Wait! Before you say, “I don’t much care for pineapple,” (and I’d have to agree with you), take a look at this:
Ha! Did you think it was a big plate of prosciutto? That’s what we thought when our friend Adriana presented it at the end of a lavish luncheon last week. Imagine our surprise when we learned it was pineapple. I approached it with some caution, but it was so delicious I went back for seconds twice (I’m on a diet; there are no thirds).
The recipe is so simple you don’t have to go to a separate recipe page; I’m just going to tell you how to do it right now. Note: you’ll want to either have candied orange peel on hand or make it ahead of time.
First, squeeze a bunch of blood oranges (2, 3…) and reserve a few skins to make candied peel (below).
Second, peel and cut a pineapple into impossibly thin slices (Adriana used a meat slicer; I think a mandolin would work well, or any tool for shaving food).
Third, pour the blood orange juice over the pineapple and garnish with the candied orange peel.
I really don’t see how it could be any easier. Or tastier. The bitterness of the candied peel cuts the cloying pineapple sweetness, and the juice gives just the right amount of acidity.
Here’s how to candy the peel. Use a vegetable peeler to peel strips of the orange part of the skin (or yellow, if you’re doing lemon). Cut the peel into very thin slices. Briefly boil in three changes of water to take out the bitter oils. Then make a heavy sugar syrup – I used about 1/4 cup sugar in about 3/4 cup water. Toss in the peels and boil them til the water has evaporated. Remove the somewhat sticky peels and roll them around in granulated sugar. Set out on waxed paper to dry. It keeps very well for quite a while, better in the refrigerator.
An Ex-Expatriate 
Yum yum! One of my French friends had carpaccio of pineapple the other night when we went out for dinner, and that was pretty nice too… I usually find pineapple too acidic, but done either of these ways works for me. Thanks for giving me a heads up on the weather-front, by the way. I’ve been sobbing since I read your message… sniff sniff!
I never thought of calling it carpaccio of pineapple, but that’s a perfect way to describe it. Was your friends’ dressed differently?
Yes, it wasn’t quite like this. Just very thin slices of pineapple on their own. Tasty though! Did the sun shine for you today? It got quite warm here!
Sun did not put in an appearance until today, 5-12, but glorious to see it. Apricots are mostly ruined as are the cherries – very disappointing. I had been counting my apricots before they ripened and planning jam. Phoo.
That looks great! I’ll be back in Australia soon where we get great pineapples. I’ll try it soon. Thank you.
Buon viaggio – come back ‘home’ to Italy soon!
Looks & sounds fab, but then I like pineapple.
Thanks for stopping by earlier.
To each her own. I don’t much care for p.a. as a rule, but loved it in this treatment. So I guess I DO like p.a. It’s easy and really good. I like your blog very much, will be back often.
You got me with that photo. What a simply wonderful dish to end a meal. Being from the islands, pineapple is the norm although I much prefer the Maui white pineapple (smaller in size, paler in color, less acidic). And I swear I heard somewhere that pineapple is good for those on a diet???
Ha! I looked up the pineapple diet – looks like it’s just a common sense diet with some pineapple thrown in (I’m oversimplifying of course). Maui whites? Never heard of ’em, but I bet they’re more delicate. I’m glad you’re back!