Pineapple with star anise
Star anise brings out the sweetness in pineapple. You could also add sliced red chillies for an extra kick.
Ingredients
- 1 large pineapple, peeled and cut into thick slices
- 200g/7oz demerara sugar
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter
- few star anise, broken up
- 1 lemongrass, roughly chopped
- 1 piece pared lime zest
- 100ml/3½fl oz rum
To serve (optional)
- crème fraîche, ice cream or coconut-flavoured dairy-free ice cream
Method
Spread the demerara sugar over a plate and dip the pineapple in it, coating both sides. Melt the butter in a large heavy frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the pineapple, star anise, lemongrass and lime zest and cook until browned on both sides – you want the sugar to melt onto the pineapple and turn a dark brown/almost black colour.
Heat the rum in a ladle, carefully set alight, and pour over the pineapple. Wait for the rum to burn off – keep on the heat until the contents of the pan look syrupy. Serve the pineapple with the syrupy juices poured over, with crème fraîche, ice cream or coconut-flavoured dairy-free ice cream on the side.