March 28, 2013

Bear Essentials: Pineapple
( + Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes )




Sure, this is a lot of rum for one recipe - especially for something that's meant to be eaten for breakfast.  

And you're saying that's a bad thing?






You shouldn't be.  It's delicious.  And that's coming from someone who detests the taste of alcohol.  And I know it's never actually true when someone says this, but I promise you it's true now: you can't even taste the alcohol.  You just taste...deliciousness.  




Oh.  You want something a little more explanatory than "delicious?"  How about: these pancakes gave me the perfect excuse to use maple syrup, but I chose not to.  Not that you need an excuse, if you're the kind of person who would bathe in maple syrup if it wasn't so cost-prohibitive.  Not that I know any people like that.  Ahem.




But in case you're still having trouble justifying this, I made you a list of reasons why it's okay to eat these pancakes:

(1)   Booze at breakfast forboden?  Pancakes for dinner.  Problem.  Solved.
(2)   Rum is alcohol, which is a disinfectant, which are basically antibiotics.  This isn't just healthy, 
        it's preventatively healthy.
(3)  We're grown-ups now, and that means we get to eat pineapple rumcakes for dinner any time 
       we want.  No excuses required.




There is no part of me that misses childhood.






Pineapple Upside-Down Pancakes
by Moderne Barne
in Bon Appetit

Pineapple:
Unsalted Butter  [ 1 tablespoon ]
Cinnamon Stick  [ 1, broken in half ]
Fresh Pineapple  [ 1, large, peeled, cored, and cut into 8   1/2-inch rounds ]
Dark Rum  [ 3/4 cup ]
Dark Brown Sugar  [ packed, 1/4 cup ]

Pancakes:
Flour  [ 1 cup ]
Sugar  [ 3 tablespoons ]
Baking Soda  [ 1 teaspoon ]
Kosher Salt  [ 3/4 teaspoon ]
Buttermilk  [ 1 cup ]
Egg  [ 1 ]
Unsalted Butter  [ 2 tablespoons, melted ]
Vanilla Extract  [ 1/2 teaspoon ]

Make Pineapple:
1.   In a large pan over Medium heat, stir Butter and Cinnamon Stick until Butter has melted and starts
        to brown.
2.   Add Pineapple and cook until light golden brown; flip and repeat on other side  [ this will take about 10
         minutes total ].
3.   Remove pan from heat.
4.   Add Rum and Brown Sugar; stir and return to heat.
5.   Raise heat to Medium-High and cook mixture until reduced to a syrupy consistency.
6.   Remove Pineapple to a plate; set Syrup aside to cool.

Make Pancakes:
7.   Heat oven to 325 degrees.
8.   Place a gridded wire rack on a baking sheet; set aside for later.
9.   Whisk together Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, and Salt.
10.   Whisk in Buttermilk, Egg, Butter, and Vanilla Extract until Batter is smooth.
11.   Heat a griddle or heavy pan to Medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
12.  Pour 1/4 cup of Batter into pan and cook until small bubbles start to appear on the top and pancake is
           golden brown [ this should take about 2 minutes ]. 
12.   Place a Pineapple Ring on top of Pancake and flip it.
13.   Cook until golden brown [ about another 2 minutes ].
14.   Remove Pancake to rack on baking sheet; bake until cooked through  [ about 5 minutes ]
15.   Repeat with remaining Pancake Batter.  Depending on the size of your griddle, you may be able to cook
           several Pancakes at once.

Finish Dish:
16.   Over low heat, re-warm Syrup.
17.   Plate Pancakes and serve with warmed Syrup.


Makes 8  4-inch pancakes.



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