SOUTHWESTERN PINEAPPLE SAUCE

Makes about 2 cups (480 ml) of sauce The most exciting part of this dip is the part where you get to set a pepper on fire! We’re not even kidding: to roast the pepper, we use our stovetop burner and roast it like a marshmallow. If you’re not able to do that, it can also be done in your oven on the hottest setting. But it’s a lot of fun to watch the pepper catch on fire. When the pepper is nice and roasted, you peel off the burned skin to reveal a smoky and slightly sweet southwestern-flavored pepper perfect for pairing with pineapple! We love this as a dip for carrots, cauliflower, and our Fool’s Gold Chicken Nuggets (p. 81). We bet you’ll like to put it on fish, veggies, or just about anything! INGREDIENTS • 3 medium poblano peppers, roasted • 1 (20 oz (567 g)) can pineapple chunks or one whole pineapple • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cider vinegar • ¼ tsp salt INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP 1. Roast peppers, either over an open flame or under the broiler (turning every few minutes) until blackened on all sides. 2. Cover hot peppers (airtight) and let sit for 15 or more minutes; once steamed, the skin of the peppers should peel easily. 3. Peel the skin off of the peppers; run under water if the scorched skin does not peel easily. 4. Purée the peeled peppers and pineapple together (include juice). 5. Over medium heat, heat oil and garlic in a medium saucepan. 6. Cook garlic until just starting to brown, about 4 minutes. 7. Add purée, vinegar, and salt and stir. 8. Simmer for about 20 minutes until a thick sauce is formed; have little hands stir occasionally. 9. Serve cold, store chilled for up to several weeks.

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Southwestern Pineapple Sauce pairs fire-roasted poblanos with a whole can of pineapple — the peppers get blackened over an open flame like marshmallows, peeled, then simmered with the pineapple purée until everything melts into one smoky-sweet, mildly spicy sauce. It makes about two cups, keeps for weeks chilled, and earns its spot next to Fool's Gold Chicken Nuggets, carrots, and grilled fish.

Pro Tips

• Roast the poblanos over an open burner flame or under the broiler, turning every few minutes, until the skin is blackened on all sides — the char is the smoky backbone of the sauce.
• Once the peppers come off the heat, cover them airtight and wait at least fifteen minutes; the trapped steam is what loosens the skin so it peels instead of tearing. Run stubborn spots under water.
• Purée the peeled peppers with the pineapple and its juice together — canning liquid and all — so nothing sweet is left behind in the can.
• Watch the garlic in the oil: it needs about four minutes to reach just-starting-to-brown, and garlic that goes past brown turns the whole pot bitter.
• Simmer the full twenty minutes, stirring now and then, until the purée reduces to a thick sauce; serve it cold, straight from the fridge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How spicy is Southwestern Pineapple Sauce?

Mild — poblanos carry more smokiness than heat, and the pineapple rounds out what warmth they do have. Kids who tolerate a little warmth generally like it.

Can I use fresh pineapple instead of canned?

Yes — one whole pineapple replaces the 20-ounce can. Purée the flesh with its juice, exactly as you would the canned chunks.

How long does the sauce keep?

Stored chilled in a sealed container it holds for several weeks, thanks to the vinegar and the long simmer.

What should I serve with pineapple sauce?

It's built as a dip for Fool's Gold Chicken Nuggets, carrots, and cauliflower, and it's equally good spooned over fish or roasted vegetables.

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