By Request Betty Shimabukuro

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Pineapple adds sweet
touch to summer salsas

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Warm weather and casual dining herald the salsa season, but that's not the only reason Tom Peters' recipe request is particularly timely.

Peters is looking for a salsa suggestion that includes pineapple, as a different way to dress up his chips and dips.

It just so happens that Eleanor Arakaki won a Memorial Day "Sals-Off" recipe contest with a salsa formula that incorporates tomatoes and pineapple.

The contest is part of the annual Great Hawaiian Chili cook-off held at the Roundtop Drive home of Jack and Donna Scaff. As champion, Arakaki wins the right to represent Hawaii in the salsa category of the International Chili Society's cook-off in October.

Arakaki, a retired Waipahu Elementary School teacher, says she is no salsa expert, but had been helping out at the Scaffs' annual cook-off and wanted to be part of the competition.

She researched various salsa recipes, experimented with them and made improvements. She made this version for a party. "Everybody liked it."

Arakaki's only advice is to be sure everything's chopped very finely, so it's easy to dip. She likes to serve her salsa right away, although when she's using jalapeño peppers, as in this recipe, she says a day of aging intensifies the flavor.

By the way, if you're interested in the chili recipe winner, results were published in last Wednesday's Today section, available online at starbulletin.com/2004/06/02/features/story1.html

Tomato Pineapple Salsa

4 firm red tomatoes, diced (about 3 cups)
1/2 round onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 fresh jalapeño, seeded, diced
2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar (optional)
1 6-ounce can black olives, diced
1 can crushed pineapple
1-1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste

Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per 1/2 cup serving: 110 calories, 4 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 20 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g protein.

Another pineapple salsa recipe comes courtesy of the experts: Dole Food Co.

Italian Pineapple Salsa

3 cups pineapple chunks
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons EACHchopped red onion and chopped basil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Cover; chill at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

May be served as a dip, or with grilled hamburgers, quesadillas or tacos. Serves 10.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 29 calories, no fat or cholesterol, 61 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, no protein.

See the Columnists section for some past articles.

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.