Frugal Fruit: Frozen Pineapple

As a young kid, I seem to remember having fresh pineapple once or twice.  Fresh pineapple was expensive, hard to come by, and the large spiky fruit was a bit scary before it was peeled and cored for eating.  These days, pineapple, and many other fruits, are much more accessible and there are different varieties available including what I call the double sweet pineapples that are much less acidic and doubly sweet.  I like pineapple in a variety of dishes including fruit smoothies, and fresh fruit salads.  I also like putting pineapple in traditionally savory dishes, such as pineapple fried rice, or as a sweet offset to shrimp curry.

Although fresh pineapple is more available, I find that a great low cost alternative is frozen pineapple.  Usually frozen at the peak of ripeness, I find the frozen to be relatively high quality and convenient to add small amounts into salads or smoothies. Below are two of our favorite dishes. I serve the ambrosia as a fruit based dessert. It has no added sweetener and uses unsweetened coconut.  It is particularly good when the orange season wasn’t too rainy; this year had particularly tasty oranges.  For the pineapple rice, I like to serve this as a tasty alternative to plainer fried rice, or as part of a meal for guests.  Like all fried rice dishes, it is a good receptacle of leftover vegetables and meats.  Both recipes can be made with frozen or fresh pineapple.

Ambrosia
serves about 4

2 cups frozen pineapple, defrosted
2 oranges, peel cut off and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup dried coconut (I use organic unsweetened)

Combine the pineapple, oranges and coconut in a serving bowl.  Squeese the juice from the peels and ends of the orange over the fruit.  Mix well, and let sit for at least 15 minutes to soften coconut slightly.  Serve immediately, or store covered in the refrigerator.

Pineapple Fried Rice
serves about 2

2 cups leftover cooked rice, chilled
1-2 slices ham (optional)
1 carrot, shredded
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup frozen pineapple, defrosted
1 T cooking oil
1 t curry powder
salt to taste

In a large skillet or wok over high heat, add the oil and stir fry the onion, ham and carrots for a few minutes until the onion is translucent.  Add the curry powder and fry until the spices are fragrant, about a minute.  Add pineapple and peas and chilled rice.  Stir well to break up the rice and coat the grains with the curry mixture.  Stir-fry until heated through.  Add salt to taste and serve.  You can garnish with cashews or cilantro leaves.

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