Pineapple carpaccio
A ridiculously easy pudding and palette cleanser that also happens to make great breakfast leftovers. What-is-more, the lime syrup can be used to flavour cakes and as a fruit salad dressing, so it is worth making up a large batch and keeping it in the fridge.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1.5 cup cold water
1 cup caster sugar
1 lime
2 large pineapples
250g mascarpone
170ml double cream
30g icing sugar
Method:
Place the water and sugar in a wide, flat-bottomed pan and bring to the boil. Try to avoid stiring the mixture because this can cause the sugar to crystallize. If you need to, swirl the pan every so often to help evenly disperse the sugar.
When all the sugar has fully dissolved turn the heat down and leave until the syrup has reduced by nearly half and is amber in colour.
Pour the syrup into a jug and allow to cool. When it has reached room temperature grate in the zest and pour in the juice of your whole lime. Stir and leave to one side.
Top and tail the first pineapple, stand on it's now flat base and carefully slice off the skin. At this point I would recommend halving the pineapple, horizontally, making it easier to handle. Using a sharp knife remove the core from each half and then slice to create wafer-thin slices. Arrange the slices on a flat-bottomed serving plate-to stop the syrup pooling in the centre-and repeat with the second pineapple. Pour the lime syrup over your pineapple slices, cover the plate and leave in the fridge until you are ready to eat.
Just before serving, beat the mascarpone with a fork until smooth. Add in the double cream, seive in the icing sugar and continue beating-there is no need for an electric whisk-until everything is combined. Transfer the now sweetened cream into a pretty serving bowl and place alongside the carpaccio.
-
If the future of Ferrari is electric vehicles, then it is our future tooIt's widely believed that Ferrari will unveil its first electric car this year. It's the signal that the internal combustion era is coming to an end.
-
Gaze over Cap Ferrat in this four-bedroom French villaIgnore the wind and the rain. Imagine yourself in this hillside home with some of the best views the Mediterranean can offer.
-
A Continental winter warmer: creamy onion soup with caramelised-onion toastSo long the bridesmaid, onions finally get their moment in the spotlight with this delicious and comforting winter soup.
-
Perfect roast goose recipe from Mark HixCooking the perfect Christmas goose, with delicious gravy, is a fantastic way to celebrate Christmas. Mark Hix explains how it's done.
-
How to make Toad in the hole, the ultimate British comfort foodTry Melanie Johnson's recipe for toad in the hole – the ultimate British comfort food – with a twist thanks to the addition of bacon and leeks.
-
The ultimate Boxing Day bacon sandwich – with a surprise ingredientSImon Hopkinson shares his recipe for a bacon sandwich with a perfect Christmassy twist.
-
The step-by-step, stress-free plan for cooking Christmas lunch, by Tom AikensTom Aikens shares his recipes and advice for the perfect Christmas lunch: turkey, cranberry, roast potatoes and all the trimmings
-
Recipe: Simon Hopkinson's Gravadlax, a delightful Swedish cured-salmon dishNothing packs the same aromatic punch as a home-cured salmon flavoured with dill fronds and schnapps – and if you have too much, try poaching the leftovers. Poaching instructions before the recipe.
-
A delicious shepherd's pie recipe to take away the winter chillShepherd's pie is a true British classic which always hits the spot – this delicious take on the dish comes from chef Christian Turner.
-
How to make a delicious Irish stew without potatoesAn Irish stew without potatoes might sound like a contradiction, but this lamb-neck and pearl-barley recipe gives the classic winter dish a rich twist.
