Recipes

Pineapple crema

If you’re looking for a fresh alternative to a classic sauce for seafood or sharing plates, this pineapple butter is a great one to have up your sleeve. Smooth, rich and slightly spicy, it balances sweetness, acidity and buttery richness in one spoon.

It works brilliantly with langoustines, prawns, tacos, tortilla chips or as part of a dinner party spread when you want to serve something a little different.

Makes

Approximately 450–500g

Ingredients

1 medium pineapple (approx. 1–1.2kg whole), peeled, cored and diced
250g unsalted butter, divided into two equal portions
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
1 red chilli
1 tbsp cornflour
3g fine sea salt, plus extra to taste
1–2 tsp honey, golden syrup or agave syrup (optional, depending on the sweetness of the pineapple)

Method

Prepare the pineapple

Peel and core the pineapple, then dice the flesh. Keep the core as well, as it adds flavour and helps increase the yield.
Caramelise the fruit

Heat the grapeseed oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Add the diced pineapple and salt, then cook until softened, reduced and lightly caramelised. The pineapple should turn golden and much of its water should evaporate.
Add the first half of the butter

Once the pineapple is soft and golden, add 125g butter and allow it to melt into the fruit. If the pineapple tastes particularly sharp, add a little honey, golden syrup or agave to balance it.
Infuse with chilli

Add the whole red chilli and cook for another couple of minutes while the butter foams. This is just to add a gentle heat, so don’t leave it in too long or it will overpower the pineapple. Remove the chilli before blending.
Stabilise the sauce

Stir in the cornflour and cook for 1 minute. This helps stabilise the mixture so it holds well and can be served at room temperature as well as chilled.
Blend until smooth

Transfer the pineapple mixture to a blender and blend until completely smooth. For an extra refined finish, pass it through a fine sieve, although this is optional if making it at home.
Emulsify the remaining butter

With the blender running, add the remaining 125g butter a little at a time, just as you would when making mayonnaise. Blend until smooth, glossy and incorporated.
Chill or serve

At this stage, the pineapple butter may look loose, but it will firm up as it cools. Leave to cool slightly, then refrigerate for a couple of hours if you want a thicker consistency.

Chef’s Tip

Start with a lighter hand on the salt. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away. The same goes for chilli: this recipe works best when the heat gently lifts the richness rather than dominates it.

Storage

Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve chilled, or bring to room temperature before using depending on the finish you want.