Chris De La Rosa, Author at CaribbeanPot.com

One of my favorite snacks when mango was in season as a kid on the islands was mango chow. Even today, whenever we meet at family gatherings, there’s usually a bowl of chow in the midst. I can still recall eating away at this piping-hot combination of tart fruit, garlic and herbs… balanced with the wonderful juice of a fresh squeezed lime or lemon. I guess you were thinking sweet and savory when you think “snack”.

Seems everyone I’ve met over the years makes this a bit different, but you can’t go wrong with my take on mango chow.

You’ll need…

1 green mango (near to ripe is best)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

dash of black pepper (optional)

1 tablespoon shado beni hot sauce (or 1/4 cup cilantro or 1/8 cup of shado beni – finely chopped)

2-3 cloves of garlic (depends how much you like garlic)

1 lime or lemon

1-2 habanero peppers (or your favorite hot pepper)

1 shallot (optional)

Let’s get started. In a bowl, place the salt, sliced pepper, garlic and shallots. For a stronger flavor, instead of slicing the pepper and garlic, crush it with the salt using a pestle.

Wash and peel the mango using a pairing knife or potato peeler. Then slice into wedges and place in the bowl. Remember that the mango will have a hard core (seed) so you won’t be able to slice all the way through. Now add the shado beni hot sauce if you have some stored, or add the fresh shado beni / cilantro.

Basically the only ingredient you should have left is the lime or lemon. Squeeze the lime into the mixture you have in the bowl and toss around using a spoon. Sometimes we’re tempted to use our hands, but remember that you used those hot peppers so it may leave your hand burning if you do.

Taste for salt at this point and add as necessary. Depending on how tart the mango is, you may require some more salt. You have 2 options now.. dig in or cover with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for a couple hrs. If you decide to have it marinate, be sure to toss it around every 30 minutes or so for best results.

Do you use another fruit for making chow? Maybe your recipe is totally different! Leave us your comments…please.

Site News

Shado Beni explained.

May 28, 2025April 10, 200931 Comments

Shadow beni is a leafy herb native to the West Indies and Central America. It is widely used in the cuisine of these regions, and it also appears in Asian foods. This herb can sometimes be difficult to obtain outside these regions; sometimes specialty stores will stock it frozen or in cans. If shadow beni is not available, cilantro can be used as a replacement.

This herb has a multitude of alternate names, which adds to the confusion for many cooks. Formally, shadow beni is known as Eryngium foetidum, but it is also known by bhandhanya, fitweed, long coriander, false cilantro, culantro, recao, shado beni, sawtooth, spiritweed, ngo gai, ketumbar java, Mexican coriander, donnia, and spiritweed, among many other names. This profusion of alternate titles is especially frustrating for cooks who try to work with ethnic recipes, as many people are unaware of alternate names for the herb.

As the name “culantro” suggests, shadow beni tastes very much like cilantro, with a somewhat stronger and more lingering flavor. This flavor is often utilized in marinades and sauces, and the herb is also used as a garnish and to dress various foods. The distinctive pungency is especially popular in Trinidad, where shadow beni is used in traditional salsas and dressings, along with hot sauces.

As is the case with cilantro, shadow beni is not to everyone’s taste. The flavor tastes strange to some people, while others find it very enjoyable. As the scientific name indicates, shadow beni can taste almost fetid at times, especially when paired with poor choices of seasoning and spices. However, the flavor is also quite unique, and some foods simply wouldn’t taste the same without shadow beni or cilantro, as people who have attempted to omit these herbs have noticed.

In the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, shadow benny is often readily available at produce markets, because it is a commonly used ingredient. Outside of these areas, the herb can be challenging to find, as it is a bit obscure. In regions with an ethnic community, shadow benny can sometimes be obtained at regional grocers, or especially larger markets which cater to the minority community. People can also grow shadow benny at home from seeds or starts; its growth habit is much like that of cilantro, so care is advised in especially warm climates, where the herb may bolt to seed.
Side Note: Seems shado beni isalso spelled as “shadow Benny”, “Shado Benny” and “Shado Benni”

Sauces & Condiments

Shado Beni hot sauce which will rock your socks off!

May 28, 2025April 9, 2009100 Comments

On our last vacation to Trinidad and Tobago for carnival 2009, my sister had made reservations at the Hyatt Regency for our group to have breakfast. After all the amazing food we’ve been enjoying thus far on our trip, this day was going to be my BEST culinary experience on the island yet. Eddie my sister’s friend from Switzerland had spoiled us the past 4 days with amazing home-made dinners. Some of the best sauces I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Plus the street food we devoured every night after partying, were divine.

Back to the breakfast at the Hyatt… BTW if you’re ever in Port Of Spain, be sure to have breakfast here. Not only is the food and service tops, nothing beats dining steps away from the ocean. While on my prowl at the buffet I noticed a green sauce sitting all lonely in a corner of the “meat” section. Long story short.. it turned out to be a “shado beni” hot sauce that the chef made fresh on a daily basis. Yea, I even got our waiter to sneak me some to take home in a little disposable cappuccino cup. It was that good. That little green sauce that was so full of flavor and punch, added a new momentousness to plain scrambled eggs and sausage.

Here’s my version of this amazing Shado Beni hot sauce.

You’ll need….

1 bunch of shado beni (subsitute 1 bunch of cilantro)

1 lime

1 hot pepper (or as many as you can handle)

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/4 cup of water.

3 cloves of garlic

Don’t be fooled by how simple this recipe is… it’s GUARANTEED to excite your taste buds.

Remove the skin from the garlic, slice and place in food processor. Cut and squeeze the lime juice in the processor, then add the salt, water and hot pepper. Now wash and rough cut the shado beni (or cilantro) and … place in food processor.

Final step is to puree the entire lot for about 3-4 minutes, stopping to push the ingredients down so everything gets worked.

That’s it, you’re done! Be sure to check for salt and heat level. If it’s not hot enough for you, simply add more peppers as necessary. STORAGE – Use fresh or place in a container in the refrigerator.

USE? Anywhere you usually use hot sauce on. Grilled meats, chicken wings, as a side on dishes, on your eggs in the morning (yum).. be creative!

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Meat & Poultry Vegetarian

Shredded salad with or without leftover chicken.

May 27, 2025April 6, 200942 Comments

This one can work both ways, with or without the chicken so you can enjoy just the same if you’re a vegetarian. Some of you are probably saying that this is just a plain salad, but when you kick-in the bbq or jerk sauce to the chicken pieces, your taste buds will be asking questions… what took you so long to introduce me to this sexy number.

A great side or full course on a Monday night when you’ve got extra chicken from Sunday dinner and you’re looking for something light.

You’ll need….

1 medium Iceberg lettuce
1 medium Boston lettuce (can also use a red lead lettuce)
1 Carrot
1 English cucumber (about 6 inch piece)
1/4 of a small red onion
Your fav salad dressing

Optional

– leftover chicken (roast or bbq)
– your fav BBQ sauce (jerk would be excellent)
– salt and pepper to taste

Take the core out of the iceberg lettuce (stem and hard inner) by cutting the lettuce into 2 pieces (makes it easier to get rid of the core parts). Place on cutting board and with the use of a big sharp knife, cut into thin pieces – shred or julienne.

Place the shredded lettuce in a large salad bowl. Now wash, peel (use a potato peeler) and julienne the carrots into 2 inch lengths.

Place the julienne carrots into the salad bowl. Now it’s time to work with the Boston lettuce. Break off the leaves and rip into bite size pieces. Place the pieces into a salad spinner and run cold water over it. Boston lettuce is famous for packing sand on it’s journey to the supermarket. So we must wash really well.

After you’ve rinsed the Boston lettuce a couple times and spun it dry.. add to the salad bowl. Wash and peel the cucumber, using a potato peeler. Now slice very thin so when your fork hits the salad it can grab a bit of everything and not just a massive piece of cucumber. Do the same for the red onion. Along with making my cuts very thin, I go on an angle, so i never get a full ring. Our girls hate onions, so the less they can see it, the better the chance of them eating the salad. Plus, no one wants to bite down on a huge piece of onion.

With the lettuce (both types), red onion, carrot and cucumber in the salad bowl. Cut the tomato into wedges, get rid of the seeds, rib and stem parts. Now wash in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel, then add to the salad bowl. Toss salad now!

In a large non stick pan on medium heat, add about 2 table spoons of your favorite BBQ sauce or to make this really Caribbean-like, add jerk sauce ( I love the “Grace” brand when I’m not making it from scratch). Cut the leftover chicken into strips and add to the heated jerk sauce. Then top with about 2 more table spoons of sauce. We really want to coat all the chicken pieces. Let cook until heated through, since the chicken was already cooked from the day before.

Now it’s time plate and serve.. you’re done!

Tip 1. Add the tomato just before serving. It tends to spring juices and get the salad a bit soggy.

Tip 2. I would get guests to add their salt and pepper. If you add the salt to the entire bowl of salad, the cucumber will tend to spring juices and get the salad a bit soggy.

Tip 3. Add the chicken just before serving. you have the option of cold or hot. If you’re going with cold, you can cook and place in the fridge with the salad in a different container. Hot or warm will enhance the jerk sauce.

Tip 4. Ask guests to not add salad dressing, but get them to toss the pieces of chicken that’s coated in the jerk or bbq sauce. The entire salad will pick up on the flavors.

Tip 5. Not really a tip, but this can be served without the chicken and enjoyed by your vegetarian guests.

I never though that posting a “salad” recipe would take so much work. I really hope you give this one a shot!

Chris…

Site News

Caribbean food shopping trip to Toronto.

May 28, 2025April 6, 200957 Comments

Meat & Poultry

Curry stew chicken that will leave your family asking for seconds.

May 27, 2025April 5, 2009346 Comments

Kieana our eldest daughter is hooked on anything stewed, while Indy our youngest will not touch the stuff. She’s more into curry chicken, but Kieana will only tolerate curry… no real love there. To try and please or ensure they both eat, I’ve gone back to making a dish that my mom used to make for us when we were kids that was a hit. Curry-stew chicken, a combination of both curry and stewing as the name suggests.

The concept is the same as Stew Chicken, except, we’ll be seasoning the chicken with curry to add that extra level of flavor. For this recipe I suggest you again use a heavy pot for best results (see pot below). Something like a traditional Caribbean pot or one of those cast iron Dutch oven type would be great. You may also use one of those heavy stainless steel ones you can find in department stores in North America with the reinforced (heavy) bottoms.

You’ll need……..

1 (4-5 pounds) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon salt
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)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup 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 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
2 tablespoon curry powder (your favorite)

Preparing the chicken. Cut or ask your butcher to cut the chicken into serving size pieces. In a bowl empty the cut chicken and squeeze the lime or lemon (or vinegar) onto the chicken, then add some water from your tap to cover the pieces of chicken. Now wash each piece individually, removing skin and any fat (we’ll try to keep this a bit healthy). Now rinse with a new batch of water and drain.

Then in the same bowl with the freshly washed chicken you’ll add ALL the ingredients EXCEPT the oil, sugar and cup of water, we’ll be using those to cook the chicken. Here’s what it should look like (remember to mix everything around and let it sit (marinate) in the fridge for about 1hr before cooking.

FYI, you’ve just seasoned the chicken. After about an hour or so marinating, it time to get things moving.

Here’s a pic of the pot I used:

On high heat, add the oil to the pan. Just before the oil starts to smoke, add the brown sugar. TIP – be sure to have the seasoned chicken handy, use a long handle spoon (it will get hot) and oven mitts to hold onto the pot to turn the pieces of chicken to get it evenly coated. It’s important that you keep an eye on things and be ready to act fast. Next tip – it can get a bit smoky with the high heat at this point, so you may want to turn the exhaust fan over your stove on or open a window in the event you have smoke detectors installed.

Move around the sugar in the pot (remember to use a dry spoon with a long handle), until it starts to melt. Now keep a close eye on things here, since you’re looking for the sugar to go a bit foamy, and change color to golden. See pic below. Notice the middle of the picture where the sugar appears a bit darker? That’s the exact color you’re looking for before adding the chicken. (Note – we used less sugar in this recipe than when cooking stew chicken, since we don’t want to over-power the curry aspect of the dish)

At this point you can start adding the pieces of chicken into the pot with the caramelized sugar. Try to be quick, since you don’t want the sugar to go much darker than in the picture above. Be sure to coat every piece of chicken so it “browns” evenly. Now cover the pot and let simmer for about 5 -10 minutes. you’ll notice that the pot will now have some excess water in it.

We’d like to now allow all the juices that developed during cooking (while pot was covered) to cook-down until there is no liquid in the pot, so we need to turn the heat back up to high. The chicken will now start to get even darker. As soon as you can no longer see any liquid in the pot, it’s will be time to add the water.

Now add the cup of water to the bowl that contained the seasoned chicken. Swish it around so you get all the seasoning bits that were left back. Add this water to the pot so you can continue cooking the chicken for another 25 minutes or so. Turn the heat back down to a gentle simmer and let cook until the water thickens up to a nice gravy like consistency (pot closed). To thicken the gravy, remove the lid and turn up the heat if necessary.

Salt – be sure to taste near the end to add extra salt as to your liking.

Sauce – Since we pair this with rice or with roti, we leave a bit of sauce or gravy with it. BTW, this also goes well as a topping for macaroni and cheese.. give it a try!

Questions? Leave me a comment below and I’ll try my best to help you as best as I can.

Maybe you have a different version of this recipe? Feel free to submit your recipes.

Meat & Poultry Seafood

How to make the green seasoning paste that’s so unique to Caribbean cuisine.

May 27, 2025April 1, 2009343 Comments

The one key ingredient when it comes to cooking any meat or fish dish in the Caribbean, is the green seasoning mix that’s used in the marinating process. Before we go on I’d like to mention a couple things. This recipe usually calls for 2 key ingredients “shado beni” and “Spanish thyme” (aka podina), both of which I can’t get readily get here in Canada, unless I source out a Thai or Caribbean specialty store. For the “shado beni” I’ve substituted in cilantro, which is somewhat similar but less pungent and I’ve left out the Spanish thyme. If you’re based in the Caribbean or can get those 2 ingredients, please use with caution since they can easily overpower the green seasoning with it’s strong flavors. I also couldn’t get the pimento peppers, so I opted for 1 banana pepper, but you can also use a Cubanelle

There are several variations of this seasoning mix, but this is one that I’ve tested and perfected over the years.

You’ll need…

1 bundle of Cilantro (about 1-2 cups)
1 stalk of celery (include leaves if you have it)
1 head or garlic (about 11 cloves)
4 green onions (scallions)
1 bunch of fresh thyme (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup of water
pinch of salt (optional)
2-3 shallots (optional)
2 pimento peppers (1 banana pepper or 1 Cubanelle)

*Food processor or blender.

Peel, trim and wash the ingredients and let drain.

Then rough-cut into smaller pieces so it’s easier to manage and work in the blender or food processor.

how-to-make-trinidad-green-creole-seasoning

Add all the ingredients into your food processor or as in my case, a blender (I’m sure my wife is mad at me for showing you our prehistoric blender)… including the water. You may be required to move around or push down the ingredients occasionally so it all gets worked by the blades.

Personally I like to liquify my blend to the consistency of pesto or even a bit more liquid. However you have the choice at this point to make a bit more chunky-like if you wish.

After a few pulse actions you’ll find that everything blends together quite easily. Here’s a picture of the finished green seasoning :

Storage Tips!

From this batch I have a plastic container that I pour half into and keep in the fridge for everyday use, the other half I pour into a freezer zip lock bag and freeze until I get through the batch in the fridge. Since you probably won’t be using the seasoning as much as I do, I suggest you divide it into 3-4 portions, keeping 1 in the fridge (can last for 2-3 months) and freeze the rest.

You can also get a couple ice cube trays from the dollar store and fill each ice cube area 1/4 up with the seasoning mix and then freeze. Then when it’s frozen, you can dump the cubes into a freezer bag and place back in the freezer. Now whenever you’re cooking, all you have to do is grab a cube and use.

You’ll notice that after time the once brilliant green color will go darker, don;t be alarmed. That’s natural!

Happy cooking

Be sure to leave me your comments or suggestions.

Forgot to mention… this makes about 3 cups of green seasoning.

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Meat & Poultry

Tasty Trinidad style stew chicken recipe.

May 27, 2025March 30, 2009142 Comments

Though this recipe was not passed down from my mom, the technique and basic principles I did learn from watching her prepare this amazing dish. Quite honestly, this is my favorite dish and it’s cooked at least once a week at home. Served with sliced avocado, cucumber and tomato on a heaping bed of brown rice. Just thinking about it, makes the greedy juices in my mouth flow.

Though you may have heard that “browning” the meat can be difficult, this is a very simple and easy recipe to follow. With the aid of pictures I’ll show you how easy it is to brown or caramelize the chicken, so everything turns out perfect

You’ll need…
1 (4-5 pounds) whole chicken, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon 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
1 cup 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 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar

Lets get started…

Preparing the chicken. Cut or ask your butcher to cut the chicken into serving size pieces. In a bowl empty the cut chicken and squeeze the lime or lemon (or vinegar) onto the chicken, then add some water from your tap to cover the pieces of chicken. Now wash each piece individually, removing skin and any fat (we’ll try to keep this a bit healthy). Now rinse with a new batch of water and drain.

Now in the same bowl with the freshly washed chicken you’ll add ALL the ingredients EXCEPT the oil, sugar and cup of water, we’ll be using those to cook the chicken. Here’s what it should look like (remember to mix everything around and let it sit (marinate) in the fridge for about 1hr before cooking.

FYI, you’ve just seasoned the chicken. After about an hour or so it time to get things moving. It’s best if you could find a solid or heavy pan/pot, like a dutch oven for the actual cooking process. The heavier the pan, the better the oil will heat evenly and the chicken will caramelize for you. On high heat, add the oil to the pan. Just before the oil starts to smoke, add the brown sugar. TIP – be sure to have the seasoned chicken handy, use a long handle spoon (it will get hot) and oven mitts to hold onto the pot to turn the pieces of chicken to get it evenly coated. It’s important that you keep an eye on things and be ready to act fast. Next tip – it can get a bit smoky with the high heat at this point, so you may want to turn the exhaust fan over your stove on or open a window in the event you have smoke detectors installed.

Here’s a pic of adding the sugar to the hot oil.

Move around the sugar in the pot (remember to use a dry spoon with a long handle), until it starts to melt. Now keep a close eye on things here, since you’re looking for the sugar to go a bit foamy, and change color to golden. See pic below. Notice the bottom left of the picture where the sugar appears a bit darker? That’s the exact color you’re looking for before adding the chicken.

Remove the lid and turn the heat back up to high. Let’s get rid of that water that formed earlier.We’re ensuring that all the pieces of meat is nice an golden brown at this point. Ensure that there’s no water left in the pot.. it will seems as if it’s starting to stick or burn.

Now add the cup of water to the bowl that contained the seasoned chicken. Swish it around so you get all the seasoning bits that were left back. Add this water to the pot so you can continue cooking the chicken for another 25 minutes or so. Turn the heat back down to a simmer and let cook until the water thickens up to a nice gravy like consistency.

Couple points..

Salt – be sure to taste near the end to add extra salt as to your liking.

Sauce – my mom hates allowing any form of sauce with her stew chicken, she like it to “fry down” so it dry. Makes for a more unique and traditional flavor. But I like to leave it with sauce or gravy so I can put it on a bed of brown rice.

Questions? Leave me a comment below and I’ll try my best to help you as best as I can.

Maybe you have a different version of this recipe? Feel free to submit your recipes – let’s make you a famous online chef 🙂

Seafood

Mouth watering curry shrimp with some heat.

March 5, 2012March 28, 2009163 Comments

When you think Caribbean cuisine you automatically think heat. But as with any dish you’re preparing, you have control over how much heat you’d like to experience. Personally I like things fiery hot, but there are times when you don’t get the true flavor of the dish because it’s overwhelmed by the heat factor. Here’s a very quick recipe that I’ve tested (not perfected yet) for curry shrimp.

You’ll need..

2 lbs fresh shrimps (these days you can find shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined)
1.25 fl oz oil
2 onions, chopped
1/4 of a scotch bonnet or habanero pepper finely chopped up (remember this is how you control the heat)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 sweet pepper chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper
1 1/2 cups water

Peel and devein shrimp if necessary. Heat oil. Add the curry powder and continue to fry for two minutes (as my mom would say.. “let the curry fry-down a bit”). Then add the tomatoes, sweet peppers, salt, pepper and other seasonings. Add water. Bring to a boil then reduce. Add shrimp. Heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until shrimp is cooked. Keep an eye on the shrimp so as not to overcook (depending on the size of shrimp you purchased).

Tips…

a. I highly recommend that you try to get Raja Jahan Special Madras Curry powder. It’s a unique blend of spices that make up a dry curry powder with a hint of Caribbean flavor, since it’s made in Trinidad and Tobago.

b. You can cut back on the amount of water and add some coconut cream to add a delightful twist to the curry sauce.

BTW, it’s curry shrimp and not shrimp curry as others may tend to call it. Be sure to leave me your comments, suggestions or your own recipe for curry shrimp.

Drinks

Non alcoholic citrus punch.

April 6, 2009March 27, 200982 Comments

A punch with no booze? Yup! This one can be enjoyed by the entire family. But for those wild “fete” nights, be sure to add your favorite rum or whiskey (make sure it’s a cheap whisky though, so you’re not wasting it).

You’ll need…

* 3 cups apple juice or sweet cider
* 2 cups orange juice
* 1 cup pineapple juice
* 1 6-ounce frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate
* 2 quarts ginger ale
* 4 cups ice cubes
* Thinly sliced oranges, lemons, or limes, and mint leaves, for garnish

Then…

1. In a large bowl, combine apple, orange, and pineapple juices and frozen lemonade or limeade. Stir to combine thoroughly.

2. Slowly stir in ginger ale and ice cubes. Garnish with citrus slices and mint. Serve immediately.

If you really want to add an island flair to this tasty beverage, add a dash of Angostura bitters.

Got a recipe to share? Click on the submit recipe link above and we’ll feature your recipe on CaribbeanPot.com.

Meat & Poultry

Jerk baby back ribs on the grill or oven.

May 27, 2025March 27, 200982 Comments

My mouth is water just thinking about this wonderful, full-of-flavor recipe. This one was inspired by my daughter Tehya who’s love for spicy food is just like her dad’s. Remember if you’re pressed for time or just feeling lazy, you can always pick up a bottle of Grace Jerk BBQ sauce from your local grocer or Caribbean food supply store. “Grace” seems to be the one that really has that “punch” that jerk is all about.

You’ll need…

For 4 servings

– 1 kg (2 lb.) Pork back ribs

For the jerk seasoning

* 1 onion, finely chopped
* cup finely chopped scallion
* 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon ground Jamaican pimento (allspice)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 hot pepper, finely ground
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 1 tablespoon cooking oil
* 1 tablespoon cider or white vinegar

Method:

Mix together all the ingredients. A food processor fitted with a steel blade is ideal for chopping and combining.

The flavor of the jerk marinade may strike you as a little harsh when you first mix it, but I assure you, the flavors will all blend and mellow as the meat cooks. To increase the heat of this rather mild marinade, add hot pepper sauce. If you want less heat, remove the seeds and membranes containing the seeds from the peppers before grinding them.
Rub the jerk sauce that you just created over the ribs and let it sit for a couple hrs if you can. It will enhance the flavors of the meat as it gets time to really penetrate the meat.

Grill ribs over indirect heat in covered grill, turning occasionally, until ribs are very tender, about 1 1/2 hours (or roast ribs on rack in shallow pan in 180°C. (350° F.) for 1 1/2 hours).

Cut into 1- or 2-rib portions to serve.

Desserts

Rum Infused, Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Topping.

March 27, 2009March 27, 200990 Comments

With or without some homemade coconut ice cream, this one will surely be a huge hit at your next BBQ. Maybe it’s just a casual weekend “lime” with friends and you want to wow them with a simple but outstanding dessert.

You’ll need:

1 ripe pineapple

2-3 tablespoons of dark rum

1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

1/2 cup of whipped topping (try to avoid the canned stuff.. get some whipping cream and make your own – musch more tasty)

1/4 cup of shredded coconut.

Peel pineapple and cut crosswise into 6 slices. Place in a bowl and drizzle the rum and sugar over the slices. Mix around so every piece gets coated (would be nice to let it sit for about 3-5 minutes – covered so the rum does not evaporate). On a medium hot grill, place the slices for about 10 minutes, turning once. Remember to watch closely since the sugars can burn and become overly charred.

Top with the whipped cream and shredded coconut… feel free to add a nice heaping scoop of your favorite ice cream.