What to do with a fresh pineapple
Fresh pineapples (or ananas) look inviting and menacing at the same time. You’d like to try one, but it looks a bit scary. Hmmm, let’s go for tinned to be safe…
But no! Pineapples are not scary, they are very tasty when fresh. They are also very powerful, in that they can soften meat with their built-in enzymes. Don’t suck on pineapple for too long or your tongue will fall out!
Ok that’s a bit exagerated, but don’t put pineapple in a salad with meat two days beforehand, because the meat will go very mushy indeed.
Now how to go about it? First you have to pick the right one. Look for fruit that has an even colour all over and that’s not too green. Then make sure that the greengrocer isn’t watching and gently pull on one of the leaves. If it comes off with just a bit of resistance, the pineapple is ripe and ready for consumption. Buy it.
When you’re ready to cut it, put it on its side and use a large, rigid knife to cut a slice from the bottom. Also cut the crown off, resulting in a somewhat cilindrical shape. Put it on a board on one of its now flat ends.
Now cut off strips of the skin from top to bottom. Use a ’saw’ motion, preferably with a jagged knife. Don’t cut the strips too thin - make sure all the hard bits come off. Go round the fruit until all the skin is removed.
Using a similar technique, start cutting the flesh away from the hard core. If you suddenly meet resistance, you’re either cutting into the core or into your fingers. Either is no good. You don’t really need a saw-like motion for the soft pineapple flesh. You can also put both hands on top of your knife and gently push down. Make sure the pineapple doesn’t topple over - lay it on its side if needed and just cut away the last bits.
Save the chunks in an air-tight container in the fridge if you do not use them right away. Don’t keep them for too long, because they will ferment and develop a nasty taste in a few days. Have them fresh - as intended.
Be careful. Enjoy.
