Dominican Pera-Piña

Ingredients

• 1 Pineapple (Peel and core are used, well washed; optionally the whole pineapple can be used)
• 0.5 cup Rice (Plain white rice)
• 10 cup Water
• 8 tbsp Sugar (Sweeten to taste)
• Cinnamon (To taste, ground or in sticks for boiling)
• 1 tsp Vanilla (Vanilla extract)

Steps

1. 1

   Start by removing the pineapple crown and peeling it. Wash the peel very well, rinsing it several times to ensure it is clean.

2. 2

   In a large pot, place the pineapple peels, the pineapple core, the half cup of rice, and the 10 cups of water. If desired, you can add a cinnamon stick at this step.

3. 3

   Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the rice is completely soft.

4. 4

   Remove from heat and let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes to allow the temperature to drop.

5. 5

   Transfer the mixture (including the water, peels, core, and rice) to a blender. Add the teaspoon of vanilla and blend until smooth.

6. 6

   Pass the resulting liquid through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the peel fiber residue.

7. 7

   Sweeten with the 8 tablespoons of sugar (or to taste) and add ground cinnamon if you did not boil it previously.

8. 8

   Refrigerate for a couple of hours until thoroughly chilled before serving.

Notes

This recipe is excellent for zero-waste fruit usage. If you prefer a more intense pineapple flavor, you can add the whole pineapple pulp to the cooking process. Serve well chilled, preferably over ice.

Nutrition per serving

• drink
• beverage
• dominican
• vegan
• gluten-free
• zero-waste
• traditional