Recipes & Cutting Up A Pineapple

Recipes

(Portions of this were on our Belize Blog last year but Gail makes such  fabulous Ceviche and Salsa I thought I would share these recipes again.)

SHRIMP CEVICHE

(This can also be made with Conch and Lobster.)

Squeeze the juice from 6 limes

Use approx. 1 lb. of size 36/40 count Shrimp (Put thawed shrimp into a pan of boiling water for 1 minute...remove and immediately cool in a bowl of ice water. remove shell and devein...cut each piece of shrimp into 4-5 pieces.)

Put shrimp and lime juice into a 9X13 Pyrex dish, cover with Saran Wrap, and refrigerate for 2+ hours.

Chop and mix together:

1 tomato (can't remember for sure, but I think I took most of the seeds out and only used the meat of the tomato?!?!)

1 jalepeno pepper

1/2 onion (yellow or white)

1/4 red onion

Cilantro (as little or as much as you can tolerate--I didn't use much b/c I'm not a huge fan of cilantro)

1/2 small carrot

Plus, to the veggies, add:

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. garlic powder

2 t. vinegar

1 T. olive oil (I put in 2 T. but didn't like the way is looked in the container--opaque grease...yuck!)

After the 2+ hours of marinating the shrimp, add the veggie/spices mixture, cover, and refrigerate 2+ hours (they say the longer the better)...then enjoy!

Some of the recipes on-line call for avocadoes, if you like them...also green pepper would probably be good...use your imagination, but you can use the above as the base recipe.

SALSA

2 lbs roma tomatoes (you can use other tomatoes, but they have more juice in them and make the salsa a little runny)

1 onion chopped (yellow or white)

1 small can of green chili's

2 oz. canned jalapeno peppers (finely chopped) or 1 fresh one (finely chopped with seeds removed)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

1 T. sugar

1 T. vinegar
Chop tomatoes, onion, and peppers...mix all together...DO NOT COOK...store in GLASS containers in the refrigerator.

One year we made several gallons and it lasted in the refrigerator all winter...we also add some to chili.

BLACKENED SEASONING

For Blackened fish or chicken (great on any type of fish, especially on denser types of fish). The nice thing about this recipe is that the dish doesn't taste burnt even though you can get a nice blackened look. The sugar and the thyme caramelize and give it a wonderful flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 4 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions

1. Place ingredients in a small jar with a lid. Seal securely and shake vigorously to blend. Store in a cool dry place. Shake jar before each use.

CUTTING UP A PINEAPPLE


This is an easy and fun way to cut up a pineapple. 


There are many ways to cut up a pineapple but I have found this way is the easiest, has less waste, you don't have to mess with the eyes, and it allows you to readily cut up the pineapple in small pieces for freezing.

Once you have selected your pineapple, you take off the end.

Then you cut off about a quarter inch from each end making sure you get rid of the eyes (those little black things that you cannot chew and are a pain to get rid of when cutting the normal way). 

Now you set the pineapple on end and cut down through it creating two halves.  Do this again to make equal fourths.

Do this two more times so that you have the pineapple cut lengthwise into eight relatively equal pieces.

Take one of the pieces and look at the edge that is away from the skin.  You will be able see the different color of the core.

Cut this piece off and throw it away.  It is tough, hard to chew, and has no flavor.

Once you have removed the core from your piece, lay it flat on the cutting board, skin side down.  Since you have cut the pineapple into eighths, it will lay flat.  Take your knife and run it along the edge of the pineapple skin like you were filleting a fish.  When you do this make sure you cut above the eyes so they remain with the skin.

Next cut the slice of the pineapple into small sections.

Place these slices into a zip lock bag.  You can pick up all of the slices at one time on your knife and put them all in the bag at once.

Do this same thing with the other seven slices of your pineapple.

Place the zip lock bag in the freezer. 

You now have a nice supply of frozen pineapple slices good for mixing in drinks or eating like popsicles when the weather is hot.

EASY!