We always had Bodi (aka Bora, Yard Beans or Snake Beans) growing in our little kitchen garden at the back of the house when I was growing up on the islands. Over the years I’ve not only come to enjoy this bean (wasn’t a fan as a child), but I’ve found different ways to prepare them (courtesy of my other Caribbean cousins). Should you have problems sourcing Bodi, green or French beans will work as well.
You’ll Need…
2 lbs Bodi (prepared) 1 cup dried shrimp 1 medium onion (sliced) 2 tablespoon olive oil 3 cloves garlic (diced) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup water 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 1 pimento pepper (sliced) 1/3 teaspoon salt 5-10 grape tomatoes (any tomato will work) – cut in half
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.
To prep the Bodi, remove the stem and bottom tips (discard), then cut into even length pieces (about 4-5 cm).
I washed the prepped Bodi and had it in water to remain fresh as I worked on the other ingredients.
Heat the oil in a pot that has a lid on a medium flame, add the garlic and toss in the dried shrimp and black pepper.. then lower the heat to as low as it will go and cook gently so we don’t burn the garlic.
Cook for about three minutes, then add the Bodi (drain if it’s been soaking in water), turn up the heat to medium and stir well to coat the pieces of Bodi with that lovely garlic, shrimp perfumed olive oil.
Now go in with the water, Scotch Bonnet Pepper, salt and Pimento Pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer. As soon a you get a simmer going, turn the heat to low and place the lid on the pot.
Twenty-five minutes later, taste it for salt (adjust), toss in the tomato (I had grape tomatoes at my disposal, but any tomato will work).
Turn the stove off, put the lid on and let the residual heat finish cooking the tomato. Serve warm with hot Sada Roti or steamed rice.
I’m not a huge fan of ‘cooked’ pepper sauces (say peppersauce – one word), as I find that the cooking process subdue the true flavors of the ingredients, especially the peppers. So you’ll notice that most of the pepperauce (hot sauce) recipes I’ve shared over the years were mostly raw. However in this recipe the charring of the pineapple on a hot grill (propane, wood or charcoal) makes a huge difference in the overall flavor of the sauce.
Peel and slice the pineapple into 1 cm slices, then head over to your grill and grill over a 375-400 fire. Basically until you see the grill marks, it’s softened and the edges are a bit charred. This will help the natural sugars of the ripe pineapple to heighten and the sauce will also get a gentle kiss of smoke from the charred bits.
Set the grilled pineapple slices aside and lets start to work on the other ingredients.
WEAR GLOVES! Wash the peppers, remove the stems and give them a rough chop to help the food processor or blender that you’re using, to have an easier time making this into a sauce that we can bottle.
Now give the grilled pineapple slices a rough chop and place it into the food processor along with the other ingredients.
Yes, do give the garlic and Shado Beni a rough chop too.
Basically all you have to do now is pulse it until you get a consistency you like. For me it had to be a bit chunky.
Add more vinegar if you feel you need it a bit more runny and do puree completely if you wish.
Pour into sterilized glass container’s and store in a cool, dark spot in your kitchen for up to 6 months. Or in the fridge for at least a year. The vinegar will act as a natural preservative. Should you want to cook the sauce, bring it to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes (lid slightly ajar). Store the cooked version of the sauce in the fridge.
You may need to adjust the salt after a couple of days.. I do recommend giving the pepper sauce about 3 days to come together before using. So at this point you can taste and adjust the salt… especially if the pineapple you used was not fully ripe and there’s a tartness.
From experience I know that if you were to store it in the fridge, if may get less HOT over the months. DO NOT use a wet or dirty spoon when taking out of the glass container. Yes, Habanero peppers will work just as well and should you want to increase the heat level, toss in a few Scorpions, Reapers or any of those insanely hot peppers.
If you cannot source the shando beni, use cilantro.
With an abundance of plump Cherry Tomatoes in our garden and the thousands of requests I get for more recipes in the #MeatFreeMonday series on YouTube, I thought I’d share (while not “Caribbean”) a simple and delicious salad with you all.
You’ll Need…
1- 1 1/2 lbs cherry tomatoes (sliced in 1/2) 1/2 large red onion (sliced thinly) 2 tablespoon chives (chopped) 1 clove garlic (crushed) 3 tablespoon olive oil 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided) 3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 2 tablespoon honey 2 sprigs thyme (leaves) 1/2 orange (juice) 1 cup bocconcini cheese (pearls)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go though the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. If doing this recipe vegan, use what you normally use to replace cheese. Feel free to add nuts and dried fruits to the salad if you wish.
Wash and prep the ingredients. Slice the tomatoes in half, trim off the leaves of the thyme, slice the red onion VERY thin, crush the garlic and give the chives a fine chop.
The tomatoes, chives and garlic were from my garden.
Now it’s time to make the dressing. In a bowl, add the olive oil, balsamic, 1/2 of the black pepper, 1/2 of the salt, garlic, thyme leaves, honey and orange juice and whisk until combined.
It’s time to assemble things. Add the chopped tomatoes to your salad bowl and top with the sliced onion, then sprinkle on the remaining salt and black pepper.
Now add the cheese (feel free to add your fav).
Pour on the salad dressing and top with the chives. Give it a good mix and place in the fridge for about 20 minutes for the flavors to marinate and come together (mix again before serving). This will also allow the cheese to soak in some of the dressing.
Fresh chopped basil (I’m not a fan, so while I do have it in my garden, I sparingly use it) and diced cucumber is a great addition to this salad.
As the title of the recipe state, these are PEPPER WINGS! Yes, you can tailor the heat level to your liking and be sure to use peppers you can source or enjoy. While I did have access to more extreme peppers (watch the video), I used the peppers I know my family could handle with enjoyment.
You’ll Need…
5 lbs chicken wings (trimmed + cut into flats and drums) 4-6 cups veg oil for frying
BRINE: 4-5 cups cold water (divided) Ice (to chill things down) 2 tablespoon cane sugar (any sugar will work) 1 tablespoon coarse cracked black pepper 8 sprigs thyme 1 1/2 tablespoon sea salt 2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced) 1 large shallot sliced (onion will work) 8 cloves garlic (smashed)
Pepper Element 1 cup corn starch 1 medium onion (sliced thin) 7 cloves garlic (diced) 1 teaspoon black pepper (coarse) 2 scallions (chopped) 4-6 sprigs thyme 2 scotch bonnet peppers (diced) 3-6 chili peppers
WARNING! This is meant to be spicy. Wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers. If you want to control some of the heat, do not include any seeds or the white membrane surrounding the seeds of the peppers. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
In a large bowl or pot, add all the ingredients for the brine (not the water yet), and bruise with a whisk. This will allow us to get most of the flavor out of the ingredients. Now add 1 cup luke-warm water and whisk. The warm water will allow the salt and sugar to dissolve easily. Now top with ice cold water and stir.
The goal is the get the water cold so its safe for the raw chicken. Now add the prepared wings to the brine, stir and set in the fridge for 2 hours. I topped it with ice cubs to chill it down quickly.
Two hours later drain, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Then toss with the corn starch and get ready to fry. I’m sure these will work in your air fryer if you so choose.
Prepare the other ingredients and set aside.
Create a frying station. The wings, wok (pot or frying pan) with hot oil and a draining area with a wire rack over a sheet pan. I don’t like draining fried foods on paper towels as they tend to go soggy. With the wire rack the air will circulate around them and keep them crisp.
Fry in batches (avg temp 375) 12 to 17 minutes, depending on how large your wings are. Set to drain on the wire rack and continue frying the remainder. TIP, stir after you place the wings in the hot oil so they don’t stick together since they’re coated with the corn starch.
Yes, you can use a deep fryer should you own one and prefer to go that route.
Take/use 5 tablespoon of the oil we fried the wings in, in a wide pot on a medium flame. Add the onion, thyme (just the leaves), garlic, scallions and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and crack the chili peppers and add to the pot.
The goal is to flavor that oil with the FIRE from the peppers and flavors of the garlic, onion and thyme.
5 minutes later, add the pre-fried wings to the pot and toss well to coat with the fiery goodness we created.
I like doing this recipe outdoors for two reasons. the ‘fried’ scent will not be in my house and MOST IMPORTANT!… venting the fried peppers scent. If doing this indoors, do open a window and turn the fan on over your stove. The hot oil and fiery peppers is the perfect combination to choke you.
Here is where the corn starch will play it’s part, the flavors will stick to the chicken wings and you’ll get the banging flavors on the outside. The brine would have already added those similar flavors deep within the wings.
Finish with the black pepper, toss and get ready to serve. These are usually served with cold beer and enjoyed with friends.
Due to the massive demand for Vegan, Vegetarian and Ital recipes, I launched a new series on YouTube, I call #MeatFreeMondays In doing so, I had to find a simple way to make Cauliflower tasty and stand out. Now… If you follow me on Instagram you would have already seen me bash Cauliflower as being the lamest vegetable on the planet. I have no love for this vegetable.. NONE! I’m much more of a fan of it’s cousin, Broccoli.
You’ll Need…
1 large cauliflower 1/2 – 3/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
Note – use smoked paprika instead of the curry powder should you want a different flavor profile. 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.
Preheat the oven to 425 F
Then wash and cut the cauliflower into large pieces (I did 1/4s).
In a bowl, mix the olive oil, black pepper, 1/2 the salt, curry powder and green seasoning. Mix that well.. you now have a simple but marvelous marinade/dressing for the cauliflower pieces.
Place the cauliflower onto a baking tray and brush it with the dressing. Be generous on all sides.
Sprinkle on the remaining salt, then into the oven on the middle rack. (reminder 425 f).
35 minutes later and you’re done. However, for more of a golden/roasted color, you can keep it in for a bit longer. Remember to use the oil on the pan to brush the cauliflower after 15 minutes into roasting.
Note. Depending on how large the pieces of cauliflower you use are, it may take longer to fully cook.
BLISS! When two culinary worlds collide, you get what I refer to as the Ultimate Comfort Food! Curry Stew Chicken and Pelau are two of my fav dishes out of the Caribbean. Anyone close to me will tell you that I can eat either on a daily basis. Such is my love for them. Served with a side/s of Tomato Choka, Coleslaw, Salad, even just sliced Avocado (zabouca) and/or cucumber.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken 1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 tablespoon Curry Powder 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (optional) 1 med onion (diced) 1 med tomato (diced) 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 1 tablespoon oil (I used olive) 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 1/2 cups coconut milk 6-8 cups water 2 1/2 cups long grain par-boiled rice 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 2 pimento peppers aka seasoning pepper (optional) 2 tablespoon chopped shado beni (culantro) 1 stalk celery (diced) 1 medium carrot (diced) 1 can pigeon peas (1 1/2 cups)
Season the chicken (cut into serving sized pieces) with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, black pepper, curry powder, onion, tomato, Worcestershire Sauce, pimento peppers and scotch bonnet pepper. Allow this to marinate for at least 2 hours. Overnight in the fridge may give best results.
Tips! Wash you hands with soap and water after handling such spicy peppers. Do not use the seeds and white membrane of the pepper if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat. Yes, use you fav spicy pepper if you cannot source Scotch Bonnet. If you’re doing this gluten free pay attention to the ingredient list on the curry powder and Worcestershire Sauce you use. Some curry powder may have flour as a thickener and filler.
Please watch the video below to follow along with this step. Heat the oil on a med/high flame on a deep and heavy pot (one with a lid). Then add the brown sugar and stir (dry spoon). I suggest stirring as some spots in your pot may have HOT spots and the sugar may BURN there. The goal is to NOT BURN the sugar or you’ll end up with “bitter” tasting Pelau.
The sugar will melt, go frothy, then a dark amber color. This is when you’ll add (be careful when adding) the seasoned chicken to the pot. Add about half the seasoned chicken, stir well, then add the rest. The goal is to coat the pieces of curry-seasoned chicken with this lovely caramelized sugar. Do NOT get the sugar black. Should this happen, turn off the stove, cool the pot completely, wash and start over. NO this is NOT a sweet dish.
Now place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. In the meantime, add 6 cups of the water to the same bowl where you marinated the chicken in, to pick up any remaining marinade which may be in there. Set aside for later.
3-4 minutes later and it will come to a boil and start sprouting it’s own natural juices. Now it’s time to develop that rich color. Remove the lid and allow that liquid to burn off. Here’s where I like adding my grated ginger and stir well.
As the liquid burns off, add the pigeon peas (rinse and drain), followed by the celery and carrot. Stir to coat with the ‘stew’ niceness and continue cooking on high to burn off that liquid. Takes about 5-6 mins in total.
Add the coconut milk (stir), followed the water we reserved in the bowl earlier and bring to a boil.
Wash the rice (see the video below), drain and add to the pot (as it comes to a boil), stir well and bring back to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the rice to fully cook, go plump and soak in all the stew/coconut goodness. BTW my lid was on but slightly ajar. Add more water should the rice not fully cook at this point. In the ingredient list I mentioned we’ll need 6-8 cups of water.
Couple things, should you want a more wet and creamy pelau I’d suggest stirring the pot a few times. This will brake down the rice and it will release more starch. Should you want a more grainy pelau (team dry), don’t stir too much.
25 minutes later and it’s time to personalize things. 1. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking. 2. You need to decide if you want a ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ pelau. For a more wet (creamy) pelau you may need to add a bit more water and cook longer. For team dry, burn off that liquid, cover the pot completely (after you turn off the stove) and let it sit in it’s own residual heat to dry-up. Flake/fluff with a fork after about 20 minutes and serve.
Top with finely chopped shado beni (culantro), should you not have access to culantro, you may use cilantro or parsley.
SERVE PIPING HOT! No, but I do enjoy a massive plate as soon as its off the stove. One of those things you got to suck air in as you eat, to help cool it down or you risk 2nd degree burns in your mouth. (smile.. I’m just a greedy) Add a little kuchela on the side if you want a little extra heat or spice flavor.
Why didn’t I appreciate fish and seafood as a lil fella as I do as an adult?! Back then I lived on an island where such food was ah plenty and fresh (I mean FRESH) out of the ocean. Drats! Today when I can get somewhat fresh fish, the price tag creates an inner debate with my wallet about affordability and accountability. BTW watch the video below if you’d like some tips on purchasing fish at your local market.
You’ll Need…
1 fish (about 1 lb) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon jerk marinade 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional) 1 scallion 1 ripe plantain 1 lemon (to wash the fish and to top the steamed fish)
Notes.. I used a Porgy fish, but any of your fav fish will work.. I do recommend something with a mild flavor so the Jerk marinade shines though. If doing this recipe gluten free, please ensure that the jerk marinade you use is gluten free to meet with your gluten free dietary requirements. I used a scotch bonnet pepper for additional heat, it’s optional or you can use a spicy pepper you like or can source. A habanero pepper is a great option, with it’s fruity type of heat!
Trim the ends off the plantain and discard. Then cut into 3 pieces (about 2 1/2 – 3 inches long). Using a pairing knife, run a cut (thickness of the skin) across the length of each piece. This will make it much easier to peel when your done steaming and it’s cool to touch.
Trim, scale (if your fish monger didn’t already) and wash the fish with cool water and 1/2 of the lemon (or lime) juice. Now give it 2-3 shallow cuts across the belly of the fish (watch the video below). This will allow for faster/even cooking, but more importantly… to get the marinade to go deeper into the flesh of the fish.
In a bowl, place the olive oil and the store bought (or homemade jerk marinade) jerk marinade.. that’s it! Mix.
Salt and pepper the fish, then coat the fish with the marinade, including the belly cavity and into those cuts we made earlier.
I used a bamboo steamer I purchased a while back at the local Asian market. Place a piece of parchment paper (or banana leaf) down, then the fish went on top of that. This is then followed by the pieces of plantain on the side, along with the sliced scotch bonnet pepper (optional – I LOVE Spicy!) into the cuts in the fish we made. Finally I placed a scallion on the fish and closed the steamer basket.
Basically all you do is place some water into your wok, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and place the steamer basket on top of it.
If you wanted you can place sweet potatoes, broccoli or basically any vegetable in another basket above (or below) this one.
Depending on the size of your fish, it can take between 20 and 30 minutes to cook. Be careful when opening the steamer basket or risk getting burn with that steam.
As you remove it off the heat, hit the fish with some lemon juice (remaining 1/2 lemon) to brighten it up further.
Watch the video below for a tip if you don’t own a bamboo steamer basket as I used.
While one may say this is not a “Caribbean” salad, I have to question why not? Have you ever had sun ripened tomatoes or watermelon straight from the farmer’s field? I have and it was when I was a lil fella on the islands and that farm was our family kitchen garden in Trinidad and Tobago. The feta and balsamic are definitely not “Caribbean” but you can now find those ingredients at many of the bigger grocery stores across the Caribbean island chain.
You’ll Need…
2-3 lbs heirloom tomatoes 1/2 small watermelon 8-12 mint leaves 1 tablespoon honey 1 cup feta cheese 3-4 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Heirlooms areseed varieties that are at least 50 years old, and you can save these seeds and plant them year after year. Heirlooms are never hybrids or GMOs. … GMOs are Genetically Modified seeds.
Every Spring I try my best to get Heirloom tomato plants for my garden as I find them to be the most sweet, juicy and interesting (no two are the same shape or color) tomatoes one can eat. While I’d love to say these tomatoes were from my back yard, I must confess that they were from a local grocery store.
Wash and chop the tomatoes (remove the core + stems and discard) into different shapes/slices to give the salad some texture and make it more eye-appealing. Please try to use heirloom tomatoes as the flavor and texture is unlike the greenhouse (nor GMO) stuff you get in the supermarket. Place it in a large bowl.
Cube the watermelon (remove any seeds if you don’t have the seedless variety). Then add it to the bowl, along with the Feta and Mint leaves (If the mint leaves are large, give them a quick chop).
Sprinkle the salt (especially over the tomato pieces) and half of the black pepper over everything.. you’ll get better flavor with fresh cracked black pepper IMHO. You can add some Scotch Bonnet Pepper Flakes if you want a KICK to the finished salad.
Note. watch the serving tip in the video below.
Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil, balsamic, honey and remaining black pepper together.
When you’re ready to serve the salad, pour the dressing (whisked) over the top and gently mix. I used my hands as I found it to be most effective this way.
Add more Feta or any cheese you like, should you like a lot of cheese in your salad. And you can always substitute Basil for the Mint if mint is not your fav herb.
This is yet another one of those “boil and fry” dishes (I’ve shared a few to date) we enjoy throughout the Caribbean. Food we inherited from our ancestors who made use of the land and with limited resources, made incredible meals. Cassava (aka yuca or manioc) was something we always had growing in our kitchen garden growing up, so it’s presence in soups, baked treats, breads and in dishes like this, was the norm. FYI on some islands smoked herring is known as red herrings.
Important! I used frozen cassava, which I cooked according to the package directions. I also used smoked herring fillets which were cleaned (skin, head etc removed) and main center bone removed, however it did have some tiny bones. 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 requirements.
Place the frozen cassava in a deep pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and reduce to a rolling boil and cook until tender. For this brand of frozen cassava it takes about 20 minutes to cook. If using fresh cassava, peel, cut into pieces and bring to a boil in the salted water – adjust cooking time accordingly. To test for doneness, simply stick a sharp knife though a thick piece and if there’s no resistance, they are ready.
As the cassava boils, I boiled water in my kettle and poured over the herring fillets in a deep bowl. This will help to do a few things, hydrate them, remove some of the salt, along with excess smoke. Let it sit in the water until it’s cool enough to handle.
Drain the cassava and set it aside to cool as we have to prepare it a bit further.
The herrings should be cool enough to touch. Here is where you need gloves or the scent of that smoky fish will remains on your hands for a while. Drain the water, rinse with cool water and squeeze dry. Now shred and in doing so if you see any tough bones, remove and discard. There will be some tiny (flexible) ones, those can remain as they should not pose a choking hazard.
In a large pan/pot, heat the olive oil (any oil you like cooking with will work) on a medium flame, then add the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet, black pepper, scallions and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 3-4 minutes. (Please watch the video below as I speak about Scotch Bonnet Peppers)
4 minutes later, it’s time to add the prepared smoked herrings to the pot and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomato and 1/2 of the parsley. Mix well.
The cassava will be cool, (watch the video below) so it’s time to chop it up into 1 inch pieces and remove the woody center and discard.
Now toss the cut cassava into the pot and stir well, so the cassava picks up all that lovely smoked herring flavor and cook for 3 minutes. Add the butter to give the finished dish a bit of rich creamy flavor and toss in the remaining parsley and you’re done!
I consider this one of the classics when it comes to Caribbean culinary culture and it brings me much joy to not only share this one with you, but to enjoy it when I get a little homesick for the islands.
After sharing this video on YouTube, the comments were very interesting. From “Why?”, to “Only a man would do this”, and “brilliant on it’s own or on the side of grilled salmon”. Chow is basically a quick spicy pickle we make in the Caribbean. Usually made with tart fruit (like green mango or Pommecythere aka golden apple ) and enjoyed as a snack by both kids and adults alike. Except adults tend to enjoy it better when there’s beer and cocktails involved. Note! typically the cucumber is cut into slices or wedges when this chow is done the traditional way.
You’ll Need…
2 Medium English Cucumbers (any cucumber will work) 1 tablespoon sea salt (divided) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 Wiri Wiri Peppers (any spicy pepper will work) 3-4 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon Shado Beni (chopped) * Cilantro will work too 2 shallots (or a small red onion – sliced thin) 1 lemon (juice) 1 tablespoon Korean pepper paste (Gochujang)
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. If you cannot source Wiri Wiri (coffee) Peppers, any spicy pepper will work.
Wash the cucumbers, then smash then using a rolling pin or as in my case, my wooden pestle. It will get messy! Then give the pieces a rough chop. Finally, add the pieces to a bowl and toss them with 1/2 the salt mentioned above.
The salt will do two things for us. It will help to pull out some of the water or tart juice from the cucumbers and two, in doing so allow the cucumbers to absorb the flavors we’ll add later.
As this sit in the salt, place the remaining salt, garlic and Wiri Wiri peppers in your mortar and crush to a paste. After 30 minutes, drain the cucumber to get rid of the liquid which will naturally sprout.
Now top the drained cucumber with that crushed pepper/garlic paste.
Basically all you have to do after is add all the other ingredients mentioned and give it a good toss.
The Korean pepper paste (Gochujang) is NOT traditional to this recipe (nor the shallots), but ever since our trip to Seoul a few years back I just enjoy adding it to this type of chow. There’s a deep fermented (almost smoky too) flavor it adds to the finished chow, that takes it to different level (IMHO).
I like placing it in a container with a lid and allow it to chill in the fridge before I tuck in. As a snack or a spicy salad, there’s no denying that it’s refreshing and an excellent way to make use of cucumbers.
Here’s one of those meals which takes me back to the Caribbean, but not as a child… as we never had this version of fish growing up in our house. I think the only fish dish we had which came out of the oven, was when mom made baked salmon. However, it does give a level of comfort as it reminds me of my travels throughout the Caribbean as an adult (tourist).
You’ll Need…
1 2-3 lb fish (I prefer ocean fish) 2 scallions (chopped) 1/2 medium onion (diced) 2 pimento peppers (sliced) 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 stalk celery (diced) 4 cloves garlic (divided) 10 okra (divided) 1.5 lbs pumpkin (divided – dice and sliced) 1 lemon 8 small bell peppers 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided) 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger 6-8 sprigs thyme (divided) 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
NOTE! If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your gluten free dietary requirements.
Prep the vegetables.
Lets prepare the stuffing for the fish as I want it cool before use. In a saucepan add a tablespoon and a half of olive oil, followed by the diced onion, celery (including any leaves), scallions, 1/2 the thyme (leaves only) and stir.
After 3 minutes on low heat, add 1/4 the black pepper, 1/2 the salt, 3/4 cup diced pumpkin, 1/2 the garlic, 4 okra cut into 1 cm wheels and continue cooking on low.
Add the pimento peppers (1/2 cup diced bell peppers will work too), grated ginger (the ginger will give it a peppery note) and stir well.
5 minutes and you can turn off the stove and allow it to cool.
It’s time to make the sort of dressing. Add 1/3 cup olive oil to a bowl and mix in the remaining salt, black pepper and the remaining thyme leaves, garlic and lemon juice. Whisk!
I washed and prepped my fish (pat the fish dry), then I sprayed my baking tray with cooking spray (oil). I then made made 3 cuts down the belly of the fish holding my knife on a 45 degree angle (watch the video below). Now it’s time to pour or brush on the dressing we made. Get the belly cavity and make sure some gets into the cuts we made too. For easier clean-up after may I recommend lining your baking tray with foil or parchment paper.
Now it’s time to add the ‘cooled’ stuffing we made earlier into the belly cavity of the fish. Yes, it will spill out.. we want this actually.
To make it to a full meal, it’s time add the remaining pumpkin (skin on is fine), remaining okra and tiny sweet bell peppers. Spoon on the remaining dressing to cover everything.
add a bit more salt and black pepper on top of everything if you want.
Sprinkle on the brown sugar on the pieces of pumpkin to add a bit more sweetness as it roast. I sliced the pumpkin about 1 1/2 cm thick.,
Into a 425 F (preheated) oven on the middle rack uncovered as we want to get that oven-grilled effect (char) on everything.
As a lil fella growing up on the islands I recall it was a sort of expectation to see people ‘sunning’ out the freshly prepared bottles of traditional pepper sauce, when peppers were abundant (usually during dry season). Recycled bottles (which once housed peanut butter, jam or mayonnaise) packed with pureed, chunky or a combo of both. Vibrant red, orange, yellow and green, depending on the variety of pepper they used and the type of “peppersauce” they made. According to the elders, that Caribbean sun helped to cure the sauce and add even more wicked flavors.
You’ll Need…
25-35 hot peppers 20-30 bird pepper 1 tablespoon salt 2-3 cups white vinegar 1/2 large bitter melon 12-18 cloves garlic (smashed) 1 large carrot (or 10 tiny ones) 6 limes (divided) 11 lemons (divided)
IMPORTANT! Wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after handling such hot peppers with soap and water.
Wash everything and allow them to dry, then remove the stems off the peppers.
Cut the bitter melon in half (lenght) and using a tablespoon, scrape out the seeds and area around the seeds and discard. Slice thin.
Cut the limes in 1/4 (lenght-wise), then 1/2 cm slices. Do the same for four the lemons. TIP.. remove the center core of the lemons to make them more tender later on. (please watch the video below to follow along)
I used a variety of extremely hot peppers as I had an abundance in my garden. Feel free to use what you can source (watch the video below to see what I used). Slice each pepper thin and include the seeds for more heat. I left the bird peppers whole (stems removed).
Place the lime and lemon pieces in a deep pot and pour in the vinegar. Turn the heat to medium, bring to a simmer and cook on that simmer for 15 minutes.
Turn off the stove after 15 minutes (by cooking the lime and lemon pieces first in that vinegar will help to break down the skin and release a ton of that citrus flavor). While still warm, add the thinly sliced peppers, followed by all of the other ingredients (not the remaining lime nor lemons).
Stir well. I used baby carrots as that’s all I had on hand, but you can definitely slice up a large carrot. Allow this to fully cool.
Juice the remaining limes and lemon. (set aside)
It’s now time to place the pepper mixture into your clean glass containers. I used tongs, then I poured in the vinegar juice. I then strained in the freshly squeezed lime and lemon juice.
By adding the juice now it’s brings out that fresh citrus flavor and brightens the finished pepper-sauce.
Now tuck everything down with a wooden spoon. If you find that your peppers are not covered in liquid, add a bit more white vinegar and mix well. Uncovered peppers may tend to ferment and go bad quickly.
While you’ll be tempted to get into this asap, give it a week to fully ‘cure” before sampling. Store in the fridge for longer shelf life (about 6 months). Admittedly I was tempted to do as my ancestors did and place it in the sun, but it’s wasn’t a Caribbean sun so instead I hid mine in a cool dark corner in my kitchen. I find that when peppersauce goes in the fridge its heat level drops! It’s been there for about 9 months now. The sauce is excellent in soups and on the side of my beloved Pelau!
