Baked Fresh Pineapple

Fresh pineapple- what's not to love?

As a child of the 60's it was exotic and whispered of far away lands where life was certainly more romantic (and sunnier) than suburban West London.

Pineapple normally entered into my life in tins. Chunks and slices, occasionally crushed. Served with Carnation or as part of an upside down pudding, dotted with cherries and served with custard. My mother was fond of dressing up a gammon steak with pineapple but as I didn't care for gammon in the first place this was a mystifying ritual to me. And party hedgehogs - bliss. A poor grapefruit stuck all over with toothpicks either bearing a small chunk of cheddar cheese or a pineapple chunk - fun for the kids to make and even more fun to ravage! But fresh pineapple remained remote and aloof.

Once I was mistress of my own food destiny, fresh pineapple strode into my recipes like a long awaited knight on a white steed. (OK, I may be overdoing that just a tad). Fruit salads became zestier (and not from a tin), chocolate fondues (previously limited to strawberries, bananas, apples and peaches) became more cosmopolitan - well, you get the picture.

And somewhere along the line (I believe it was during a trip to Spain) I had a baked pineapple. I immediately set about trying to refine this and here is the result.

Baked Fresh Pineapple

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 fresh pineapple

2oz butter

1 cup soft brown sugar

Toasted flaked coconut

Brandy or Malibu (optional - cannot stand drinking it, but for some reason there is always a bottle left over after any party- this is the only use I make of it.)

Method

1. Remove 'crown' from pineapple and save (wear kitchen gloves or wrap with a teatowel as it's a spikey little bugger)


2. Cut pinapple into four segments vertically (hint: use the biggest, sharpest knife in your arsenal. I personally lay the pineapple flat, stab in the middle and lever down through the flesh then repeat in the other direction)


3. Remove central core


4. Run knife between flesh and skin, the slice down into triangular segments - whilst keeping within skin.


5. Cut butter into slices small enough to force between pineapple segments


6. Place into overproof dish


7. Pour booze of choice over the top


8. Cover with sugar


9. Bake for 30 mins, gas mark 6


10. 10 mins before end sprinkle coconut flakes over pineapple


11. Serve in individual bowls with cream.