Scarlett WBarbecued Fruit
May 27th 2008 14:08
Barbecued Fruit
About Bitters
A bitters is a preparation of herbs and citrus dissolved in alcohol or glycerine with a bitter or bittersweet flavour. The various brands of bitters, once numerous, were formerly manufactured as patent medicines, often serving as digestifs. The few remaining varieties are principally used as apéritifs or as flavourings in cocktails. While bitters commonly have an alcoholic strength of up to 45%, they are normally consumed in small amounts, added as a flavouring agent (similar to vanilla flavouring which is also dissolved in alcohol).
About Angostura bitters
Angostura bitters, often simply referred to as angostura, is a concentrated bitters for food and beverage made of herbs and spices.
Angostura bitters are produced by various vendors, some of which add the bark of the angostura tree, possibly merely to make it legal to put the word “angostura” on the label, which is a registered trademark of House of Angostura. As Angostura bitters are extremely concentrated, they are not normally drunk purely, but used to flavour drinks and food; usually only a few drops or splashes are used.
Angostura bitters are a key ingredient in many cocktail. Originally used to mask the flavour of quinine in tonic water along with gin, the mix stuck in the form of a Pink Gin, and is also used in many other alcoholic cooktails such as “Long Vodka”, consisting of vodka, Angostura bitter, and lemonade, and Manhattan, made with whiskey and sweet (Italian) vermouth. In Pisco sour a few drops are sprinkled on top, mostly for decorative purposes. It is also the key ingredient in a Rum Cannonball.
Angostura bitters are renowned for having restorative properties. Across many Caribbean nations, they are regarded as a necessary addition to any household medicine storage.
Folklore claims that the bitters have raised people from near-death or even flat-lined states. Many Caribbean islanders and Venezuelans support the bitters’ medicinal use as a cure-all, from headaches and stomach aches to diarrhoea or the flu.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
½ lemon, grated zest
1 lemon, juice
4 tablespoons Cointreau or brandy
2 - 3 tablespoons honey / brown sugar
1 tablespoon bitters, such a Angostura, optional
1 pineapple, peeled and cored
250 gm / 9 oz strawberries, hulled
2 tablespoons icing sugar
To decorate
icing sugar, sifted
1. In a china or glass bowl, stir together the lemon juice, liqueur and honey or sugar, adding the bitters, if using.
2. Cut the pineapple into 2.5-cm / 1-inch cubes and add them to the marinade.
3. Add the strawberries, stir well, taking care not to break up the fruit, then cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
4. Lift the strawberries and pineapple from the marinade, reserving the liquid, and thread them alternately onto eight skewers.
5. Dust the fruit with 1 tablespoon of icing sugar, then place the skewers on the barbecue, sugared side down, and cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Remove from the barbecue, dust the other side of the fruit with the remaining sugar and barbecue again, sugared side down.
7. Divide the skewers betweens four plates and drizzle the marinade over.
8. To decorate, sift a little icing sugar over each, then serve.
**From “Low Fat No Fat Cookbook” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia” **
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