Earlier this month, we had a Hawaiian-themed family birthday party for my daughter. Afterwards, I had some pineapple left over and decided to make something out of the ordinary, especially for a weeknight. It was a huge hit. The girls loved the presentation in the pineapple because it reminded them of being at Disney World when we stayed at the Polynesian Village Resort. Better yet, they were huge fans of the “stir-fry” which was a bit healthier by incorporating quinoa instead of the standard rice.
Pineapple Shrimp Boats
1 cup tri-color quinoa blend
2 pineapples, halved
Red Pepper, seeded and diced
2 shallots, diced
1 lb peeled raw shrimp
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp of minced ginger
2 tbsp Teriyaki sauce
1 tsp sriracha
Cilantro or parsley, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Heat the quinoa in an empty pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until the quinoa starts popping. Continue toasting the quinoa for another minute or so until very fragrant. Carefully add in 1 ¾ cups water, along with a heavy pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low, simmering for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut out the flesh from the pineapple halves, leaving a 1-inch border, remove the core and chop up the tender pineapple into rough ½-inch pieces. Place the chopped pineapple and any juices into a bowl and reserve.
After the quinoa has simmered for 15 minutes, remove the pot, still covered, from the heat and allow to steam for an additional 10 minutes. Then, fluff with a fork and reserve.
Just before removing the quinoa from the heat, heat up 1 tbsp of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the red pepper and shallots, with a pinch of salt, until they just begin to soften.
Add in the shrimp and cook for about 3-4 minutes, until the shrimp exteriors are turning pink.
Then, add in the garlic, ginger, reserved pineapple bits and juices, along with the teriyaki sauce and sriracha. Continue cooking for another few minutes, stirring nearly constantly.
Then add in the reserved quinoa, stirring to fully incorporate and remove from the heat after a minute.
Stir in some cilantro and green onion, then portion out into the reserved, hollowed out pineapple halves.
______________________________ Copyright 2023, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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