BRAISED PINEAPPLE WITH BROWN SUGAR SAUCE

This is one of those go-to desserts that always hits the right note.  Besides being delicious, pineapples are usually available year ‘round, not too difficult to work with—and they’re good for you.   Packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, they are thought to aid digestion and reduce inflammation.  This serves 6-8 with a bit of ice cream added.  Pineapple and sauce can be covered and held at room temp for an hour or so.

• 1 ripe pineapple—peeled, cored, eyes removed and cut into about 10 wedges
• 3/4 stick butter, cut into 1/2’” slices
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• Grated ginger
• A few drops of fruit liqueur

Melt 2 tblsps of the butter in large sauté pan over high medium—put all the pineapple wedges in pan and let them cook without moving them, for at least 6 minutes—until the undersides are deeply browned—carefully flip the wedges and continue cooking another 5 minutes until deeply browned on both sides—reduce heat and add sugar, ginger and ½ cup water—cover and cook, flipping wedges after about 5 minutes, until pineapple is fork tender—remove wedges to serving plates—add remaining butter to pan, one piece at a time, whisking briskly after each piece—add a few drops of liqueur and return pan to heat for a minute or so to thicken sauce—spoon sauce over pineapple wedges and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream–

The Kitchen Hive