Crank up the flavour factor - and the fun - with these colourful, tasty canapes.

Recipe Rosa Matto | Photographs Brendan Homan | Styling Natalie Homan

Mini capsicums with pork and pickled pineapple
makes approx 10

3 rashers fatty bacon, cut into cubes
500g finely minced pork
½ tbsp fish sauce
4 spring onions, sliced finely
1 clove garlic, minced
white pepper and salt
1 small chilli, to taste
½ bunch coriander stems, well washed and finely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
10 mini capsicum or banana capsicum
fresh limes
cos lettuce
various herb leaves

Over low heat, render the bacon fat and allow the bacon to crisp. Add this to the pork, fish sauce and onions in a bowl. Make a paste with the garlic, pepper and salt, chilli, coriander stems and kaffir lime leaves. Add this to the pork and mix very thoroughly. Test cook a small amount and then adjust seasoning.
To prepare the capsicums, fill the cavity of the capsicums with the pork, then cook on a hot frypan. Meat side down initially, then turn over and cook until the filling is cooked through.
Serve with pickled pineapple, salad and herb leaves.

pickled pineapple
1-2 small cloves garlic
1 long red chilli, chopped (or to taste)
30g ginger, coarsely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves
½ tsp ground turmeric
125ml peanut or sunflower oil
4 allspice berries
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
1 ripe pineapple (about 1kg), cut into thick slices, reserve any juices

For pickled pineapple, blend garlic, chilli, ginger, kaffir lime leaves and turmeric in a small food processor until smooth, adding a little oil to loosen if necessary. Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat and fry paste until it darkens slightly (20 minutes), then stir in the allspice berries, vinegar, sugar and 1 tsp salt. Remove from heat and cool, then add pineapple and its juices, stir to coat, and refrigerate to marinate overnight.

To assemble, using a toothpick, top the capsicum with a piece of pickled pineapple and offer a wedge of lime and a leaf of lettuce to balance the heat of the pineapple.

This recipe first appeared in the November 2021 issue of SALIFE magazine.