"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.

Pineapples of the United Nations

United Nations Women’s Guild Cookbook 1992 New York

Pineapple Chutney - West Bengal, India - Sauces, chutneys, preserves

1 X 440g (1lb 4oz) can pineapple chunks, sliced thin; 1 raw sweet potato, medium, peeled and thinly sliced; 1/3 cup raisins; ¼ cup fresh lemon juice; 1/3 cup sugar; ¼ tsp mustard seeds; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; 1 tsp salt; 1 tblspn oil; ½ cup water and ½ cup pineapple juice from the can; 2 tsp cornstarch diluted with little water

Heat oil in a saucepan. Put in mustard seeds and when they sizzle and pop, add sweet potatoes and turmeric, frying them for 2 to 3 minutes. Add water and simmer om medium heat until the potatoes are tender.

Crush them a little, add the pineapple pieces, pineapple juice, sugar, raisins, salt and lemon juice. Cook for about 10 minutes uncovered.

Thicken the juice with cornstarch and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes.

The chutney is ready, take off from the heat. Serve cold.

Pineapple and Apple Chutney – Thailand - Sauces, chutneys, preserves

2 cups fresh pineapple, finely diced; 2 apples, pared and cored and cut into pieces; ½ tsp ground ginger; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 2 cloves garlic, shredded; 2 tblsp preserved ginger, shredded; ½ cup raisins; 1 ½ cups sugar; 1 tsp chili powder; ½ cup white vinegar; 1 ½ tsp salt

Put vinegar, sugar, salt and spices into a deep enamel pot and bring to the boil. Add the pineapple, apple and raisins. Boil slowly, stirring often to prevent burning, until apple is broken up and the chutney a thick consistency (the pineapple will remain in pieces). Cool and keep in bottles. This chutney will keep for months.

Fala Salaki – Samoa – Dessert

8-10 X 12oz cans of crushed pineapple; 1 can coconut cream; 1 tsp vanilla essence or to taste; 6-8 ripe bananas, sliced; 6-8 kiwi fruit, sliced; 1 or 2 ripe papaya, sliced

Empty the cans of pineapple into a large bowl and add the sliced fruit and 6 ozs of the coconut cream and the vanilla.

Mix well and taste. If it is not sweet enough add a little sugar, the superfine type is best as it dissolves quickly.

Yield: 15 to 20 servings.

I scaled down this recipe and used chopped fresh pineapple instead of canned, and coconut milk instead of coconut cream – still a delicious combination of flavours, Anne

Sweet and Sour Carrots – Vegetables and vegetarian dishes

Serves 4 – 6

1 lb carrots, sliced diagonally; 1 medium green pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces; 1 (8oz) can pineapple chunks (in own juice); 1/3 cup sugar; 1 tblsp cornstarch; ½ tsp salt; 2 tblspn cider vinegar; 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce

Cook carrots in boiling water until just tender. Add green pepper and cook 3 minutes – drain. Measure pineapple juice and make up to 1/3 cup with water if necessary. Reserve pineapple chunks.

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt and stir in pineapple liquid, soy sauce and vinegar until smooth – cook over medium heat, bringing to a boil stirring constantly. Simmer for 2 minutes until thickened. Pour over carrots an pepper and stir in pineapple chunks. Serve hot or cold.

Pineapple and taro

https://www.food.com/recipe/taro-pineapple-sweet-potato-and-bacon-chips-455175

TARO, PINEAPPLE, SWEET POTATO AND BACON CHIPS

Recipe by Annacia

INGREDIENTS:

1lb taro root, peeled; 1 lb sweet potato, peeled; 6-8 fresh pineapple slices; 4-6 bacon, rashers; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 tablespoon butter; 6-8 green onions, chopped; fresh ground pepper; sliced lemon and salt (to garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut taro and sweet potato into 1/2" thick slices and steam or boil until tender but still firm.

Drain, spread to cool, then cut into chips about 1" x 1/2".

Cut pineapple slices into similar size and bacon into 1/2" wide strips (The gammon style bacon is best for this or get bacon ends from a good butcher shop).

Heat oil and butter in a heavy frypan and fry taro/sweet potato chips until golden and brown.

Remove, drain and place on absorbent towel then keep hot in oven at 200 deg. F. In the same pan saute pineapple.

Then fry bacon until crisp. In a bowl quickly combine the hot chips, pineapple and bacon and toss lightly with green onions.

Sprinkle with pepper, salt transfer to serving dish and garnish with lemon slices.

Serve immediately.

Another controversy! Pineapple in the pasties!

Pineapple and Chicken Cornish Pasties

After reading the following articles about the controversial award winner in the ‘Open Savoury Company’ category of the World Pasty Championships in England I thought I’d better make my own version of the Virginia USA Pure Pasty Company’s entry which contained “barbecue pulled chicken with sweet potato, zucchini, red pepper, sweetcorn and - wait for it - pineapple.”

Thanks for the links Robyn and Vicki!

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/pasty-containing-pineapple-wins-world-103233838.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pasty-containing-pineapple-wins-world-pasty-championships_uk_5a9d1349e4b089ec353c7b8e

The Recipe:

Makes 10

4 sheets premade shortcrust pastry;

2 cups peeled, chopped, steamed and mashed sweet potato; 1 X 400g can sweet corn kernels; 2 rings, chopped, canned pineapple; ½ cup chopped red capsicum.

Mix together and steam briefly.

Add 1 ½ cups chopped cooked chicken.

Mix all ingredients with some cracked pepper.

Cut circles, place into mould, fill with vegetable mix, splash a little milk around the edge, press closed, splash with a little more milk and sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds.

Bake in a moderate oven until golden brown. (Adjustments to this recipe listed at the end of this post.)

I used these fabulous cutters that Pineapple Princess Ann had given me, but you could just cut pastry circles and fold them over, pressing the edges together with a fork.

The Verdict:

Matt: 6/10 a bit dry

Peter: 7/10 needs a bit more moisture and flavour

Carmel: 8/10 nice, a little bit dry, couldn’t find the pineapple

Phyl: 7.5/10 Pineapple not strong. I actually tasted sweet potato mostly and corn. Not the chicken really but liked them. They were very ‘light’ in taste. Not like some pasties. Pastry very nice too.

Greg: 7/10 I enjoyed the pastie … for me the corn dominated and a little extra salt made it yummy. To be honest, couldn’t taste the pineapple at all and the chicken was noticeable but the veggies were predominant

Dennis: 8/10 I enjoyed the pasty however I would prefer a little potato and some flavour, salt for example

Pauline: 7/10 Very tasty except that I don't eat corn. Would prefer potato to be part of the vegetable mix.

Thank you for your feedback everyone! So, if you are going to try the recipe above please make the above adjustments – more pineapple, a little salt, less corn, some chopped up potato, perhaps some more cracked pepper. I think you can pretty much include anything you like!!! But remember don’t skip on the pineapple!!! Anne

Pineapple and sweetpotatoes (oh, and marshmallows)

Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook, new revised deluxe edition, 1967 Sydney

mmmmmmm...

Fried Sweetpotatoes: Sweet Potato Surprises

2 cups mashed sweetpotatoes; 1 egg, beaten; ½ tsp salt; 1/8 tsp pepper; 8 cubes of pineapple (alternatives - 8 marshmallows or 8 orange segments); ½ cup crushed cereal flakes

Combine warm potatoes with egg, salt and pepper. If mixture is too dry, add a little milk. Form into 8 balls with a pineapple cube hidden inside of each. Roll in crushed cereal flakes. Fry in hot deep fat (375°F/190°C) until brown, drain on absorbent paper. Serves 4 or 8.

Balls may be rolled in bread crumbs instead of cereal flakes. (I used rice crumbs)

Alternatives – Add ¾ cup shredded coconut to potato mixture or 1 tsp lemon juice to potato mixture.

Delicious!

Sweetpotato Casseroles and Cups: Sweetpotatoes on Pineapple Rings

2 cups mashed sweetpotatoes; ½ tsp salt; ½ cup brown sugar; 4 slices canned pineapple; 4 marshmallows; 4 maraschino cherries

Combine sweetpotatoes, salt, sugar and 3 tblsp butter in a mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy. Place slices of pineapple on a baking sheet. Dot with remaining butter. Force sweetpotato mixture through a pastry bag, using the rose tube, onto the slices of pineapple for individual servings. Top each with a marshmallow and a cherry.

Bake in a hot oven (400°F/200°C) until heated through, about 10 minutes. Serves 4. Potatoes may be formed into round cakes ad placed on pineapple if a pastry bag is not available.

Sweetpotato Casseroles and Cups: Pineapple Marshmallow Sweetpotatoes

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes; 1 cup milk; ½ cup pineapple juice; 1 cup diced pineapple; 2 tblsp butter; ½ tsp cinnamon; marshmallows

Mix all ingredients except marshmallows and beat until light and fluffy. Use more milk or fruit juice, if needed. Place in well-greased casserole (I used individual small ramekins) and bake in a moderate oven (350°F/180°C) until heated through, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cover top with marshmallows. Return to oven to brown. Serves 6

WARNING: Do not eat too many extra marshmallows during the food preparation!!!

Pineapple of the South Pacific

The Cuisine of the South Pacific, Gwen Skinner, Photography by Michael Willison, 1983 New Zealand, Photo of Gwen Skinner by Derek Hunt
 

 

 

“The South Pacific conjures up visions of a paradise of waving coconut palms, coral reefs, white sands, and a tropical climate. It has all of those things, but it also has a wide geographical and cultural diversity and not the least of its splendours is its food." 

Solomon Islands – Chicken Curry with Fruit and Nuts

1 large boiling chicken; 5 cups water; 1 large onion, sliced; 1 cup coconut milk (½ coconut cream, ½ water) or cow's milk; 1 tsp salt; ¼ tsp pepper; 2 tsp curry powder; 3 tblsp cornflour; hot cooked rice; 4 eggs, hard boiled and sliced; 2 bananas, sliced with lemon juice squeezed over; 1 cup fresh pineapple pieces; ½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped; ½ cup fresh coconut, grated

Bring the chicken to the boil in water with onion, then simmer until tender. Remove chicken and cut meat into serving pieces. Discard bones, etc. Strain stock which will have reduced to about 2 cups. Add milk, salt, pepper and curry powder to stock. Bring to the boil, thicken with cornflour mixed in a little water, cook gently for a few minutes, just under boiling point if coconut cream is used, then add chicken pieces.

Pour chicken over hot rice in shallow serving dish. Arrange sliced eggs, sliced bananas and pineapple chunks on top. Sprinkle with peanuts and coconut.

 

 

Dasom Lee and Woogon Park enjoyed our Solomon Islands chicken curry as much as we enjoyed the Korean tteokbokbi that they cooked for us. Do visit us again!

 

Samoa – Polynesian Sweet and Sour Chicken

Sweet and Sour Sauce

½ cup vinegar; 1 cup pineapple juice; ½ cup tomato sauce (ketchup); ¼ cup brown sugar; 2 tblsp cornflour; water

Bring first four ingredients to the boil. Mix cornflour with a little water and stir into sauce to thicken.

4 chicken breasts; 4 chicken legs; 2 X 425g cans of fruit: peaches, apricots, guavas, mixed etc; ¼ cup soya sauce; 1 tsp crushed garlic

Preheat oven to 180°C. Pat chicken pieces dry, place skin side up in a baking pan. Drain fruit and reserve syrup. Mix syrup with soya sauce and garlic, pour over chicken and bake uncovered, basting the chicken and turning pieces until all are golden brown, about an hour. Remove chicken to warming drawer.

Add Sweet and Sour Sauce to baking pan liquid, bring to the boil over medium heat, and cook until the liquid thicken and reduces to about 2 cups. Pour this over the chicken pieces, cover with foil, and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Bake chicken and sauce, uncovered, in 180°C oven for 30 minutes. Add fruit to dish and baste often while cooking a further 30 minutes.

New Zealand – Candied Kumara

2-3 large kumaras; 1 tsp bacon dripping; ½ cup pineapple juice; 1 cup pineapple pieces; 1 tblsp brown sugar; 1 tsp vinegar; 1 tspn cornflour; ½ cup water; ¼ tsp nutmeg

Peel, wash and boil the kumaras in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, cut lengthwise and place with the flat side up in a roasting dish. Put juice, pineapple pieces, sugar and vinegar in a pot, mix cornflour and water together then add. Simmer, stirring, for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Pour sauce over the kumaras and bake in a medium oven 10 minutes, turning them over after 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with nutmeg and cook a little longer. Serve with roast wild pork or pork chops.