What to do with the last of the pineapple

Blend softening pieces into smoothies, sorbets, or cocktails. Cook into a glaze for ham or use in curries where the texture matters less.

How long it keeps: A cut pineapple keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. A whole pineapple lasts 1 to 2 weeks at room temperature.
How to tell it has turned: The flesh becomes soft and mushy and may smell fermented. Brown spots on the skin do not mean it has gone off.

Half a pineapple

Pineapple fried rice with eggs

Fried rice built in one pan around caramelized pineapple, a weeknight dinner that uses up that half pineapple while it cooks and comes together in thirty minutes flat.

Serves 2. 35 minutes, 25 at the stove.

About 710 calories a serving, 17 g protein, 113 g carbohydrate, 19 g fat. From USDA figures for 71% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need

To buy

2 tablespoons soy sauce

From your shelf

half, cut into chunks pineapple

Staples

2 tablespoons oil
to taste salt
to taste pepper
1.5 cups cooked rice
half a medium, diced onion
2 cloves, minced garlic
2 eggs

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple chunks and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges are caramelized and golden; remove them to a plate.
Pour the remaining tablespoon of oil into the pan, add the diced half onion and minced 2 cloves garlic, and stir until fragrant, about one minute.
Add 1.5 cups of the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps, and cook for three minutes while stirring to warm it through and let the rice crisp slightly on the bottom.
Push the rice to one side of the pan, crack 2 eggs into the empty side, scramble them lightly with a fork, and when they are half set, fold them into the rice and toss everything together.
Pour 2 tablespoons of soy sauce over the rice and eggs, add the caramelized pineapple back in, toss everything until coated, and taste; season with salt and pepper as needed.

Note Swap the soy sauce for a splash of rice vinegar if you want a sharper tang. Keeps in the fridge for two days and reheats gently in a skillet. Serve with a cold lime drink or a green side salad to balance the sweetness.

A handful of chunks

Pineapple fried rice

A pantry dinner when the cupboard is nearly bare, this fried rice rides on a handful of pineapple chunks to deliver brightness and sweetness. Day-old rice is ideal, but fresh rice works if you spread it on a plate to cool first.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 890 calories a serving, 19 g protein, 154 g carbohydrate, 20 g fat. From USDA figures for 83% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need

From your shelf

a handful pineapple chunks, half

Staples

2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves, minced garlic
1 small, diced onion
to taste salt
to taste pepper
2 eggs

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the minced garlic and diced onion, stirring until fragrant and the onion softens, about 3 minutes.
Push the onion and garlic to the side of the pan. Add the 2 eggs to the empty space, scrambling them gently until just cooked through, then toss everything together, about 2 minutes.
Add the 2 cups cooked rice and break up any clumps with the back of your spoon, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to heat through and toast the rice slightly.
Add the pineapple chunks with their juice (about a handful), stirring to distribute evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Warm through, about 1 minute, and taste again for seasoning before serving.

Note Swap pineapple for any canned or fresh fruit when you have it, or leave it out for plain fried rice; add soy sauce or fish sauce if you have them. Keeps covered in the fridge for up to three days; reheat gently with a splash of water. Serve as is or with hot sauce, lime, or a cucumber salad if one is on hand.

Three slices

Pineapple chicken with ginger and soy

Fresh pineapple caramelizes in a hot pan to build a sweet-savory glaze for quick chicken, with the fruit as the star. Three slices transforms into a weeknight dinner that tastes fresher than the freezer section.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 510 calories a serving, 42 g protein, 33 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need

To buy

12 ounces chicken breast
3 tablespoons soy sauce

From your shelf

3 slices pineapple half

Staples

2 tablespoons oil
to taste salt
to taste pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon butter

Pat two chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then lay in the chicken and cook until golden on the first side, about 5 minutes.
Flip the chicken and cook the second side until cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Chop 3 pineapple slices into 1-inch pieces and add to the warm skillet. Let them sit undisturbed for 2 minutes to caramelize, then stir and cook 2 minutes more until golden at the edges.
Mince 2 garlic cloves and add to the pan along with 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon butter, stirring until the butter melts and the sauce coats the pineapple, about 1 minute.
Return the chicken to the skillet, turn to coat in the glaze, and warm through for 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Note Swap diced bell pepper for half the pineapple if you want more vegetables. Leftovers keep three days and are good cold or reheated gently in a low oven. Serve over rice to catch the sauce, or with a green vegetable and rice on the side.

Products that cook as pineapple

More: dinners written for shelves that held pineapple.

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