Eat this as is for a low-fat dessert or add a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The syrup makes a good base for fruit salads. Cantaloupe and strawberry is a particularly good combination.
Serves 6

1/2 cup

sugar

120 ml

20

quarter-sized slices of fresh peeled ginger

20

2

stalks lemon grass, trimmed and coarse leaves discarded into 2-inch (5-cm) lengths

2

1 cup

water

240 ml

1/4 cup

sweet white dessert wine

60 ml

1

large, ripe pineapple

1

1 Tbsp.

coarsely chopped fresh mint

15 ml

In a small noncorrodible pot, combine the sugar, ginger, lemon grass, water and dessert wine. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until reduced to 2/3 cup (165 ml), about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
Peel the pineapple. Quarter lengthwise, core and cut into 1/2-inch (1.2-cm) slices. Add the syrup to the pineapple and mix well. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Spoon into wine glasses if desired. Sprinkle with mint and serve.

From Screamingly Good Food, © 1997 Karen Barnaby, Whitecap Books