A charred pineapple salsa that's perfect for summer
A recipe from Rick Martinez's new book, Salsa Daddy.
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ICYMI, I chatted with Rick Martinez about how living in Mexico has influenced his cooking style, why he chose salsas as the focus of his second book, and how experimenting leads to delicious ideas. Today, I have a recipe from his new book, Salsa Daddy, that should have a permanent spot on your summer grilling menus. La Piña is a charred pineapple salsa that’s tangy and sweet and is great with coconut-style shrimp, or anywhere you want to add a bit of tropical zest. Enjoy! 🍍
LA PIÑA
This salsa is sweet, tangy, tropical, and delicious, just how I like it, with a simple ingredient list centered around my love of pineapple. There’s a finishing touch—a drizzle of olive oil. I added it on a whim, but the oil’s grassiness deepened the flavors so it tasted like it had cooked a lot longer than it had, while also creating a creamy, emulsified texture. We all have a calling, and this special salsa was born to be with Camarones al Coco.
Makes 1 1⁄2 cups
½ medium pineapple (1 lb/460 g), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ medium white onion (3.1 oz/89 g)
2 chiles habaneros (0.7 oz/22 g), stemmed, halved, and seeded
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1½ teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (0.21 oz/6 g), plus more to taste
Brush both sides of the pineapple with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to prevent them from sticking.
Line a large cast-iron skillet with a sheet of foil and heat the skillet over high heat (and I mean high, we need that pineapple to caramelize, not steam) until very hot. Working in batches, add the pineapple, onion, habaneros, and garlic and cook, using tongs to turn occasionally, until everything is charred on all sides, about 3 minutes for the garlic, 3 to 4 minutes for the chiles, and 6 to 8 minutes for the onion and pineapple. (Alternatively, arrange an oven rack in the top position and preheat the broiler to high. Arrange the pineapple and vegetables on a foil-lined sheet pan and roast under the broiler, turning occasionally, until all sides are charred.) Transfer to a plate to cool.
Working in batches, use a molcajete or mortar and pestle to smash and grind the pineapple, onion, habaneros, and garlic until a chunky but pourable salsa forms.
Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the salt. Taste and season with more salt if desired.
Do ahead: The salsa can be made up to 2 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 1 month.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS Shrimp! All seafood. Or with chips, at the beach or pool.
WORK WITH THE PINEAPPLE YOU’VE GOT
Ideally, you’re using a sweet, ripe pineapple with a hint of give when you press into its spiky skin. If your pineapple is on the underripe, greener side, char it and then blend it, because it’ll be too firm to easily smash, and the heat will caramelize the sugar and make it taste sweeter than it actually is.
Reprinted with permission from Salsa Daddy: Dip Your Way into Mexican Cooking by Rick Martínez, copyright © 2025. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
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Yum. Love this.