I love colors. I do!
I especially love the color yellow...and the energy it brings with it..
Have you ever tried adding a touch of yellow to your rooms and did you notice how much brighter it seemed suddenly??
"Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place,
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace...
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste...
Now I am here with you.."
I also love singing... without any reason or occasion :P
I also love Mr.Sun..Anyone familiar with me knows that by now. While I enjoy the drizzle and pitter patter or raindrops,I mostly croon "rain rain go away, lil S wants to play" when it rains continuously!
So anyways,I was coming back from work one day, and I saw the most gloriously yellow pineapples at my regular fruit vendor...and as soon as I saw them, I knew I simply had to buy them!!
Pineapples are a rather interesting and delicious fruit...I love the sweetness of its slices with the underlying hint of tartness..Its juice is of course a rather popular and common drink..I also make a few cocktails using pineapple which I will try to share with you guys soon!!
But this post is about a simple Pineapple Carpaccio.. with an intriguing dressing!!
I got the idea for this particular dish from Chef Gordon Ramsay... I tend to go about my work when at home, with one or the other cooking channel playing in the back ground..and in this instance, he had me at "Carpaccio". That word, I love the melody of that word..Car-pa-chio .. Sounds almost lyrical doesn't it?
Well the hot tempered uber talented ched who had once been made to cry by the legend Marco Pierre White had piqued my interest at that suggestive mellifluous phrase...Pineapple Carpaccio!
.His version , was totally like mine except that I swapped his vanilla infused salt for a yumm dressing..although I did sprinkle some regular sea salt on top ( Thanks Gordon...I was listening to ya)!!
Pineapples go really well with a spicy dressing ... I especially adore spicy dressings, that are void of cream and egg yolks or mayo ...and are simpler infused flavorful versions.
I made this dressing at the spur of the moment,..and just like that I fell in love with it too..
For anything to qualify as Carpaccio, you have to make sure you slice the fruits really thin.. You shud almost be able to see the shape of your hand if you put it behind the slice..Thats carpaccio. And thats not easy to do..but I did..and the texture you get with a mouthful of the thinly sliced pineaplle slices, juicy pomegranates and the dressing is like a Bollywood party in your mouth..!!
Its simply bursting with freshness and flavor... Make this today. Or anytime you want a little sunshine in your life.
Its important to not only stop and smell the roses but to revel in how incredibly beautiful they are. Give yourself a much deserved reward with this rather fresh and delicious salad..
Love,
a happy and sunny,
S :)
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 pineapple,cut in half and very thinly sliced.
- For the dressing:
- 50ml water
- 20g sugar
- 1/2 red chilli, sliced
- small bunch of mint
- 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
- juice from 1 lime
- For the Garnish :
- 6 - 8 mint leaves very finely shredded
- 2 Green chillies, chopped,deseeded.
- Green Onions sliced finely (only white parts of the stalk) -2 tbsp .
- 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds
- pinch or two of sea salt flakes
Instructions:
- Start off by making the dressing in advance as it needs sufficient time to infuse well and chill..
- Bring the water, sugar and chilli to the boil in a small sauce pan and cook it for about 5 minutes until it starts to thicken into a syrup. Strain and remove the chillie.
- Pour the hot sauce over the ginger, mint and lime juice and allow it to cool.
- Store in the fridge until required. Over night is good.But 4-5 hrs would also work.
- Next prepare the fruits :
- Finely slice the pineapple as thin as you can, carefully ...It should be thin enoufh to see the outline of your hand..
- Arrange the pieces fanned out on a platter.
- When ready to serve,drizzle the dressing evenly over the pineapple and scatter the mint,chillies and pomegranate to garnish.
- Sprinkle the sea salt..
- Enjoy!
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