This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

A Pineapple Crisp, Served with Love

My husband ate mostly everything I cooked. As a matter of fact, because his mother didn’t like to cook, he was grateful that someone was actually cooking. He was also a considerate person, so it was difficult for me to understand when something I cooked was “really, really, really” good or whether it was just “really” good. If it was just “really good,” I’d take a hint, and not serve it often.

Sometimes, when we were going out for dinner, he gave me some clues. I know he didn’t like Indian food. We have good friends who love Indian food, as do I, and I suggested he get something other than tandoori chicken (which is so dry), but we rarely went out for Indian food. He wasn’t crazy about Moroccan food, either. I don’t have a tagine. Why should I have one since I would not cook Moroccan food at home?

Interestingly, he didn’t care much for raw fruit. He was the only person I know who never wanted an apple, a banana, a summer peach, or an autumn pear. And dessert was a non-starter for him. He liked ice cream and, once in a while, a cobbler, a crisp, or a tart. I love pineapple and he loved this pineapple crisp.

Lee White of Old Lyme has been a food editor and restaurant reviewer for more than 25 years. You can email her at leeawhite@aol.com.

Pineapple Crisp

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 fresh pineapple

6 tablespoons butter

1 small can pineapple chunks, if necessary

½ to 1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 to 2 caps-ful rum (optional)

2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger (optional)

½ to ¾ cup sweetened coconut, toasted

1 ½ cups crisp topping (recipe below)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut bottom and top of pineapple, then peel skin and “eyes,” cut top to bottom, leaving core. Slice pineapple into approximately 1-inch chunks.

In a skillet over low-medium heat, warm butter. Add fresh pineapple and sauté until a little golden.

In the meantime, place sweetened coconut on baking pan and place into oven and bake for about 5 to 7 minutes (should just be slightly tan). Remove from baking pan or it can burn. If it is a bit dry, add some canned pineapple and juice.

If the skillet is pretty (like a Le Creuset gratin pan that can go into the oven), remove from heat, add brown sugar, and mix, tasting sweetness. Drip in the rum, sprinkle with ginger, and top with coconut. Top with topping (below) and bake until bubbling. Serve warm with ice cream.

(If the skillet does not go from cooktop to oven to table, place hot pineapple into a casserole and continue.)

Crisp Topping

Created by Deb Jensen, a dear friend who died just a few years ago

I quadruple this recipe and freeze it in little plastic bags.

Yield: makes around 5 cups

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup oatmeal (rolled oats)

1 cup walnuts or pecans

1 cup almonds or pine nuts

1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, melted

Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix together with nice, clean hands