Recipes: The Brazilian Kitchen by Leticia Moreinos Shwartz
Abacaxi Picante com Manchego no Palito
(Pineapple Manchego Skewers)
1/2 pound fresh pineapple, peeled and chopped into 20 1/2 in. cubes
6 ounces Manchego Cheese, chopped into 20 1/2 in. cubes
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp water
2 tbsp salted butter
1/8 tsp cayene pepper
1/8 tsp cinnamon
20 toothpicks or fancy skewers
Heat sauce pan over high heat and add the sugar and water. Cook until it becomes a light amber color, about 2-3 minutes. Watch this very closely; it will turn from amber to black in what seems like the blink of an eye. Add the butter and swirl the pan, this will pop and bubble so protect your arms. Whisk the butter into the sugar mixture until is well blended and has an even consistency. Reduce the heat to low and add the spices. Cook the caramel whisking constantly until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Add the pineapple cubes and swirl the pan around allowing the pineapple to caramelize in the sauce until it turns light golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Using a toothpick, skewer a single cube of pineapple and layer it on top of a cube of cheese. Do this for each piece, then drizzle the remaining caramel evenly over each skewer. Serve hot (but it is just as delicious made ahead and served cold).
Wow, did that first batch of caramel taste scorched! And it wasn't even black, it was just dark brown. The mixture will bubble and foam and make you think it's going to take a long time to turn amber colored, as nothing will appear to be happening, but trust me, the minute you think "I'll just get the toothpicks out of the drawer which is right next to the stove," the stuff will scorch on you. It absolutely requires 100% attention. The second batch came out superb and was a big hit with the troops.
The recipe calls for you to make perfectly identical cubes for aesthetic effect. I didn't even try and it didn't detract one bit from the beauty or the flavor of this appetizer.
About the book:
I haven't read anything in the past week. Last weekend (after loosing my phone) I thought, since I couldn't call anyone, I'd just read like old fashioned people did. I turned on my Kindle and lo, it was broken! I made a lot of jokes about being afraid to touch my ipod for fear that my technology was cursed. Amazon is sending me a replacement soon, so look for Iracema updates as well as beef roll recipes soon.
Funny that "reading like old fashioned people did" requires a Kindle! :-)
ReplyDeleteHope everything's working again, and that one of these days I'll get free and taste some delectable deliciousnesses.
(Apparently spell-checker has no problem with "deliciousnesses.")