. Place in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Push through a sieve and discard any pulp. Chill.

When both mixes are at the desired temperature, stir together until well combined. Dollop a generous amount of filling onto the flat side of a macaron, sandwich together with another and press lightly together.

Keep refrigerated.