Ginger Pineapple Sauce

Fruit sauces are a winter staple. Whether you use apples, pears or pineapple, the strategy is the same: cook chopped ripe fruit with a little bit of liquid, a pinch of sea salt, and any spices you like, until soft.

Here I added orange, ginger, and a hint of cayenne.

This is a very versatile sauce. I served it with a slow-cooked ham, but it would also be great with duck, chicken, fish or tamari-marinated tempeh. You can also add it to a smoothie, stir it into yogurt, or eat it with oatmeal.

1 fresh pineapple

1 organic orange, zest and juice

1 tsp fresh grated ginger, or to taste

Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Pinch sea salt

Slice off the top and bottom of the pineapple. Stand it up on end and cut down the sides to remove strips of the outer layer. Chop the fruit into 1-inch chunks (core included) and add it to a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped, then transfer the pineapple to a saucepan.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients and turn on the burner. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a slow simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened to a pleasing flavor and consistency.

Serve immediately or cool to room temperature and store in an air-tight container in the fridge.