Grilled Pineapple Salsa

As an interior designer, I love the concept of the family room -- a space where family and friends gather in the evening to share stories and experiences from their day. Nowadays, it’s most commonly open to the kitchen. The idea is to bring the family together in this joined space; while people are preparing food in the kitchen, they are still able to participate in conversations with those seated in the living space. Families are so busy with various activities outside of the home, that this space provides the opportunity for daily family time.

In the home where I grew up, the kitchen was separate from the living room, but contained a bar-height counter overlooking the stovetop. Each night at 5 o’clock my mom would enter the kitchen and begin pulling out the various veggies and meats she needed to prepare dinner. As the sounds of pots being placed on the stovetop and a knife slicing on a cutting board echoed through our home, my dad would close things up in his home office and take a seat at the counter in the kitchen. The only tv was in the living room, so all that could be heard in the kitchen were sauces happily simmering away, drawers being opened and closed, and my parents discussing their days at work.

As the aroma of food being cooked reached my nose, I would make my way to the kitchen and climb onto the barstool next to my dad. He would pour us a small bowl of salsa and open a bag of tortilla chips, and then we would munch on these while chatting with my mom as she continued to cook dinner. This became a ritual that my dad and I shared for years. Even after my family moved to a larger home where the kitchen was open to the family room, my dad would turn on the five o’clock news and take a seat at the counter. He would pour a bowl of salsa and snack on this while my mom and I would whirl about the kitchen chopping veggies and stirring sauces on the cooktop. If I wasn’t in the kitchen helping with dinner, then I was sitting next to my dad, watching the news and chatting, and munching on chips and salsa.

I discovered this recipe while searching for a fun salsa variation for my Cinco de Mayo dinner. I have had fruit salsas in the past and just adore the vibrant juiciness of the fruit on your tongue followed by the subtle heat of the peppers. Charring the fruits and veggies on the grill is not only fun, but it gives a wonderful smoky depth to the salsa. I have played around with this recipe several times and I found I prefer to add an extra bell pepper. If you like your salsas to pack a punch, add more jalapenos, or substitute a habanero pepper instead of a jalapeno.

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Recipe from Serious Eats 

Serves 6-8 as appetizer

Ingredients:

1 large pineapple, skinned and cut into 1-inch rounds

1-2 red bell peppers

1-2 medium jalapeños, depending on the heat you prefer

1 small red onion, finely diced

1/2 cup loosely-packed, finely chopped cilantro

2 small limes, juiced

Salt

Recipe:

1. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all of the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, put out and spread the coals evenly over the charcoal grate. (If using a gas grill, turn burners on to high and heat for 10-15 mintues). Clean and oil the grilling grate. (For gas grill, turn burners to medium heat).

2. Place the pineapple slices, bell pepper and jalapeño on the grill.

3. Cook the pineapple until browned, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from grill, core and chop into medium-sized pieces. Place in a medium-sized bowl.

4. Cook the peppers until completely charred all over. Remove from the grill, place in a plastic bag and seal.

5. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes, peel off their skins. Chop the bell pepper into medium pieces and the jalapeño finely. Add to the bowl with the pineapple.

6. Add the onion, cilantro and lime juice to the bowl and toss until well combined. Season with salt to taste and serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy!