Grilled Pineapple & Chile

Although one not need tamper with a delicious and sweet pineapple, this idea is a nice departure from the usual. Here you have the traditional combo of pineapple and coconut, interlaced with a bit of sweet and spicy chilli syrup. From Rowley Leigh.

2 red chillies

50 gr light brown caster sugar

1 vanilla pod

1/2 cinnamon stick

4 star anis

10 cloves

1 pineapple

coconut ice cream

400 ml tinned coconut milk

400 ml milk

8 egg yolks

150 gr brown caster sugar

200 ml double cream

1. make coconut ice cream by combining milks and bringing to a simmer; whisk eggs and sugar, then pour the almost boiling milk into the the mixture whisking constantly; pour mixture back into saucepan and return to a gentle heat, stirring with a wooden spatula until custard thickens; pour into clean bowl, allow to cool completely; whisk cream until it forms soft peaks, fold into the coconut custard, then into the ice cream maker according to the manufacture's instructions.
2. de-seed and slice the chile thinly; combine with the sugar and 300 ml of water in a small saucepan and add the vanilla, taking care to split the pod in half and scrape the seeds into the water; bring to a simmer and cook on very gentle heat for 15 minutes; leave to cool
3. cut pineapple across the base and below the stalk; standing on its base, cut down through the center of the pineapple, cleaving it in two; cut again lengthways producing four equal long segments; first slice skin away then the stalks; then cut each segment into four long slices
4. heat a cast iron ridge griddle and grill the pineapple slices; turning them so that they get a criss-cross pattern; shouldn't take more than 5-6 minutes
5. arrange in overlapping slices in a dish and then macerate with the chile syrup
6. to serve gently warm the pineapple in a moderate oven; arrange a few slices with a small a scoop of coconut ice cream