Need a quick visit to the tropics? This recipe is your ticket to paradise – caramelized and smoked fresh pineapple rings with a delicious crunchy topping made with toasted coconut and almonds then finished with pan-sear shrimp tossed in caramelized pineapple sauce.

The Perfect Pureé of Nappa Valley Caramelized Pineapple Concentrate used in this recipe can be ordered online direct or through Amazon. If you don’t have a smoking gun, simply cook the pineapple on a grill with a handful of apple wood chips to get a nice smoky flavor.

 Coconut & Almond topping
INGREDIENTS
½ stick butter, melted
¼ cup flour
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup slivered almonds
½ teaspoon of salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredient together and spread on a Silpat mat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden, stirring every eight to ten minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Process the mixture in the work bowl of a food processor until it becomes finely ground. Set aside.

Caramelized Smoked Pineapple
INGREDIENTS
1 pineapple peeled and cored, cut widthwise into 3/8” thick rounds
1 ½ tablespoon dark rum
1 ½ tablespoon packed dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter

Smoking Gun or BBQ Grill and Applewood chips

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375˚F or heat a grill to high heat. Place pineapple rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Whisk together the rum, brown sugar, and butter in a small bowl. Brush rum mixture onto pineapple.

Roast until the liquid has evaporated and pineapple has caramelized about 30 minutes. Using a smoking gun, cold smoke the pineapple with apple wood chips. Or heat a BBQ to high heat, add applewood chips, and roast the pineapple turning frequently until cooked through and caramelized.

Sautéed Shrimp
INGREDIENTS
One pound 16/20 shrimp
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 cups of The Perfect Pureé of Nappa Valley Caramelized Pineapple Concentrate*
¼ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
Olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Peel and devein the shrimp. Retain the shrimp shells; place the shrimp back in the refrigerator. Add the shrimp shells to a quarter sheet tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Pour the shells and any liquid on the sheet tray to a small 1 quart saucepan and cover with 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid to 2 tablespoons. Strain and discard the shells saving the liquid.

In another saucepan add the lemon juice, Perfect Pureé of Nappa Valley Caramelized Pineapple Concentrate, soy, and fresh ginger. Reduce the mixture to 1 cup. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer, place back in a clean saucepan and then whisk in the shrimp liquid. Cover and keep warm.

Over medium-high heat, cover just the surface of a large 12” sauté pan with olive oil. Sauté the shrimp in one layer for 1-1 ½ minutes per side, then add a ¼-½ cup of the sauce, tossing and sauté for one more minute then remove from the heat. Retain the remaining sauce for drizzle on the plates.

Assembly
INGREDIENTS
Fresh Cilantro leaves, torn or chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
In the center of a plate add a pineapple ring. Lightly press the coconut and almond topping into the pineapple. Top with the shrimp, spoon sauce over, and finish with cilantro leaves right before serving.

*The Perfect Pureé of Nappa Valley products are available on Amazon or https://www.perfectpuree.com/shop/.