June 2009 - CaribbeanPot.com

Some BBQ tips and techniques for chicken.

May 27, 2025June 26, 200918 Comments

With major holidays in Canada (July 1) and the US (July 4) coming up soon, I thought I’d share a few tips on working with chicken on the grill. These are from my experiences and though I don’t claim to be an expert… I do have guests licking their fingers when they’ve had the opportunity to experience my artistry on an open flame. My absolute favourite meat besides a good NY Strip steak to cook on the grill is chicken. But not just any old piece of chicken, it must be leg quarters. I love the flavour of dark meat, plus it stands up best to the high-direct heat of grilling.

Some tips…

To make breast quarters grill more quickly and evenly, cut through the wing joint to break it and bring the wing closer to the grill. If you’re cooking dark meat like leg quarters, pierce the thick parts a few times with a pairing knife. I usually go in near the joints. Here’s a pic of some leg quarters brushed with sticky honey-garlic sauce.

If you’re dieting and want to remove the chicken’s skin, do so after cooking, not before. Without some kind of covering, the chicken will dry out and toughen before it finishes cooking.

Turn chicken frequently, about every 5 minutes to insure even doneness and to prevent blistering.

If flare-ups occur, remove the food for a few moments and sprinkle water lightly over the flames, or smother them by covering the grill.

Cook white-meat poultry until juices run clear and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 170 to 175F and dark meat to 180 to 185F on a meat thermometer.

Grill whole birds and larger parts using the indirect method in a covered grill. Place a drip pan beneath the bird; the pan should be slightly larger than the bird. Fill the pan halfway with water or you’ll find that the drippings or grease will flare up as well. Keep adding water as needed so the pan is never dry.

Chicken should be well-done. If you don’t want to take the usual time it takes, cook your chicken partially by steaming it on low heat on a stove top or (I can’t believe I’m saying this) microwave.

Purchase one of those metal BBQ sauce cups so you can place the BBQ sauce you’ll be using to heat while the chicken is cooking. Never take bottled BBQ sauces from the fridge and brush directly onto your grilled meats and vegetables. I place my sauce cup on top of the BBQ while I cook. the heat is very low, so the sauces gets to slow heat and be ready for basting when the time arrives.

The final product… had to add some chicken flavoured rice and a wonderful Greek salad.

Leave me a comment below if you have any questions or would like to contribute further to this post.

You say guacamole, I say zaboca choka.

March 5, 2012June 25, 200938 Comments

Zaboca (avocado) season was one of favourite times of the year when we were growing up on the islands. Now my seasons are reduced to summer, winter, spring and fall. As a kid we enjoyed, mango season, avocado season, plum season.. you get the picture… the fruit dictated the seasons for us. To this day, whenever someone’s visiting Canada from the islands they usually bring me some of those wonderful pears we call Zaboca(providing they’re in season). Sure they’re readily available in the grocery stores here, but they’re the tiny varieties we get from California and Mexico. On the islands we grow some that are just as or even bigger that grapefruits. I was at the supermarket this morning and after my eyes focused on the pile of avocados from California it occurred to me that I haven’t posted a zaboca choka recipe yet. Enjoy!

You’ll need…

1 tablespoon minced sweet onion
1 clove garlic crushed
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
dash of salt (less that 1/8 teaspoon)
1 med-large avocado (ripe)
1 teaspoon minced cilantro or shado beni
1/4 habanero or your favourite hot pepper

Start by crushing the garlic, hot pepper and salt. Place these ingredients in a bowl or mortar and crush to a fine paste. The salt will help break everything down.

Peel and slice the avocado in pieces, then place in the same bowl with the crushed pepper and garlic, now crush this as well. You can also use the back of a fork to crush the avocado as well. I have a wooden pestle that I use for instances like this.

Mince the onion and cilantro (or shado beni) and add to the mixture. If you don’t like the texture of minced onions, you may also grate the onion into the mix instead. Now add the lemon juice, stir and taste for salt. In the past I’ve also added a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil to the mixture. This is up to you.

Serving Suggestions.

– as a dip for your favourite corn chips or crackers

– as a spread on sandwiches

– as a spread on tortilla type wraps (I would add a bit of water cress or lettuce with this on a wrap)

– as a filling for pita bread

and… with hot roti or fry bake as I enjoyed as a kid. This morning I enjoyed mine on sourdough bread sandwich.

Leave me your comments below.

Heavenly curry chicken with tender potato.

May 27, 2025June 19, 200946 Comments

This one is a hit on a Sunday morning whenever my mom visits (yup…a heavy brunch type dish on a Sunday). Our girls claim that only my mom can make this to their liking. Plus we get her to make roti for us, since I’m clueless when it comes to anything involving flour. The best combination for this is obviously paired with roti, but you can’t go wrong topping rice with this thick and savory dish… as I did in the pics below.

Note: I mentioned above that we usually enjoy this as a brunch dish, but you’re not limited as to when you can enjoy this. Most people I know treat this as course for dinner or big lunch.

Tip! If you live in a country that experiences winter and your house is locked up during those months and you’re concerned about that pungent scent that cooked curry seems to leave back (especially on your clothes), you have a few options…

– burn a scented candle during and after the cooking process

– ventilate (open a window or turn on the exhaust fan above your stove)

– place a stick of cinnamon in some water and simmer on the stove

– bake some cookies after 🙂

You’ll need…

3 lbs chicken cut into pieces (I like using legs with back attached – dark meat)

1 tablespoon curry powder (your choice)

1/2 teaspoon geera (ground cumin)

1/4 piece of habanero pepper (you control the heat by the amount of pepper you use)

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of black pepper

1 teaspoon green seasoning mix.

3-4 leaves of shado beni (chopped) or 3 chopped tablespoon of cilantro.

1 medium onion (chopped)

2 cloves of garlic (crushed/chopped)

1 medium tomato (chopped)

2 tablespoon lime or lemon juice (or vinegar)

2 tablespoons of oil (vegetable)

2 medium potatoes (peeled / sliced into chunks)

2 cups water

Start by washing the chicken pieces with the lime or lemon juice and water (not the water mentioned in the recipe). Then start seasoning by adding all the ingredients mentioned above, except the oil, potato and water. Allow this to marinate for a couple hrs for best results. Feel free to cook immediately if you’re in a rush.

On high heat, in a saucepan (with a lid) add the oil and wait until you start seeing gentle smoke. Try fishing out the pieces of onion and garlic from the marinated chicken and add to the now hot oil.

Allow this to cook for about 2-3 minutes (you’ll notice that other recipes will ask that you cook the curry powder – I don’t), then start adding the seasoned pieces of chicken. Move everything around so it gets in contact with the heated oil. Cover and let simmer for a few minutes. After about 8 minutes you’ll notice that the chicken released some natural juices – lets turn up the heat and get rid of that.

As you wait for the liquid to cook down, peel and dice the potatoes. Place it into the same bowl that the chicken was sitting in. When the liquid that was released is gone, add the potato pieces and stir around. Pour the 2 cups of water into the same bowl and try to get any remaining seasoning that was left behind.

After you’ve added and moved the pieces of potato around the pot a bit, add the water and bring back to a boil. Cover the pot and turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Allow this to cook for about 20 minutes or so. The goal is to have tender pieces of potato (melt and thicken the sauce) and a rich-thick sauce. If there’s still a lot of liquid left after the 20 minutes, using the back of your spoon, smash a few pieces of the potato. This will help thicken the gravy/sauce.

FYI. Just about everyone I know practices a different technique in cooking curry dishes, so feel free to use this a a base for your own unique version. Be sure to taste for salt in the event you need to add some. In the unlikely event there’s too much salt, add a sliced tomato and cook for a few minutes. It will absorb some of the extra salt.

Please leave me your comments below and share this with your friends.

Pelau, the first guest invited to every beach lime.

May 27, 2025June 16, 2009162 Comments

I can still recall sitting in our “gallery” (porch) shelling peas as the first crop of pigeon peas was reaped (btw, shelling is the term used to describe removing the peas from the pod). My parents always planted corn and peas every rainy season so we enjoyed fresh peas cooked in many different forms. Stewed, curried, in pelau and as a thickener for some of the amazing soups my mom would make. But my absolute favourite dish with pigeon peas (even to this day) is that wonderful meal-in-a-pot, called pelau.

It was the norm that every trip we made to the beach or any family outing, my mom would cook up a pot of pelau (BTW, “cook up” is also another word for pelau) to take for lunch. Nothing beats taking a swim in the ocean and making your “hungry” way back to the trunk of the car where your mom is getting ready to serve you a plate of still-hot, chicken pelau with a fresh green salad on the side. And how could I forget the hot sauce we would drizzle all over the mound of pelau?

Can you imagine writing a post and your mouth waters from nothing but a memory? Let’s hope I don’t drool all over this keyboard.

I still can’t believe that it took me this long to share this dynamite pelau recipe with you. A special thanks to Caron for reminding me to do so.

You’ll need…

4-5lbs chicken, cut into pieces and washed with lime/lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
1 teaspoon fresh/bottled ginger – crushed. (use 1/2 if it’s ginger powder)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (one that can withstand high heat)
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
2-3 tablespoon cilantro (or 2 tbs Trinidad green meat seasoning)
2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 hot pepper (only if you like your food spicy)
1 green onion or chive – chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 large carrot sliced into “coins”
1 can coconut milk (about a cup)
1 can pigeon peas (also known as congo peas)
3 cups of long grain brown rice (washed)
1 teaspoon golden ray salt butter (optional)

Couple things before we proceed.

* If you can get fresh “shelled” pigeon peas, jump at the chance to use that instead of the canned stuff. nothing beats ‘fresh’.

* The pigeon peas comes as 2 types in the can. You have the green pigeons peas and the congo peas. The congo is the just the same green ones that were left to dry in its pod (while still on the tree), then canned. In the pictures below, you’ll notice that I used the congo variety of peas as it what I had on hand.

Cut and wash the chicken pieces, then season with all the ingredients mentioned above except, the oil, sugar, coconut milk, carrot, rice, water, golden ray and the can of pigeon peas.

Allow the seasoned chicken to marinate for at least 1 hr before you continue. You’re probably shocked by the amount of salt we used during the seasoning process, don’t fear. When we add the other ingredients, the saltiness will balance off nicely.

In a large pot on med to high heat, pour the oil and wait for it to become hot. Then add the brown sugar (same as the stewing process we discussed before), keeping an eye on things (see pictures below) until the sugar goes to a dark frothy brown. Have the bowl of seasoned chicken ready to go.

When the sugar gets to this point, quickly start adding the pieces of chicken. Move each piece around so it gets coated in the caramel that you just made. After adding all the chicken, cover the pot and allow to cook on med heat for about 10 minutes. We’re trying to “brown” the meat and also create a nice brown colour so when we add the rice, everything will look and taste amazing. Remember, that a pelau is judged by not only it’s taste, but by it’s appearance as well. Don’t worry, this recipe is fool proof!

While everything cooks, open the can of peas and place it in a strainer to wash out the sort of sryup-like liquid it’s packaged in the can with. You’ll also get rid of all that additional sodium that’s included in everything that’s canned. Wash and peel the carrot, then slice into coins. Put both the peas and carrot pieces into the same bowl you seasoned the chicken. Hopefully it will pick up any remaining seasonings that were left back. As the water starts to dry-up (see pic above) add, the peas and carrots to the pot. NOTE: You may have to turn up the heat and remove the lid for the natural juices that were released to cook down.

Cover the lid and turn down the heat as you wash the rice. For those of you not familiar with cooking with brown rice as we do in the Caribbean, you may not realize that you must first wash the rice before cooking, to get rid of the gritty taste. Many of you are probably accustomed to using that fast cooking (can’t screw up) Uncle Ben’s version. Not today! It’s a very simple process. Pour the rice into a large bowl and pour water to cover it. Then as if you’re giving the rice a massage, work it with your hand and fingers. Pour out that water (you’ll see how cloudy the water will be) and repeat this process for another couple times.

Time to kick back into action. Pour the rice into the pot, then the coconut milk and the three cups of water. Stir everything around and quickly bring back to a boil. Then cover the pot and allow to simmer for about 35 minutes or until all the liquid is gone and the grains of rice is tender and plump. There are 2 ways people like their finished product. Wet or dry and grainy. I love a nice grainy pelau, but I do know my sister makes hers gets my mom to make her’s a bit wet. Test both ways to see how best you like it.

Added Flavour!

To add an additional layer of flavor to the dish (not as if it need any more) add a teaspoon of Goldenray salted butter as you turn off the stove. Then mix around and cover the pot for about 5 minutes.

Special Note. My great aunt had this trick where she would get a branch of celery (fresh stuff from her garden – only the leafy part) and chop it really fines and top her pelau with it. STUNNING is the only word I can use to describe this added zing. Though I’ve tried over the years I’m still to recreate that unique taste … maybe it’s because I don’t have that unique celery from the Caribbean.

Do let me know your thoughts on this and the many other recipes posted on CaribbeanPot.com in the comment box below. If doing this according to a gluten free diet, do go through all the ingredients to verify they meet with your gluten free dietary needs.

A delectable stewed beef recipe, the Caribbean way.

March 5, 2012June 13, 200983 Comments

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you may have come to the conclusion that the majority of dishes we prepare includes the process of “stewing”. Unlike what’s considered a stew in places like Canada and the US, our stews are based on the principle of caramelizing the meats to give it that so-unique brown colour and that marvelous flavour. But that very far from the truth, as our food culture is highly influenced by the many different races that make up the vibrant melting pot the Caribbean is. Today we’ll take a look at one of my dad’s most beloved dishes, stew beef!

Similar in every aspect of the other stewed dishes I’ve posted, except this one will take a bit longer to cook (to ensure that the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender) and we’re using beef, rather than chicken or pork.

You’ll need…

1.5 lbs beef – cubed into 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
1 teaspoon fresh or bottled ginger – crushed. (use 1/2 if it’s ginger powder)
2 tablespoon vegetable oil (one that can withstand high heat)
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
2 tablespoon cilantro (or 2 tbs Trinidad green meat seasoning)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 1/4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 hot pepper (only if you like your food spicy)
1 green onion or chive – chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme (1 teaspoon dried)
1 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
1 small shallot

* I’ve seen my dad put mushrooms (white button variety) near the end of cooking and I must admit that though not traditional, it’s does compliment the dish. But I must admit that I do love mushrooms, so I’ll enjoy it in just about any dish.

Start by cutting the beef into 1 inch cubes, then using the lime (lemon or vinegar) wash (with water – not the one mentioned in the recipe) the pieces of meat and drain. With the cubed pieces of beef in a bowl, start to season. Add all the ingredients mentioned above, except the oil, water and sugar. We’ll be using those later on in the dish. Allow the seasoned meat to marinate for at least 30 minuets before cooking. For best results, leave to marinate about 2 hrs in the fridge.

As we’ve practiced in other stewed dishes, it’s time to get the sugar ready. In a heavy pot on high heat pour in the oil and allow to get hot, then place the sugar and move it around so it starts to melt, change color and bubble. Remember to use a long handle spoon to prevent getting burn and have the seasoned meat within reach. This step requires good timing. When you see the sugar fully melted and turns to a rich brown colour (see pic below), start putting in the pieces of meat. Remember to stir everything around, so it’s fully coated.

Leave on high heat for about 3 minutes, then turn down the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Allow to cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure all the pieces of beef gets evenly browned. You’ll notice that dish will release natural juices. Now remove the lid and turn the heat back to high med-high. We want to burn-off all the liquid and give the meat the lasting rich brown colour.

In the same bowl we seasoned the beef, add the water and swoosh it around a bit so every bit of remaining seasoning is mixed in with the water. When all the liquid (see pic above) is burnt away from the pot, add the water from the bowl.

Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. With the pot covered, allow to cook for about 1 hour or until the beef is really tender. If after the 1 hour of cooking there’s still a lot of water left in the pot, do turn up the heat and allow to burn off. You’re looking for a nice thick gravy.

This dish makes for a great topping for rice or ground provisions. In the pic above I have it resting on a nice bed of steamy boiled yams. But you can also pair it well with any side you usually serve meats with – salads, mashed potatoes … it’s also amazing on macaroni and cheese.

Other stewed dishes:

Chicken

Pork

Curry Stew Chicken.

Please take a moment to share your experience with this recipe or if you have another version of it. Do leave me a comment below.

How to peel yams (Caribbean ground provision)

May 28, 2025June 12, 2009Leave a Comment

Were we making ceviche all along?

May 27, 2025June 4, 200949 Comments

I think I was about 9 years old the very first time I had the opportunity to sample one of the Friday night rituals in Marabella. A small town, known for it’s vibrant weekend market and the hub for oil workers after work on a Friday evening. That ritual being “oyster cocktails”. A spicy drink made from oysters harvested that day in the Gulf Of Paria (eastern shores of Trinidad). You’d go over to the stall that sold it and had to choose how spicy, how large and what type of additional seasons you wanted as you placed your order. Street food at it’s best!

The stalls would be lined up around the same area (Marabella round-about) that had people also selling doubles, roast corn, black pudding and many other delectable delights! The hardest thing was deciding which option to go with. However, the Oyster Cocktail was merely used as an appetizer… as far as I knew. Later on I learned that the older folks considered it an aphrodisiac and those with “plans” would stop by here first before going on their mission.

It’s been more than 20 years since I last had this, so what you’re about to experience is all from memory and what I could recall tasting (ingredients). I’m sure you may have a different version and I do encourage you to post yours in the comments box below.

You’ll need…

2 large oysters

3 pieces of chives (sliced thin)

1 clove of garlic (crushed, then minced)

1/2 large tomato – diced

1 large lemon (juice)

1 lime (juice)

1/4 cup cold water

1 teaspoon ketchup

dash black pepper

dash salt (as to your liking)

1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional)

3-5 leaves of shado beni or (3 tablespoons of cilantro minced)

1 habanero pepper (or your fav hot pepper)

Start by taking the oyster flesh from within the shell… if you notice there’s liquid in the shell, do keep that. Pour the oyster and any juices into a small container.

Now start by mincing all the ingredients into very small pieces. (garlic, chives, tomato, shado beni and habanero – include the seeds for that extra PUNCH!)

Place all the minced items in a bowl.

Go back to the bowl you have the Oysters in and place in on a cutting surface. Like everything else, you want to mince the 2 oysters as well.

Add everything into the bowl. Remember to get the oyster juice from the original container you had the oysters sitting in before you minced them. Now all the other ingredients, including the juice of the lime and lemon. Don’t forget the water and to taste for salt.

Mix everything around and allow to marinate a bit. I usually place it in a plastic container with a screw type lid into the fridge. How to serve? Get out those fancy “shot” glasses you’ve been collecting and fill each with a shot of this spicy aphrodisiac, then just before dinner serve chilled.

BTW, do you see the similarity to ceviche?

Swiss chard with an inkling of salted cod and garlic.

March 5, 2012June 1, 200959 Comments

There are so many things I’d never touch even with a 10ft pole as a child, but I find myself having cravings for the very same things as I grew older. Fish, Fried Ochro, Pumpkin, Water Cress and any of the more stronger tasting greens like Chorai. But I’ve always been a huge fan of dasheen bush baggie (sp) and due to necessity, I’ve grown very fond of Swiss Card. To this day I still won’t touch “Caraili” or in most cases cooked goat. I can only imagine how dificult it was for my mom having to cook to please the appetite of 4 children. It’s a good thing both my mom and dad never made a fuss about food.

Every spring one of the first plants to hit the dirt in our small backyard garden is Swiss Chard. I usually go overboard by planting too much and end up having more than I could possibly cook in one season. At least Caron’s friend’s mom loves the stuff and accepts the extras without any force 🙂

You’ll need…

1 bundle Swiss Chard (wash and cut – see image below)

1 chili pepper (optional)

2 tablespoon coconut cream (optional)

Salt * Only if you don’t use the salted cod.

dash black pepper

1 medium onion diced

2 cloves garlic crushed/sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

3-4 tablespoon salted cod (optional) * please excuse my measurement.. I didn’t know how else to explain this.

Start by washing each leaf of the chard under running water. The chard we get here in Canada seems to have been grown in sandy soil, so washing is very important. Cut out the tips of the stalk (area that may be brown or discolored) but don’t remove all the white stem..we’ll be using that as well. Grab a few leaves and wrap them tightly, then with a sharp knife on a cutting board, start slicing into thin strips.

After you’ve sliced the entire bundle of Chard, place in a drainer and run cold water over it again to ensure any sand/dirt is completely removed.

Peel and sliced the garlic and onion, as well as the chili pepper.

I usually soak the piece of salted cod in hot water for about 10 minutes, then I strip into pieces.

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan under med-high heat. Then add the strips of salted cod and allow to cook from about 3 minutes. Then add the onion, garlic and chili. Allow this to cook until it starts going golden brown (about 3-5minutes).

At this point you can start adding the sliced Swiss chard to the pot. It will pile up quite a bit, but as it cooks, it will decrease in size. Keep adding as it goes down in size. Then cover the pot and allow to cook on a low heat. it will release it’s own natural juices. Don’t forget to add a dash of black pepper.

After about 15 minutes or so, add the coconut cream and stir everything around so the cream gets to flavor everything. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes (until all the liquid dries up and everything starts to melt). You may prefer to keep things a bit more crunchy (like a stir fry). The choice is yours… just control the cooking time.

* Salt – since I added the salted codfish, there will be no need for adding additional salt. However if you choose not to use the fish, please taste and add salt as to your liking. The coconut cream (milk) is also optional, but I find that it really enhances the dish so I do recommend that you do use it.

I’d love to hear from you. please leave me your comments in the box below or send me a message by clicking on the contact link above.