Honey Roasted Pineapple

 

Today I had a realization at work: I cannot think whilst listening to jazzy telephone hold music.  (Also, I like using words like whilst).  I try to do productive things while on hold, excel playing, organizing and whatnot, waiting for a conference call to start, but that jazzy music?  I swear, it makes any and all brain waves stop.  This was today's major take away.  Well, that and the idea that maybe I was on the phone a little too much today at work.  Needless to say, it was a rough day.

This has nothing to do with pineapple, roasted or any other kind, but I’m a little brain dead from all the snazzy telephone hold music and after staring at an empty blog page for a few minutes, this was all I was able to come up with.  Know what would be good right now?  Leftover Roasted Pineapple.  There you go, there’s our tie-in.  Let’s move on, shall we?

There, that's better.  So, the BA "in the kitchen" section in each month's magazine is quickly becoming my favorite part of the periodical.  Yes, of course the stories and spreads and all matter of other sin are great too.  But that kitchen section?  It's like it was made for me.  Great, yummy, quick mid-week dinners.  This is where I've gotten gems such as this, and this, and oh yeah this piece of work too.  Without fail, each month there are BA in the kitchen dinner recipes, always ending in a quick and fabulously yummy looking dessert.  This is my first audition of a dessert recipe from those hallowed pages, and I will be the first to divulge, it did not disappoint.

This dessert made me happy.  For a Wednesday night, it was quick.  It was easy.  It roasted and smelt beautifully while we ate dinner.  Most importantly, it made the most breathe-taking leftovers ever to meet a cool Tupperware-full of Greek yogurt.  Left overs are important to me.  I only have 2 mouths to feed (only 50% of the time) and I always manage to screw up halving a recipe.  Regardless of the fact that my college admissions essay was based upon my love for math.  What, you didn't know I was a complete and total nerd?  Well... now you do.  And now you can go contently roast some love into a pineapple and de-frazzle your jazzed up brain.  I'll take care of any leftovers.

Honey Roasted Pineapple
Adapted from March 2012's Bon Appetit

I want to reiterate how fast and fabulous this recipe was.  It was the dessert half of last week's lettuce wraps.  With the wraps, this recipe was also cut and pasted into the big green cookbook that night.  And that was before I fawned over the leftovers the next two days at work.  Seriously, make this for no other reason than to cut up the leftovers into chunks and use as a topping to Greek yogurt all week long.  Your tongue will be very, very happy with you.  Trust.

1 medium pineapple
1/2 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 c. orange juice
3 Tbsp. honey

For Toppings:
Dollops of Greek yogurt
Shredded Mint Leaves
Cashews, roasted and chopped

Make sure you get a ripe pineapple.  Here is my usual selection method.  The color on the outside does not matter.  I know, crazy talk, but true.  Instead, try plucking a few leaves from the center of the leaves shooting out the top.  Do they pluck out easily?  Or do you really need to tug?  You are looking for leaves that are easily plucked.  Ta-da, you have a ripe pineapple.  Now, pay for it (no stealing!), bring it home, and chop it up into 8 or so spears.  Toss the tough core.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  On rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment paper.  You are going to have a burnt sugar mess, so line it well.  In medium bowl, whisk together sugar, OJ and honey until sugar is dissolved.  Toss in pineapple spears and turn to coat.  Let marinade 10-20 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Remove pineapple from marinade and lay cut side down on prepared baking sheet.  Don't throw out extra marinade!  Instead, brush it over the pineapple, coating it well.  Pop in the oven and roast 15 minutes.  Remove and flip pineapple spears, brushing with extra marinade well.  Return to oven and let roast an additional 10-15 minutes more, until pineapple is tender and looks delicious and caramelized.  Drizzle whatever marinade you have left over on top.  Let cool.  Plate with yogurt, mint and cashews.  Enjoy and save your leftovers for your tomorrow's morning Greek yogurt!