5.14.10 Grilled Pineapple Tacos
I am off to NYC for work early tomorrow morning. This will be my fourth year at the NSS, and as a veteran I know without at doubt that when I return home next week I will be exhausted, hoarse and wondering what day it is. Which also means I will likely be nowhere near the kitchen for the remainder of the week. So, I will leave you with a post to peruse at your leisure this weekend, or if you are also a busy bee, next week when we both have a moment to sit.
Being on my feet for 10+ hour work days, is really only a once-a-year thing. Normally, you will find me behind the computer, deep within the screens of Illustrator designing invitations or sorting through a pile of ribbons and clip art books at my desk. One of the favorite parts of my job is trend research. I can actually sit at my desk and read In Style or Martha Stewart and not get reprimanded—in fact it is encouraged (although after 4 years I still feel like I am doing something wrong reading a magazine at work). I spend hours a day on blogs and websites looking for trends in the fashion, home décor and stationery industries. Often it comes in handy, like when I go shopping with my husband. Recently he questioned why I was pushing for him to buy a coral colored shirt. “Don’t you know?”, I exclaimed, “It’s a pantone forecasted color for spring 2010!”. Seriously, where would he be without me?
Even the food industry has their trends. Last year cupcakes, macarons and whoopie pies fought it out for favorite sweets. On the savory end, bacon is set to take over the world, but don’t forget about expensive salts, curry, home brewed beer, gourmet popcorn flavors and eating 100% organic cage-free meat. Now apparently tacos are all the rage. This past month alone I have seen taco spreads in Food & Wine, Vegetarian Times and Mens Health, plus numerous articles about the taco trucks popping up all over the country.
We could start a discussion about following trends, but I will tell you right now, I wouldn’t be any good at what I do unless I not only welcomed them, but chased them. I personally think trends are fun, and although I may not embrace every one (sorry, but I’m going to pass on truffle oil and also those high wasted pants, for that matter), I do recognize what is there and often adapt it to my own liking. So, when I saw the pineapple in a taco from F&W, I thought YES, this is a taco I can get behind. They did it with more traditional Mexican flavors, but for some reason I couldn’t get caramelized onions out of my head. I am glad I went with my hunch on this unusual combination, as it is one of my favorites in awhile. So trendsetters, you can keep your chocolate covered bacon, but please, bring on the tacos!
Grilled Pineapple Tacos
makes 6 tacos
3 T butter
1 T olive oil, plus more to drizzle
3 onion, peeled and sliced very thin
salt and pepper, to taste
6 whole wheat tortillas
1 pineapple, skin and inner core removed, cut into 1/2" strips
4 c loosely packed torn lettuce
1 c thinly sliced radicchio
large handful of cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
In a large sauté pan, heat butter and 1 T olive oil, over very low heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir well. Cook 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are the color of caramel. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350F. Wrap tortillas in foil, and place in oven for 10 minutes, until warm.
Heat grill (or a grill pan), to medium-high, and add pineapple slices. Cook 4-5 minutes on one side, until warm, and just beginning to brown. Flip and repeat on the other side. Remove from heat.
To assemble, top each tortilla with lettuce, radicchio, pineapple, caramelized onion and cilantro. Drizzle with lime juice and olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roll up from one side and enjoy!
Reader Comments (23)
The tacos look delicious. Wonderful flavor combination. Enjoy your NY trip!
Your job sounds like a blast! And it's so true -- husband's would be quite lost without style-savvy wives nudging them in the right direction. The tacos look great for summer.
YUM! This is exactly my type of food. I love pineapple is savoury dishes. Your job sounds really interesting! :) Have fun in NY!
Oooh gorgeous tacos! And i tend to agree about the chocolate covered bacon. Ugh.
Gorgeous! If tacos are just becoming a trend now I guess I can say I was ahead of the ball on that one, I think I've got some fun ones in my repertoire already! But I'm excited to see what others come up with.
Erin, this is beautiful and simple! I just bought a pineapple at the store yesterday!
Yum...what a mouth watering recipe! I'm definitely going to try it. I've gotten soooo uncreative with my cooking in the past year or so. I think I'm burnt out on years and years of making dinners since no one else in my house cooks.
It was fun reading your post about trends, Erin. Your job sounds exciting! Have a great time in NY! xoxo
Trend research sounds like what I do every day but don't get paid for it! haha
Words cannot describe my love for tacos! These look PERFECT.
I hope things are going well in NYC!!
This sounds great - my hubbie doesn't like pineapple but I might just be able to sneak it in ...
How did I not see this until now? Yum. And perfectly timed. I just started a dairy, meat, sugar cleanse for two weeks! Ugh, am I insane? (Actually, after countless rich foods like the lasagna we're about to post, I looked at myself in the mirror like, "Seriously, dude. wtf?") Anyway, I imagine olive oil or earth balance will sub nicely. Can't wait to try:)
btw - don't feel guilty about getting paid to do something you enjoy. I'm still trying to figure out how to get paid to eat:)
Oh this is soo yummie! Perhaps i will try making these coming weekend! Hope you are having fun in NYC. Have a lovely merry happy week and love to you sweet friend!
Great photos!
These look so yumazing I can't wait to make them! Like tomorrow!
Oh YUM! These tacos look so summery! I think I will have to jump on the Taco bandwagon too :)
And PS. Caramelized onions rock
i love how all of your recipes are so colorful, it really is so inspiring. Have fun on your trip!!
just found your gorgeous site and linked you to mine ! great stuff
dallas
http://dillydallas.blogspot.com
National stationery show!! That sounds so fun. Well not for you since you're working it but would be so fun to attend. Love these grilled tacos you've created!
Wow! These are beautiful. I firmly believe that the more colorful your food is, the more healthy and delicious it is as well. Can't wait to try these!
http://amusebouche-caitlin.blogspot.com/
That sounds delicious, I love grilled pineapple.
Came to visit you and to look up on some wonderful yummi dishes to cook from you. :) I hope you had a good weekend and you are doing great! Have a lovely merry happy weekend and love to you!
What to do with the leftover pineapple in my fridge? This sounds like the perfect solution!
oh my. these looks amazing. these are definitely on the menu this week.
This looks like the perfect ticket to beat the current heat wave in Seattle. I'm totally going to grill outside.
Thanks for posting-- looks delicious as usual. :)
http://mollycorinne.wordpress.com