Roasted Pineapple with Tamarind and Chilli, and Coconut Ice Cream
NOPI head chef Scully brings roasted pineapple out of the 80s with this modern dessert. The pineapple is roasted with a spiced syrup, containing the flavours of chilli, cinnamon and tamarind, before being served with a fresh coconut ice cream.
From the book
NOPI: The Cookbook
Over 120 recipes from Ottolenghi's celebrated Soho restaurant
Inspiring vegetable dishes
Sophisticated recipes made accessible for home cooks
Introduction
Some puddings – just like some cocktails – will always be just a little bit 80s, particularly those where tropical fruits get cooked. And none the worse for it, we say. This is Scully's tribute to the decade of his youth, to piña coladas and also to the now-closed Danks Street Depot in Sydney, where he used to eat brunch.
You can buy ready-made tamarind paste but, as ever, we recommend making your own, starting with the pulp. In order to make 2 tablespoons of tamarind paste, soak 30g tamarind pulp with 60ml water for about half an hour, squeezing from time to time so that all the pulp and tamarind disperses through the water. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the pulp.
Ingredients
| 1 | very large pineapple, peeled and quartered lengthways, tough core removed (800g) |
| 6 | small Thai basil sprigs, to garnish (optional) |
| For the ice cream: | |
| 150ml | double cream |
| 400ml | coconut milk |
| 250ml | coconut cream |
| 12 | fresh kaffir lime leaves |
| 1 | vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped |
| 2 | egg yolks |
| 90g | caster sugar |
| 1½ tbsp | lime juice |
| For the spiced syrup: | |
| 600ml | water |
| 90g | caster sugar |
| 16 | whole cloves |
| 1 | large cinnamon stick, broken into quarters |
| 1 | large red chilli, de-seeded and roughly chopped |
| 1 | vanilla pod, halved lengthways and seeds scraped |
| 5cm | piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (40g) |
| 2 tbsp | tamarind paste (see introduction) |
Essential kit
You will need an ice cream machine and a high-sided medium baking tray, 30cm x 22cm.
Method
First make the ice cream. Place the double cream, coconut milk, coconut cream, kaffir lime leaves and vanilla pod in a medium saucepan. Place on a medium-high heat and cook for 6–7 minutes, until just coming to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 5 minutes.
Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl and whisk until creamy and pale. Using a ladle, spoon a little bit of the hot cream mix on to the eggs and sugar, whisking continuously as you pour. Continue with the remaining cream until everything is incorporated. Wipe your saucepan clean and pour the custard in. Place on a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring continuously, until you get a light custard consistency; don’t overcook or the custard will split. Strain, discarding the leaves and pods, set aside to cool for 30 minutes, then pour the custard into an ice cream machine, along with the lime juice. Churn for about 35 minutes, until semi-frozen but still creamy. Transfer to a cold plastic container and freeze until ready to use. Remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving.
Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas mark 9.
Place all the ingredients for the spiced syrup in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 5 minutes to let the flavours infuse. Place the pineapple wedges in a high-sided medium baking tray, 30cm x 22cm, and then pour the syrup evenly over the pineapple. Place it in the oven for 40–50 minutes, basting every 10 minutes or so, until the pineapple is cooked through and caramelized, and a knife inserted goes in without any resistance. Keep an eye on the liquid levels in the tray: you might need to add a little bit more water and stir it in if they have dried out. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly in the syrup for about 5 minutes. Remove the pineapple from the tray and serve with 11/2 teaspoons of syrup per portion drizzled on top. Dot with a few of the cloves and cinnamon pieces from the syrup, along with the Thai basil, if using, and serve a spoonful of ice cream alongside.
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