Bake the Book: Chess Pie with Blackened Pineapple Salsa

[Photograph: Grant Cornett]

Chess Pie is rumored to get its name from the chests it would be stored in while waiting for company to arrive. According to that legend, over time, "chest" became "chess". Regardless of where the name came from, it is undoubtedly a true Southern classic. Smoke & Pickles: Recipes and Stories from a new Southern Kitchen dirties it up with a blackened pineapple salsa.

Tips: The recipe says to wrap and store the pies once they've cooled. To keep them from getting soggy, use a layer of wax paper before swaddling them in plastic wrap. Even then, you don't want to wrap too tightly.

Tweaks: Peanut oil is suggested to fry the pineapple rings, and that's exactly what would be used down South. But if you don't have that, coconut oil works a treat. It's a stable oil, meaning it's suitable for frying at high temperatures. Plus it tastes amazing with pineapple.

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Chess Pie with Blackened Pineapple Salsa »

As always with our Bake the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Smoke & Pickles to give away.

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