Enjoy a bowl of tangy pineapple with ginger and cardamom syrup
As we inch ever closer to the end of the year, our cravings tend to move away from hearty meat and veg and towards fresh and simple light meals. Food doyenne Michele Cranston has certainly had her share of culinary gymnastics, but has gone back to basics to create her latest book, A Simple Table, offering a selection of fresh recipes for every day. No longer will you stare longingly at your fridge looking for inspiration – Michele has crafted more than 100 uncomplicated yet impressive recipes for you to whip up. The next time you entertain, finish with this wonderfully aromatic combination of pineapple with ginger and cardamom syrup, perfect for the summer months.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup sugar
4 cardamom pods, crushed
2-cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 fresh pineapple
mint leaves, to serve
TO MAKE
Put the sugar, cardamom pods, ginger, vanilla bean and lime juice in a saucepan with 1/3 cup of water. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool before pouring into a jug. Chill until ready to use.
Remove the skin from the pineapple and cut the flesh into 2 cm dice. Put the pineapple in a bowl and pour over the spiced syrup.
Serve the pineapple salad with fresh mint leaves and, if you like, lime or mango sorbet.
Alternative: Passionfruit and lime syrup
Put one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan. Add one small stem of bruised lemongrass and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes.
Stir 1/2 cup of passionfruit pulp into the hot syrup before removing from the heat. When cool, remove the lemongrass from the syrup, add two tablespoons lime juice and store in a glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator.
Recipes and images from A Simple Table by Michele Cranston, published by Murdoch Books.
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