Seasonal pantry: Tasty ideas for pineapple

Where do we draw the line when it comes to eating locally? Is it black-and-white, or gray?

I feel strongly that if there is a local option, it is best to choose it. But what about those foods that do not thrive here? Do we wait for a visit to, say, Hawaii to enjoy pineapple and eschew mangos and papaya because they are not local crops?

I believe this is a personal decision that we all have to make for ourselves and feel that putting thought into it is the most important element. It’s better to be a mindful eater than a mindless shopper.

Personally, I don’t eat out-of-season fruits and vegetables from the southern hemisphere, partly because they don’t taste very good and partly because I don’t want watermelon or apricots in January. Most things taste best in their own true season and harvested for taste, not shelf life.

I do love pineapple here at home, especially during hot weather, and, as I’ve been revising my book “Salt & Pepper,” I’ve been reminded of the extraordinary pineapple from the island of Borneo and how mesmerized I was when I first tasted it seasoned with black pepper. (For photographs of some of those Malaysian pineapples, visit “Eat This Now” at pantry.blogs.pressdemocrat.com.)

This year, the Hawaiian pineapples I’ve had are quite good, full-flavored and sweet. Each time I eat some. I want more, and so I’ve been indulging myself every which way.

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Simple grilled pineapple is delicious, but you don’t need a recipe for it. Just grill it, season it with salt and pepper and serve it alongside chicken, pork, rice dishes or even neat, as an appetizer. Here, I use it to make a wonderful salsa that is excellent with all manner of seafood.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Makes about 2½ cups

½ fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into ½ -inch thick slices

1 garlic clove, minced

½ red onion, cut into a small dice

1 to 2 serranos or other hot chiles, stemmed and minced

½ teaspoon chipotle powder, plus more to taste

2 tablespoons tequila

- Juice of 1 lime

3 tablespoons mild olive oil

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

Prepare an outdoor grill or stove-top grill. Grill the pineapple until it just begins to take on some color, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set aside to cool. When the pineapple is cool enough to handle, cut it into small dice and transfer it to a medium mixing bowl.

Add the garlic, onion and serranos and toss gently. Stir in the chipotle powder and add the tequila, lime and olive oil.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the cilantro, cover and set aside for 30 minutes so that the flavors mingle.

Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Last year, I made about 30 jars of pineapple chutney and I’m now down to my last one. I gave most of them away as gifts, but kept a couple to enjoy with rice and dal, curries and biryani.

Pineapple Chutney

Makes about 5 cups

1 cup golden raisins

1½ cups apple cider vinegar

1 fresh ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into small dice

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

- Kosher salt

½ cup light brown sugar

1 small red onion, cut into small dice

1 serrano, minced

2 teaspoons white mustard seed

- Generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes

- Black pepper in a mill

Put the raisins into a medium bowl, pour the vinegar over them and set aside for 30 minutes.

Put the pineapple into a medium saucepan, add the ginger, season with several pinches of salt and stir in the sugar. Set over medium-low heat and cook gently, stirring now and then, until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the onion, serrano, mustard seed and red pepper flakes. Stir and continue to cook until the mixture thickens.

Season generously with black pepper, taste and correct for acid, salt and sugar balance.

Continue until thick and golden brown. Ladle into hot sterilized canning jars, cool slightly and cover with their seals and lids.

Stored in the refrigerator, the chutney will keep for several months.

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As usual, September is hotter than the earlier months of summer and there’s a good chance October will be, too. Mojitos make a great way to cool off on a warm night.

Few beverages are more refreshing on a hot day than tangy mojitos. Here, I’ve used simple syrup seasoned with white and black peppercorns and added cilantro leaves to the traditional fresh mint.

Black Pepper Mojitos with Pineapple Spears

Serves 6 to 8

6 to 8 highball glasses

½ cup very fresh spearmint leaves

¼ cup very fresh cilantro leaves

- Generous pinch of granulated sugar

- Generous pinch of flake salt

- Crush ice or ice cubes

10 to 12 ounces best-quality white rum

6 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice

3 ounces fresh pineapple juice (see Note below)

½ cup Simple Syrup with Pepper (recipe follows)

- Chilled sparkling water

- Mint sprigs

6 to 8 pineapple spears, cut lengthwise from a whole pineapple, seasoned lightly with salt and pepper

Put the glasses into the refrigerator to chill.

Put the spearmint and cilantro into a suribachi or mortar, add sugar and salt and muddle (i.e., pound and stir) with a wooden pestle to release aromas. Set aside.

Fill a 2-quart pitcher half full with ice. Add the rum, lime juice, pineapple juice and simple syrup. Stir in the muddled herbs, taste and correct for sweetness and salt. Top off with chilled sparkling water.

To serve, set the chilled glasses on a tray and fill with the mojito mixture, leaving about an inch of room at the top. Add a pineapple spear and sprig of mint to each glass and enjoy immediately.

Simple Syrup with Pepper

Makes about 2 cups

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon crushed white peppercorns

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Combine the sugar, white peppercorns, and 1 cup water in a small heavy saucepan set over high heat; do not stir. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup transparent. Remove from the heat, add the black peppercorns, cover, and cool to room temperature. Strain into a glass jar, cover, refrigerate and use as needed.