Chris De La Rosa, Author at CaribbeanPot.com

As I’m sure you’re here from Instagram, YouTube and Facebook for the CalmDo Vacuum Sealer giveaway, I’ll try my best to explain the rules of the giveaway quickly, so you can be one of two winners we’ll select come August 28th.

Giveaway Rules…

Open to everyone globally
Entries close Midnight August 28, 2020
All you have to do is leave a comment below, saying what vegetable I used in the promo video for this giveaway
Should you not mention the vegetable (Bitter Melon aka Carilie) your name will be discarded
You WILL be required to enter your name and email address (only way for us to contact the winners)
2 winners will be chosen randomly
We will contact the eventual winner starting August 29th. Should you be the winner, you MUST respond within 48 hrs of receiving our email or we will select another person
All members of your household can enter their name/comment below
CalmDo Vacuum Sealers will be shipped via Canada Post Ground, we cannot provide tracking information (unless you’re based in Canada) and cannot guarantee shipping times due to COVID
Do NOT contact us asking who the winners are. They will be announced via Instagram Stories, Facebook and in a subsequent Giveaway video on YouTube.
Do NOT Email, Direct Message or Call us to enter – leaving a comment below is the ONLY way to enter.
Yes you can enter your name even if you’ve won something from us in the past

CaribbeanPot.com is not affiliated with CalmDo. Should you want to own one of their Vacuum Sealer, please go to Amazon (not an affiliate link).

Special thanks to CalmDo for being part of this giveaway.

Main Dishes

The Ultimate Caribbean Macaroni Pie (baked macaroni & cheese).

May 28, 2025August 7, 20206 Comments

Absolutely NOTHING screams Sunday lunch/dinner in the Caribbean, than a classic Macaroni Pie. I say ‘scream’ as from island to island we argue and boast about how great our mommy, auntie, granny, daddy… pies are. Usually a recipe passed down through generations, with slight nuisances that make it uniquely ours! Here’s Chef Marc’s version on The Ultimate Macaroni Pie.. pure Caribbean comfort food!

You’ll Need…

1 lb thick pasta (Bucatini)
1 stick of butter (divided)
5-8 strips bacon (fried crispy & chopped)
2 pimento peppers (diced finely)
1/2 bird’s eye pepper (diced finely)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups aged cheddar (grated)
2 cups regular cheddar (grated)
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped finely)
2-3 cloves garlic (crushed, grated or diced finely)
1 cup diced bell (sweet) pepper
salted water for cooking the pasta
2 scallions (chopped)
3 tablespoon flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1-2 tablespoon butter to grease the baking dish

Prep the vegetables, peppers etc. Fry the bacon till crisp and chop into small pieces. Boil the pasta according to the packaged instructions (about 10-12 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Lets make the topping, then set it aside as we did with the pasta. Heat a saucepan on a medium flame and go in with 2 tablespoon of butter, then the bacon bits. After 20-30 seconds, add the bread crumbs and toast
/ stir well. It will go grainy. Make sure your heat is on low now (after you add the bread crumbs). Toss in the parsley, mix and move it off the heat.

For the cheese sauce (the base of the recipe). In a deep saucepan add the rest of the butter on a low heat and melt it. Add the peppers (pimento and Bird’s eye pepper) along with the garlic and stir well. Add the bell peppers and continue stirring. Allow it to go for about 3-4 minutes, then add the black pepper and salt. Toss in the flour and stir well. The flour will work to thicken the cheese sauce later on. Be sure to cook out the rawness of the flour – 3-4 minutes. Then add the milk and whisk. Remove the pan off the burner as you whisk.

To thicken the milk you may need to place back the pan onto the burner for a minute or 2. Turn off the stove and add 2/3 of the cheese.. whisk/stir to melt and get that lovely cheesy sauce. Finish the cheese sauce by adding
the chopped scallions.

Now it’s time to add the cooked pasta directly to the saucepan (make sure you use a large pot or pan when making the cheese sauce) and fold the macaroni and cheese together. Remember to grate in the nutmeg into the mix.

Grease the baking dish (13 x 9) with the butter, then pour in the cheesy macaroni. (use a smaller baking dish if you want a THICK pie).

Take 1/2 of the reserved (1/3) cheese and evenly spread it over the macaroni, followed by 1/2 of the breadcrumbs, then the remaining cheese.. along with the remaining breadcrumbs (basically layers of cheese and bread crumbs).

Into a 375 F oven, middle rack (uncovered) for 40 minutes. Allow it to cool for about 10 minutes (cover with foil) before cutting through.

SPECIAL thanks to Chef Marc for joining us today, but more importantly.. for sharing his take on the Ultimate Macaroni Pie. Only luv bredrin!

How To Grill Monkfish Right.

September 3, 2020August 6, 20202 Comments

After having my first ever Monkfish experience at La Paradeta Sants in Barcelona last year, not only did I fall in love with Monkfish, I knew I’d be rocking my own recipe. While not a pretty fish, once the skin and bones are removed, the flesh is quite beautiful and a sponge for flavors. Here’s my “Caribbean” version to what we enjoyed in Spain.

You’ll Need…

1 lb Monkfish (fillet – no bones, nor skin)
2 scallions (chopped finely)
2 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
1 lemon (juice)
3 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 bird’s eye pepper (chopped)
6 grape or cherry tomato (diced)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper

Important. If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go though the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Note: You’ll see me use a grill pan on my propane grill to prepare this dish. The main reasons are 1. To show you that you can do this on a stove top in a cast iron pan and 2. To keep it away from the direct heat/flame off the grill while still being above the heat source (though we need a hot surface) so we don’t overly char the fish.

The main sort of component to this dish other than the actual grilling, is to prepare the marinade/dressing. Add all the above mentioned ingredients (not the fish), into a bowl and whisk together. Then drizzle 2/3 of it on the fish (make sure the Monkfish is clean.. feel free to wash with cool water and the juice of a lemon as it’s traditionally done in the Caribbean) and allow it to marinate for 4-5 minutes (basically while your grill comes to temperature). Reserve the final 1/3 of the marinade to use as a dressing over the finished grill fish.

Crank up the heat on your grill to 400-450 F, brush or spray the grill with some oil (so the fish doesn’t stick) then gently place the seasoned fish onto the hot surface. Using the heavy cast iron skillet on my grill gave me better control of the heat. You can also do this in your indoor oven or stove top.

Close the lid on the grill and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Then flip over, and pour the marinade that it was marinating in directly on top. Place the lid back on.

Flip one more time if necessary. You’ll need between 6-10 minutes in total depending on the thickness of the Monkfish you used. What I forgot to mention above (but I did explain in the video below) is that I did ‘butterfly’ the thick parts of the fish so I had an even thickness overall. Thus being able to cook evenly.

Try your best to NOT overcook the fish or it WILL go tough on you. As soon as it comes off the grill, it’s time to drizzle on the reserved marinade.

I can guarantee you, that this will be one of the best (and easy) grilled fish recipes you’ll ever enjoy. I did use the seeds of the bird’s eye pepper, but you can discard those if you don’t want the raw heat of it. Scotch Bonnet or Habanero (small amounts) is a good substitute for the Bird’s Eye or.. leave it out or use basic pepper flakes if that’s all you have.

Sauces & Condiments

Traditionally Made Caribbean Green Seasoning.

May 28, 2025July 19, 20204 Comments

My paternal grandmother had a huge wooden mortar and pestle (also used for pounding cocoa and coffee beans) and my maternal grandma used a blue-stone Sil and Lorha for making her green seasoning, masalas and other grinding. I’ve showed you how to make this Green Seasoning with your everyday blender and food processor and I’ve even shared my Top 10 Tips For an Amazing Green seasoning. Today we’ll focus on the simplicity of this classic Caribbean marinade and how you can make it without any fancy gadgets like my grandmothers before me.

You’ll Need…

2 seasoning peppers (pimento peppers)
2-3 coffee peppers (wiri wiri)
5 cloves garlic
4-5 shado beni leaves (culantro – cilantro will also work)
3 scallions
5-6 sprigs thyme
2 thin slices ginger
1-2 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Note! Like Epis and Sofrito, Green seasoning is basically a puree of the herbs, seasoning peppers and garlic you enjoying using in your cooking. So it can be very personal (based on your taste) therefore I urge you to use herbs etc that you like.

I’m using a stone mortar and pestle, but if all you have a wooden one.. rock that. Note that I’m including the seeds of the peppers, so mine will have a bit of a kick to it. Remove and discard the seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat. And remember to wear gloves when handling such hot peppers as the Wiri Wiri (aka coffee peppers).

Wash, dry and give everything a rough chop to make it easier to work in the mortar. Then basically all you need to do is add everything to the mortar (except the oil) and crush to the consistency you like. NOTE! Feel free to use Spanish Thyme (big leaf thyme), parsley, rosemary etc if you want.

From the images you’ll notice that I like mine a bit chunky. If you wanted to add some salt to further assist in crushing, feel free to do so. But be mindful that your finished Green Seasoning will contain salt – when seasoning your meats, seafood and vegetables before cooking.

Crush to the texture you like, then add the olive oil and stir well. The oil is NOT something granny would use, but I find that it helps to preserve the flavors of the herbs etc and maintain the color (no oxidization) of everything.

Note! This is a small version of the recipe designed for immediate use. However, due to the use of the olive oil, it will keep for weeks in the fridge (in a clean container), should you make a larger batch. Obviously you can use a food processor or blender too… for larger batches.

Site News

Calmdo Masticating Juicer Giveaway!

May 28, 2025July 13, 2020386 Comments

As we announced this morning on YouTube and Instagram, this month’s giveaway is a masticating Juicer from Calmdo. You would have seen me make a revitalizing green juice in that video and in the coming weeks I’ll share some more delicious juices with incredible health benefits. But for now, the giveaway…

The Rules

Open to everyone globally
one entry per person (not household)
to enter, you MUST leave a comment below
we will stop accepting entries Midnight July 31, 2020
the winner will be chosen randomly and contacted August 1
winner will have 48 hours to respond with a mailing address
failure to respond in time, means another winner will be chosen
Calmdo Juicer will be shipped via Canada Post (ground)
we cannot guarantee delivery times due to COVID
Do NOT email entries (it will be deleted)
Do NOT email or DM “did I win?” (it will be ignored)
Winner will be announced via IG and FB August 1 2020

Good Luck to everyone who participates.

FYI Masticating juicers are also known as slow juicers, gear, or auger juicers, and the produce is crushed at a slow speed. When using this juicer, the produce is crushed at around 80-100 RPM, then pushed through a sharp screen. Since the juicing process is much slower and does not introduce as much heat and oxygen as with a centrifugal juicer, it provides you with a more nutritious juice.

To own a Calmdo Masticating Juicer, check them on Amazon or Via their website. Special thanks to Calmdo for donating this wonderful giveaway.

If you’re interested in my green Juice…

1 large green apple
1 large pear
5 stalks celery
1 large cucumber
small bunch of Parsley
2 cups chopped spinach
thumb size piece of ginger

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Masala (curry) Chicken.

May 27, 2025July 12, 20203 Comments

If you’re looking for a Caribbean style Curry Chicken with rich flavors of spices, deep hints of herbs and a gravy that could compete with the best sauces at the gravy Olympics (if such a thing existed), you’ve found such a recipe. Did I mention that it’s a quick dish to whip up? Masala Chicken is the dignified older brother of the basic curry chicken. Follow along and all will be revealed.

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken (bones, fat and skin removed)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1 medium tomato (diced)
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
3 tablespoon olive oil
8-12 cloves garlic (divided)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 shallot (diced)
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon ground roast geera (cumin)
1 tablespoon Anchar Masala
2 tablespoon chopped parsley (cilantro or shado beni will be better)

3/4 cup water to cook off the curry

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may contain flour as a filler. Remember to use as much scotch bonnet as you can handle and don’t include any seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds (unless you like the raw heat). Wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

I used boneless chicken thighs which were cut into 1.5 – 2 inch pieces. Season with the Caribbean Green seasoning, salt, black pepper, ketchup and tomato. Allow to marinate for about an hour. The acidity of the ketchup and tomato will help to balance the overall flavors of the dish. Plus help in getting a thick sauce or gravy at the end.

During the warm months in Canada I try cook outdoors as much as I can, as being cooped-up during the winter months can be taxing on your mind and well-being. Today you’ll see me cook on my outdoor stove on HIGH heat! Feel free to use your indoor stove.

Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot (I used a classic Caribbean dutchie) on high heat and immediately go in with 1/2 the garlic, onion and shallots. Cook for 25-35 seconds then add the curry powder of your choice. Cook for a minute or 2, then add the water and stir well. The first step was to bloom the spices which made up the curry powder, this step will cook off the rawness of the curry.

Add the Geera and Anchar Masala at this point, so they also get to cook and be part of this rich masala./curry base.

The slurry will now cook down and you’ll see the oil you started off with. Time to now add the seasoned chicken and stir well to coat and degalze the bottom of the pot. All this time my heat is on high. But be mindful that you can burn things easily – so you can go with medium-high if you’re overly concerned.

The chicken will sprout it’s own natural juices. Cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes, so you develop those rich flavors we spoke about, cook the chicken through and achieve a lovely gravy in the process. If you find you’re running out of liquid, you can add a bit of water. At this point is where you’ll add the remaining garlic as well.

I didn’t cover my pot in case you’re wondering. As I turned off the heat I went in with the finely chopped parsley. Here is where you can taste for salt and adjust accordingly and cook the gravy to the consistency you want.

This Masala Chicken will be something requested by your family and friends on the regular – be prepared! Since we used small boneless pieces of chicken the cook time is quick and by using the thighs (dark meat) you’ll find that it assists in the overall flavor of the finished dish.

Gluten Free Seafood

Ultimate Grilled Lobster #JulyMonthOfGrilling

July 19, 2020July 6, 2020Leave a Comment

It’s that time of the year! We’re now into the 10th edition of the annual July Month Of Grilling and we’re starting off with a BANG! (a recipe which is heavily requested on Instagram) This recipe is influenced by the folks at Ducky’s Ortoire Organic Roast Seafood and the delicious offerings they sorted us out with last year. While I wish I had Caribbean lobsters, the cold water lobster is an excellent substitute to accompany the steaks grilled this night.

You’ll Need…

3 1 lb lobsters
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 scallions (chopped fine)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pimento peppers (seasoning peppers – chopped fine)
2 bird’s eye pepper (chopped fine)
3/4 lb butter
6-8 leaves Shado Beni (culantro – chopped fine)
8 cloves garlic (diced fine)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped fine)
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 shallot (diced fine)
1/2 cup coconut milk

Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Banana leaves can be found in the frozen section of your Asian, Latin or Caribbean grocery store. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.

Please use the video below as a guide when cleaning the lobsters. These were live lobsters, so using a sharp chef’s knife I made a quick (but forceful) cut down the head of the lobster, then continued down the tails to cut into two equal halves. This swift method of cutting through the head, is probably the most humane way to kill the lobsters.

Remove the rubber bands from around the claws and wash out the belly cavity with cool water. In the video you’ll see the stuff I removed. Feel free to wash the lobsters with some lemon juice.

With the ingredients prepped, it’s now time to go crank up your grill. I used my propane grill, but you can use a charcoal grill should you prefer (better flav actually). You’ll want a hot grill.

Heat a pot and add all the ingredients mentioned above (except the lobster and banana leaves). This is the key to this succulent grilled lobster.

Allow it to simmer for about 3-5 minutes after it comes to a boil, to allow flavors get an opportunity to combine. Keep warm as we grill the lobsters.

I prefer to go flesh-side down to start, over direct heat. But.. not for long. 40-50 seconds later, flip them over and hit then with the first basting of the coconut buttery goodness we created. Then cover them with the banana leaves. Should the leaves be difficult to source, simply close the lid on your grill.

4-5 minutes later (depending on how big your lobsters are) remove the leaves (discard) and baste with another round of the flavored butter. Give it another minute or 2 and you’re done.

Serve warm, with the remaining coconut garlic butter as a dip. BTW, this butter is excellent on steaks as well. The goal is to have juicy lobsters, so please don’t over-cook and be sure to be generous when applying the melted butter. BUT be mindful that you may get flare-ups.

Desserts Drinks

Refreshing Portugal (citrus) Prosecco Sorbet.

August 7, 2020July 2, 2020Leave a Comment

With summer in full swing, I thought it was time to roll out this unique sorbet recipe for you to have some fun with. While I’ve never seen Portugals (say pooteegal if you’re old school) readily available outside Trinidad and Tobago (no it’s not Jamaican ugly fruit), you can use clementines or mandarins and if all fails, you can rock it with Seville or Navel oranges. Blood Oranges? Maybe I’ll test that next yea.

You’ll Need…

2 cups Portugal Juice (or any citrus)
2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon honey
2 cups Prosecco
2 tablespoon Rose water

Note! The Portugals are really unique in sweetness (sometimes tart) and when you peel the skin back, the rind got a scent unlike any citrus I’ve ever encountered. The color of the skin ranges from green to yellow to orange, and if you get some near the end of the season, you’ll get juicy pulp beads of condensed juice.

Juice the Portugals (cut in half and squeeze – you want the rind to give it some of it’s natural pungency) I used a 50 – 50 mix of clementines and Portugals as I only had about 4-5 of them and they would not yield the amount of juice we needed to make this wonderful sorbet.

Be sure to remove the seeds, but keep the pulp as it will give the finished sorbet some texture.

In a large bowl, add the Prosecco and mix in the sugar, honey and Rose water. Whisk!

Pour this mixture into your sorbet maker and organize according to the user manual.

About 22 minutes later my ice cream maker started laboring so I knew it was time to shut things down. With any frozen treat I make, I placed the finished sorbet into a freezer container and into the freezer for an hour or so to firm up a bit more.

Use fresh, or keep in the freezer for those scorching days of summer. This recipe is heavily influenced by a similar (I’m not sure what specifically their chef used) sorbet we enjoyed at Krave Restaurant in Trinidad and Tobago.

Drinks

Refreshing Sorrel Lemonade.

July 2, 2020June 29, 20202 Comments

I’m not the biggest fan of lemonade, but toss is a Caribbean twist and BOOM.. one of the most refreshing summertime drinks you can serve/enjoy. Additionally, you can get your adult on and toss in some rum, vodka or tequila.. thank Uncle Chris later!

You’ll Need…

8 cups water (divided)
15 sorrel buds (dried)
1 slice ginger
1 clove
1 inch cinnamon
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon mixed essence
2 tablespoon honey
6 lemons (juice)
1/2 teaspoon
Angostura Bitters
lemon slices for decorating

Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, then add the sorrel buds and simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn off the stove and add the ginger, clove and cinnamon to steep. We didn’t boil the sorrel with the clove, cinnamon nor ginger as we want a hint of those flavors and NOT a strong influence. It’s a great time to add the sugar while the liquid is warm. Stir to dissolve.

Juice the lemons in the meantime.

After the sorrel liquid is cooled (about 1 hour), strain into a large jug or bowl and add the remaining 4 cups of water, lemon juice, bitters, honey and mixed essence (you’ll find this at Caribbean shops).

Stir well and serve cold with a slice of lemon.

I’d recommend adjusting the sugar to your own liking and note that adding ice will dilute the drink a bit. The sorrel as we know it (in the Caribbean) is also known internationally as Hibiscus flowers or Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa)

Seafood

Caribbean Compound Butter Shrimp.

June 29, 2020June 20, 20201 Comment

Hot on the heels of the Caribbean Compound Butter recipe I shared a couple days back, here’s the amazing shrimp recipe I promised. Succulent shrimp with deep flavors of butter and the Caribbean. WARNING! …your family and friends will DEMAND you make on the regular. Take the glory, Uncle Chrs doh mind.

You’ll Need…

1 lb shrimp (medium size | 36:40)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon Caribbean Compound Butter
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/2 lemon (juice)

juice of a lime or lemon to wash the shrimp

Place the cleaned/deveind and washed shrimp (I like washing them in cool water with the juice of a lime or lemon and then drain) in a bowl, followed by the salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Stir well with the olive oil.

I used a cast iron pan as I like the even way it heats up. However, any pan will work. Medium heat, then add the shrimp to the pot. Since we coated the shrimp with the olive oil, we’re using a dry pan. Make sure you stir them and cook for about one minute. They will curl and change color.

Add the compound butter (straight from the freezer) and stir well to coat the shrimp with that herb buttery goodness. It will take on a sort of creamy consistency.

2 minutes later and the shrimp will be perfect. Turn off the stove, toss in the lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Note! I added a chopped bird’s eye pepper at the end for an additional KICK to the shrimp (optional).

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Caribbean Style Compound Butter.

May 28, 2025June 16, 20201 Comment

Why Mommy? You never put compound butter on our boiled corn! Yea, this is not something I grew up eating on the islands, but if you look closely you’ll see how we’ve adapted the flavors we enjoy down the islands, into this wonderful compound butter. Great of grilled meats, grilled and steamed vegetables and Indy (my youngest) luv this on mashed potatoes. In the next post I’ll show you how to make an amazing shrimp dish with this.

You’ll Need…

2 sticks butter
2 scallions
3-4 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
3-5 cloves garlic
4 leaves shado beni (culantro)
1 teaspoon dried pimento peppers
1-2 bird’s eye pepper

Note! If doing this recipe Gluten Free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the butter. I used dried/dehydrated pimento peppers, but if all you have is fresh, that will work too. If you cannot source pimento peppers, use your fav sweet peppers. While Pimento peppers are NOT hot (spicy), you can use a bit of Habanero or Scotch bonnet pepper in here should you want it EXTRA spicy.

Leave the butter out on your counter to soften naturally in a bowl.

Remove the leaves off the thyme stem and along with the scallion, parsley and shado beni (use cilantro as a subsitute) and give it all a fine chop. BUT… before you do, try to dry the herbs with paper towels after you wash them and before you begin chopping. We don’t want extra water influencing the overall taste later on. I used salted butter.

Dice the garlic (finely) as I prefer that way than crushed. I love the little chunks of garlic when I use this compound butter later on.

Remove the seeds out of the bird’s eye pepper (discard) and chop finely. You may keep the seeds if you want this with some kick.

Basically all you have to do now is combine eveything until completely mixed.

Place it all on plastic wrap as we’ll now wrap it in the form or a log about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Pinch the ends and wrap tightly. As you twist the ends, the shape will form naturally. Watch the video below to follow along.

Into the freezer to firm up. (store in the freezer)

My fav way to use this compound butter is on hot of the grill steaks (as in the images you see here) but as mentioned above, this is very versatile and can be used in many ways.

This summer try it on your grilled or boiled corn. Even those lobsters or fish you’ll end up grilling at some point. BTW, this can keep in the freezer for months.

Gluten Free Seafood

Not Grandma’s Stewed Saltfish (stewed salted cod).

July 6, 2020June 14, 2020Leave a Comment

I’ve shared countless recipes featuring the use of saltfish (Salted Cod) over the years, as it’s used a flavor enhancer to MANY dishes in the Caribbean. However, stewed on it’s own.. being the STAR of the recipe is what allows us to really appreciate the humble salted codfish. From our colonized past and slavery, we’ve perfected the art of making humble food, tasty and comforting.

You’ll Need…

3/4 lb prepared salted Cod (any salted fish will work)
8 tomatoes (ripe)
1 bell pepper (cut into strips)
2 pimento peppers (optional – sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoon parsley chopped
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
3 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup olives
5 sprigs thyme
3 + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 tablespoon tomato paste

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. I used boned (bones and skin removed) salted cod as it makes for
easier work. But do go though and make sure there’s no bones left back during processing.

Roast the tomatoes over a charcoal or propane flame, or you can also roast them in your oven. Roast on direct heat for about 5-10 minutes.

Set the roasted tomatoes aside to cool down in a bowl, then remove the skins and discard along with the core/stems. Save the juices which accumulate at the bottom of the bowl. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Prep the other ingredients. (chop, dice, smash)

Prepare salted cod and set aside. (soak in water overnight or boil in water, drain and shred into chunks.. explained further in the video below) .

Heat a wide pan on medium heat, then go in with the olive oil, followed by the onion, garlic, thyme and black pepper and drop the heat to low to gently cook. Give it a toss, then add the bits of slated cod.

3 minutes later add the scotch bonnet, pimento and bell peppers. Mix well to combine everything. Take the heat back up to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Remember to NOT use any of the seeds nor white membrane surround the seeds from the Scotch Bonnet or it will be SPICY! Be sure to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.

Now add the chopped roasted tomato (and juices) and stir well. Add the capers and olives.. and bring back to a boil. Go in with the tomato paste for a bit of color, sweetness and to help create a lovely sauce. Cook with the lid on.. as it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Taste for salt and adjust. I didn’t add any as the salted cod will have some salt remaining and capers can be a bit salty as well. Turn off the stove, top with the remaining olive oil and parsley.

While not a ‘traditional’ way of making Stewed Salted Cod in the Caribbean, I dedicate this version to my ancestors, who paved the way for me to make and enjoy such stunning food. Serve with boiled ground provisions (cassava, yam, dasheen, eddoes, sweet potatoes green banana), roasted or steamed breadfruit, bread, rice or rock it on flour dumplings or even pasta.