Pineapple Manchego Skewers Recipe

These skewers, called abacaxi picante com Manchego no palito in Brazil, makes for a very simple appetizer with an undeniable elegance, perfect for a last-minute get-together. The perfect balance of the soft, sweet pineapple and the firm, nutty, salty Manchego — Spain’s most famous sheep’s milk cheese — is very refreshing. In Brazil, I make this dish with Gouda, but once I tried it with Manchego, I never looked back. Look for an aged cheese, which will have a deep, buttery feel, like Roncal or Queso Zamorano from Spain, or Terrincho Velho from Portugal. For a nice presentation, cut the fruit and the cheese into perfect squares of the same size. Save the trimmings for another recipe, or just snack on them like I do. Try to find some nice-looking skewers because this presentation relies on the sum of its very few parts. I like the bamboo ones sold in Asian specialty stores. Adapted from "The Brazilian Kitchen" by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz.