By Libbie Summers

I’m always cooking up main dishes and fun desserts, but rarely do I share a delicious side dish…until now! Meet the side dish that could be a main dish but secretly wishes it was a dessert.

Grilled Pineapple Rice
(sweet pineapple, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro and jasmine rice)
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
3/4 cup jasmine rice
3 thick slices fresh pineapple
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 limes
Flake sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Zest half of a lime. Cut lime into quarters.
2. Make Rice: In a small saucepan, over high heat, bring 1¼ cups water and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in rice and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit, covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and gently stir in lime zest and juice of half the lime.
3. Grill Pineapple: While the rice is cooking, heat a grill pan or grill to high heat. Rub the pineapple slices with oil and place on the hot grill. Cook until charred on both sides. Remove from heat and allow to cool before removing cores from each slice and roughly chopping the rest.
4. Mix Rice: Add rice to a bowl, gently fold in red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and pineapple. Squeeze remaining lime juice over. Salt and pepper to taste.

Perfect to serve with grilled chicken, fish or grilled skirt steak.