Plenty of Pineapples

New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 752, 11 December 1953, Page 32

Plenty of Pineapples

: AT a delight it is to have these shipments of pine- ‘" apples so near Christmas. We can preserve them (see below), as well as enjoying them to the full now. In the Islands they are often called the King of Fruitsthe only one which wears a crown! There is nothing more refreshing than a fresh pineapple sliced, or cut in wedges, heavily sugared, and left for several hours in a cool (but not cold) spot before serving for dessert. So easy, so delightful, and so healthful. Ice cream can be served with it, but I think it is best just alone. Bottled Pineapple Cut in half-inch slices, remoye skin, eyes and core. Pack into jars. If cut into pieces more can be got into jars. Have ready your boiling, light syrup (1 cup sugar to 3 cups water). Cover the fruit with the syrup up to half inch from top of jar. Seal. Process in boiling water 25 to 30 minutes. The Stewing Method: Prepare light syrup (1 cup sugar to 3 cups water) by boiling it gently for 10. minutes. Then drop in the prepared slices or pieces, and simmer gently until tender, probably about 42 hour; try with a silver fork. Bottle while boiling in hot, sterilised jars, filling and immediately sealing each jar one by one. One housewife tells me she boils some of the cut-out cores in the syrup first, to add to its flavour, leaving them in only 3-5 minutes and then removing them. Pineapple Jam One large fresh pineapple, grated rind and juice 1 lemon, 1 small cup water, sugar. Remove skin and. core from pineapple, and chop pineapple very finely, weigh, and use same quantity of sugar as pineapple. Place sugar and water in a thick preserving pan or saucepan, Cook till syrup is thick, Add pineapple, juice and rind of lemon. Boil gently 35 to 45 minutes or until a little will set when tried. Pineapple Cup Cut up very finely, or grate, a fresh ‘pineapple. Put into big serving bowl

with 2 cups of orange pulp and 1 cup passionfruit pulp. A diced apple or two may be put in, and if liked, 1 or 2

mashed bananas, also a cucumber sliced up very finely, with the skin left. on. Cover the whole with a cup of sugar and the strained juice of 2 lemons. Prepare 4 cupfuls of fresh tea, strain, and while still hot pour over the above. Allow to stand on ice (if possible) for some hours to blend the flavours. Just before serving add several bottles of ginger ale, and one or two of soda water. Pineapple Surprise Cut a "lid" off the crown end of a fresh pineapple, about an inch down, so that you can reach inside easily to cut out the inside with a sharp knife. Chop this up finely and mix it \.ith ice cream. If you have a refrigerator make your own ice cream using some of the juice you have béen careful to save as you cut it up. Refill the pineapple now with chopped fruit and ice cream, replace the crown, and send it to table on a pretty dish, surrounded with glossy, dark-green eaves, and colourful flowerheads to’ tone with the pineapple. Nasturtium flowers do nicely, Pineapple Pickle This is for serving with curry, or with hot or cold meat. Four large cups fresh pineapple cut into small pieces, 3 cups brown sugar, 1 cup vinegar, a small handful of cloves. Use the same ‘measuring cup all the time. Boil the vinegar, sugar and cloves for 20 minutes. Add the pineapple and boil until transparent. If the juice is not thick, remove the pineapple and put into the jars, and boil the juice longer. Pour over the fruit and seal while hot. Pineapple Rarebit This is delicious. Work quickly, while the toast is still hot. Toast slices of bread on one side only. Quickly spread the other side with butter, and a scrape of mustard, cover with a slice of cheese, and a slice of pineapple, and on top of

all @ slice of bacon. Cook in top of a | hot oven or under a heated grill till bacon is cooked-just a few minutes. Pineapple and Crayfish Cut the crayfish meat (especially the tasty meat in the claws) into small Pieces, mix with celery, pineapple and some chopped almonds. Have enough mayonnaise to moisten. Serve in pieces of the shell, or on individual lettuce leaves. Pork Chops with Pineapple Have the chops cut about an inch thick. Allow one to a person. Sprinkle with pepper and salt, dip in beaten egg and then breadcrumbs. Place in baking dish with enough fat to keep from sticking. In the same pan cook slices of pineapple, one for each chop. Bake in moderate oven about 30 minutes, then place a ring of green pepper on each chop, and fill the centre with seeded raisins; bake about 30 minutes longer, basting often with fat in pan. Pineapple Toast Beat well together 1 egg, a cup of milk and a teaspoon of sugar. Dip the slices of bread in this mixture and fry in butter or oil to a crisp brown. Now put a slice of pineapple on each slice of toast, have ready heated a baking dish with butter in it, and put these slices in, baking them in oven for about 10 minutes. Serve hot with strawberry jam. A dessert.