Pineapple sauce

Active: 10 minutes; Total: 20 minutes; Yield: 2 cups 

Pineapple, fresh, finely chopped	2 cups
Sugar, dark brown	1/3 cup
Salt, fine sea	¼ teaspoon
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon
Corn syrup	¼ cup
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon

1. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, and cornstarch. 
2. Stir in the corn syrup and pineapple; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. 
3. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice. 
5. Cool completely before using; store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Painkiller

Active: 5 minutes; Serves: 1

Rum, dark (Pusser’s preferred)	2 ounces
Pineapple juice, fresh	4 ounces
Orange juice, fresh	1 ounce
Cream of coconut	1 ounce
Nutmeg, freshly grated	Garnish

1. Shake all ingredients (excluding the garnish) with ice. 
2. Pour into a glass filled with ice. 
3. Garnish with nutmeg, and a pineapple wedge, if you’re feeling fancy.

Seared scallops with basil risotto

Active: 1 hour; Serves: 4

Pineapple juice	2 cups
Vegetable broth	1 ½ cups
Butter, unsalted	3 tablespoons
Onions, yellow, minced	1/3 cup
Garlic, minced	1 tablespoon
Rice, arborio, uncooked	1 ¼ cups
Parmesan, freshly grated	3/4 cups
Salt	½ teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	¼ teaspoon +
Basil, fresh, minced	3 tablespoons
Sea scallops	1 pound
Vegetable oil	2 tablespoons +
Microgreens	½ cup

1. Combine the juice and broth in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. 
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover with a lid and remove from the heat. 
3. Heat the butter in a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. 
4. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 
6. Add a ladle of the hot juice mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed. 
7. Continue adding the hot liquid to the saucepan, one ladle at a time and stirring intermittently, until the rice is no longer crunch, about 30 minutes. 
8. Stir in the cheese, salt, and pepper, then turn off the heat and stir in the basil; set aside, covered, while you cook the scallops. 
9. Pat the scallops dry, then season with salt and pepper. 
10. Heat the oil in a medium skillet set over medium-high heat. 
11. Once the oil is hot, add half of the scallops and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. 
12. Flip the scallops once, then tilt the skillet and baste them with the oil. 
13. Continue cooking the scallops an additional 1 minute, until no longer translucent. 
14. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining scallops, adding more oil as needed. 
15. Divide the risotto among serving plates and top with the scallops. 
16. Garnish with the microgreens and serve. 

Recipe from The Secret Ingredient Cookbook, July 2021.

Building a better banana split

Strawberries, rinsed, hulled, coarsely chopped	1 pint
Cream, heavy	1 pint + 2/3 cup + ½ cup
Half-n-half	1 ½ pints
Eggs, lightly beaten	2 large
Sugar, granulated	1 ½ cups + 1/3 cup
Flour	1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon + 1 teaspoon
Cocoa powder, Dutch processed	1 tablespoon + ¼ cup
Sugar, dark brown	¼ cup + 2/3 cup
Salt	¼ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon
Cornstarch	1 tablespoon
Corn syrup	¼ cup + ½ cup
Pineapple, fresh, finely chopped	2 cups
Lemon juice	1 teaspoon
Chocolate, bittersweet, chopped	3 ounces + 3 ounces
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Almonds, chopped, toasted	½ cup
Banana, peeled, split in half lengthwise	1 large
Cherries, maraschino	2

1. Set aside about one-third of the chopped strawberries. 
2. Combine the remaining strawberries and 1/3-cup sugar in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. 
3. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens. 
4. Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved strawberries and 1-teaspoon vanilla. 
5. Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature; store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 
6. In a large bowl, beat the eggs, 1 ½-cups sugar, flour, and 1-teaspoon vanilla until creamy; add 1-pint cream and half-n-half. 
7. Divide the custard equally into three smaller bowls. 
8. Cover one bowl of plain vanilla with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator. 
9. In one bowl, whisk in 1-tablespoon cocoa powder; cover with plastic wrap and chill. 
10. In the last bowl, whisk in 1-cup of the strawberry sauce; cover with plastic wrap and chill. 
11. Pour the vanilla custard into your favorite ice cream making machine and churn into a frozen confection, following the manufacture’s instructions; store overnight in an airtight container to make the ice cream freeze harder. 
12. Repeat with the chocolate and strawberry custards, cleaning between batches. 
13. Meanwhile, make the pineapple sauce by combining the 1/3-cup dark brown sugar, salt, and cornstarch in a saucepan. 
14. Stir in ¼-cup corn syrup and pineapple. 
15. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. 
16. Cook until it starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
17. Remove from heat, and stir in the lemon juice. 
18. Cool completely before using; store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. 
19. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the 2/3-cup cream, ½-cup corn syrup, 1/3-cup brown sugar, ¼-cup cocoa powder, salt, and 3-ounces chocolate to a boil. 
20. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
21. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining chocolate, butter, and 1-teaspoon vanilla, stirring until smooth. 
22. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before using; store in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute until its pourable but still thick. 
23. Whip ½-cup cream until stiff peaks form; spoon into a pastry bag that has a star tip attached, and chill until needed. 
24. Place the banana in a long boat dish. 
25. Place a large scoop of chocolate ice cream between the split banana in the center of the dish. 
26. Add an equally large scoop of vanilla and strawberry ice cream on either side of the chocolate. 
27. Spoon the pineapple sauce over the vanilla ice cream. 
28. Spoon the strawberry sauce over the strawberry ice cream. 
29. Pour the hot fudge over the chocolate ice cream. 
30. Generously pipe two large blobs of whipped cream between the ice cream scoops, and sprinkle with toasted almonds. 
31. Top the cream blobs with cherries.

Pineapple angel food cake

Pineapple, crushed; strain juice for 30 minutes	20 ounces
Egg whites, room temperature	12
Flour, cake, sifted	1 ¼ cups
Sugar, granulated	¾ cup + 1 cup
Cream of tartar	1 ½ teaspoon
Salt, fine	½ teaspoon
Vanilla extract	2 teaspoons
Sugar, powdered, sifted	2 cups
Butter, very soft	2 tablespoons

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
2. Sift the flour and ¾ cup sugar together; lightly fold to combine. 
3. Beat the egg whites until foamy. 
4. Add the cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla, and beat until soft peaks form. 
5. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form. 
6. Sprinkle flour-sugar mixture over the whites, and gently fold in. 
7. Fold in the drained pineapple. 
8. Pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan. 
9. Bake about 30 minutes, or until a cake test comes out clean. 
10. Invert the cake pan on a wire rack, and let set for 1 hour to cool.
11. Run a spatula around the rim to release the cake; it will release very slowly (or tear if rushed). 
12. For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar and butter, and mix well. 
13. Add the pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the glaze is slightly runny. 
14. Spoon over the cake so that it drizzles down the sides. 

Recipe from Recipes from the Pacific Rim by Marjie Lambert.

Cumin-glazed ribs with avocado-pineapple salsa

Active: 45 minutes; Chill: 2 to 10 hours; Total: 12 hours; Serves: 4+

Ancho chili powder	¼ cup
Cumin seeds, freshly ground	¼ cup + 1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	2 tablespoons
Pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Baby back ribs	5 pounds
Water
Jalapeños, seeded, thinly sliced	4
Garlic, smashed	8 cloves
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	½ cup + 2 tablespoons
Honey	½ cup
Pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into ½-inch-thick rings	1 pound
Sugar, light brown	2 tablespoons
Onion, red, finely diced	¼ cup
Cilantro, chopped	½ cup
Avocado, large, diced	1

1. In a bowl, combine the ancho powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. 
2. Set the ribs on a rimmed baking sheet, and rub with the spice mix. 
3. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 10 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 325°F (Roast setting, if you have it). 
5. Add one-fourth inch of water to the sheet with the ribs; bake for 45 minutes, until barely tender. 
6. Cover with foil, and bake until tender, about 30 minutes more. 
7. Pour off the juices, and set aside. 
8. In a blender, puree three-fourth of the jalapeños with the garlic, ½-cup lime juice, and the reserved pan juices; blend in the honey and remaining cumin. 
9. Transfer the glaze to a saucepan, and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 15 minutes. 
10. Raise the oven temperature to 450°F. 
11. Brush the ribs with half of the glaze. 
12. Roast until well glazed, turning once, about 20 minutes. 
13. Brush with remaining glaze. 
14. Preheat a grill or the broiler. 
15. Grill the pineapple over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 5 minutes. 
16. Finely dice, and transfer to a bowl. 
17. Add the sugar, onion, cilantro, avocado, the remaining jalapeños, and the remaining lime juice. 
18. Season with salt and pepper. 
19. Grill or broil the ribs over high heat, turning once, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. 
20. Cut between the bones, and serve with the salsa.

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2012.