Gluten Free Archives | Page 24 of 33

It’s kinda funny that in the Caribbean we quickly reach of a can of sardines more often than taking advantage of the abundance of fresh sardines from the Caribbean sea. It’s probably a convenience thing, plus if you ever had to clean sardines you’d know that it’s a bit time consuming (and smelly). Admittedly I’m a HUGE fan of tin sardines.. done with thinly sliced onion, tomato and scotch bonnet peppers.. with a bit of freshly ground black pepper, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil.

You’ll Need…

1 lb sardines
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1 scallion
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 lemon
3-5 birds eye pepper

* If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Finely chop the scallions, garlic and parsley. If you’re concerned about the raw heat from the bird’s eye pepper (say bird pepper in the Caribbean), you can leave them whole and the natural oils from the skin will be released as they roast in the oven.

Try to get the people at your fish market to clean and gut your sardines.. or be prepared for a bit of a mess as you scale and remove the innards. Rinse with lemon juice and cool water and drain dry. Then cut two shallow slits at the thickest parts of the belly (both sides). This will help the flavors to really penetrate.

Drizzle a bit of the olive oil on the bottom of your roasting pan, then place the sardines and go in with the other ingredients. Mix well. Top with the lemon juice and the rest of the olive oil. I like placing a few slices of lemon between the fish as well. Allow this to marinate for about 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 375 and then place the baking pan on the middle rack. Roast for 10 minutes.

To really intensify the flavors, I then crank up the oven’s heat to ‘broil’.. which is about 500 F and give it another 4-5 minutes. Then get ready to enjoy an amazing gluten free, fish dish unlike the canned stuff we normally reach for.

You can certainly do these on your grill, or if you wanted you can even dust then in flour and fry in vegetable oil until crisp. Remember if you’re doing the fried version it will NOT be gluten free, unless you use a gluten free flour.

Roasted Tomato Coconut Soup (vegetarian).

March 2, 2016February 16, 20162 Comments

Doh try that! I can hear my Caribbean people screaming “that is not we kinda soup”! As we’ve discussed in the past, soups on the islands are tick, heavy and generally full of body (like what most non-Caribbean consider to be hearty stews). But let me assure you that this soup is quite filling and very comforting. You’ll notice that the ingredients are what we use daily throughout the Caribbean and yuh know we love ah coconut milk! Tip: If you roast the vegetables on a grill or open fire, you’ll get a lovely overall flavor.

You’ll Need…

5 Large tomatoes
1 medium onion
2 bell peppers
Pinch sea salt + 2 tablespoon olive oil + 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 scallions
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika (hot – smoked pimenton)
2 cloves garlic
1 can coconut milk (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 cup water (see note below)
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Notes: add vegetable or chicken stock instead of the water – add more liquid if it’s too thick. Add a pinch of curry at the start if you want a bit more flavor. You can do this recipe fully gluten free, just pay attention to the coconut milk (if it’s from a can and have additives, as well as any stock you choose to use)

Remove the stems and woody area at the top of the tomatoes and cut into wedges. Give the onion and bell peppers a rough chop as well. Drizzle on the olive oil, salt and black pepper. Toss well and set (on a baking tray) in a pre heated 400 F oven for 35-40 mins.

As the roasted vegetables cools a bit, add the olive oil (or use coconut oil) to your soup pot on a medium heat. Now go in with the chopped scallions, parsley, garlic and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and gently cook for 3 mins. Add the black pepper and Pimenton and cook (on low) for another 2-3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium and add everything (including any juices) from the baking tray. Stir well.

Add all the other ingredients and bring to a boil (turn up the heat), then reduce to a simmer and let it go for about 35 minutes. Stir often.

Use a stick blender to pulse the soup at this point.. you can go smooth or I like pulsing to leave it a bit chunky. You can also pour it into a stand blender.. but be mindful that you’re dealing with HOT stuff.

Bring back to a boil and get ready to serve. IMPORTANT! I used water as my liquid, so if using veg or chicken stock, don’t add any salt until the end as most stocks are usually loaded with sodium.

QUITE comforting when you want a soup full of flavors and not overly heavy. A couple slices of your favorite bread and you’re golden! Store in the fridge and reheat on a very low heat if you have leftovers.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Coconut Chicken Tenders Recipe [gluten free].

May 27, 2025January 28, 20161 Comment

One of the most popular recipes I’ve shared to date is a version of the chicken strips mom would make for us as kids, but I was asked recently via FaceBook if there was a gluten free version I had, that I’d be willing to share. With the Super Bowl just days away, I though it would be a great time to share this recipe as it’s a great party food idea. This coconut chicken tenders recipe is not only gluten free, super simple to make and quite tasty, it works well for people who are not fans of shrimp (similar to coconut shrimp).

You’ll Need…

1 lb chicken tenders
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups veg oil (for frying)
1.5 cups shredded coconut (sweetened)
3/4 cup coconut flour (any gluten free flour)
1/2 teaspoon pimento (spicy smoked paprika)
3/4 cup milk
lemon zest (about 1/2 teaspoon)

For the dip:

1 cup ranch dressing
1 teaspoon sriracha

Important: Please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Marinate the chicken tenders with the salt and Caribbean Green seasoning for an hour. You can also use boneless thigh or chicken breast, strips.

It’s now time to set a station to batter them for frying. In a small bowl, whisk the milk, lemon zest and paprika. Then place the shredded coconut (sweetened) on a plate and do the same for the coconut flour or any gluten free flour.

Dust the chicken tenders in the coconut flour, then dip into the seasoned milk and roll in the coconut. Set aside and repeat until all the tenders are coated.

If you’re lactose intolerant, you can use a couple eggs instead of the milk.

Heat the vegetable oil on a medium flame and fry (be gentle so the coconut does not fall off) for about 4-5 minutes on each side. Basically until the chicken is fully cooked and you get that lovely golden color. Set on paper towels to soak up the extra oil. Try not to over-crowd your pan when frying.

The dipping sauce is SUPER simple. Whisk together the ranch dressing and sriracha, until combined. Add more or less hot stuff to your liking.

Try to serve warm to really get the true flavors of these lovely coconut chicken tenders. If you make them in advance you can warm them up in a moderate oven for a few minutes. My daughters had these for lunch, so I left them fairly big. But if you’re serving these at your next party, you can cut the chicken tenders into smaller pieces before marinating etc.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Curry Pork With String Beans.

May 27, 2025January 27, 2016Leave a Comment

I may have mentioned before that while growing up on the islands mom never made any sort of curry dishes with pork, so I credit my aunt Victoria (I speak about her in my book) for passing the basics of this recipe on to me, when I lived with her during my early years in Canada. Her version included a bit more cooking (I like my beans with a slight crunch) and a little heavier on the curry, so this version of curry pork with green beans is personalized to my liking.

You’ll Need…

1 lb pork (cubed)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
2 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
4 cloves garlic
1 shallot (or small onion)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tomato (diced)
1 teaspoon ketchup
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cups water
1 1/2 lbs green beans (trimmed)

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure the meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the curry powder which could contain flour as a filler.

Start but cutting the pork (use a cheap cut with a bit of marbling) into 1 inch pieces, wash (with lemon or lime juice and water – not mentioned in the ingredient list) and drain. Now season with the salt, black pepper, tomato, Caribbean green seasoning, ketchup, grated ginger and scotch bonnet pepper (don’t use any seeds nor white membrane surrounding the seeds – that’s where it’s most hot). Stir well and allow to marinate for an hour or two.

It’s now time to heat the oil in a pan (I like using a non stick pan when cooking curry so I can use less oil) on low heat, then go in with the crushed garlic and sliced shallot. Cook on low for 3 minutes, then add the curry powder and cook another 4 minutes. This will toast the spices which makes up a curry blend and allow for a wicked base of flavors.

Turn up the heat to medium/high and add the marinated pieces of pork. Yes, it’s ok if the marinade goes into the pan as well. Stir well, turn down to medium, lid closed and cook for 10 minutes. It will spring its own natural juices. Stir every 3-4 minutes.

As the pork cooks, you can trim your beans (use french beans, string beans or bodi aka yard beans if you wish).. trim off the ends (discard) and cut into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces.

To infuse the pieces of pork with that lovely curry flavor, it’s now time to remove the lid, turn up the heat and burn off all accumulated liquid.

In the same bowl you marinated the pork, add the two cups of water to pick up any remaining marinade. Now add that water to the pan and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer/rolling boil and cook for 25 minutes (lid slightly ajar).

At this point you should add the beans of choice and stir well. Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes (as mentioned I like my beans with a bit of texture) or until the beans are tender to your liking. If you’re using bodi it may take a bit longer to cook.

You can cook off any remaining liquid, but I usually like the bit of gravy to go with my hot steamed rice or sada roti. Remember to taste for salt and adjust according as I find the salt we seasoned the pork with is enough for my liking. To add a bit of color to the dish you can add a bit of diced tomatoes after you turn off the stove – the residual heat will warm that through nicely.

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Simple Tamarind Chutney Recipe.

May 28, 2025January 18, 20166 Comments

Here’s another one of those spicy condiments I grew up enjoying with many of the street food sold outside the gates of my secondary school in San Fernando, Trinidad at recess and lunch time. Usually used as a dipping sauce for Pholourie and Saheena… and as a topping for doubles and aloo pies. But I think we most enjoyed it on it’s own, as a thick savory sauce when our taste buds craved something exciting (especially when we didn’t have enough money for the pholourie). You’ll find that I did stray a bit from the traditional type recipes, however you’ll enjoy the subtle complex flavors.

You’ll Need…

12-14 tamarinds
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper diced
1/2 onion diced
2 scallions diced
2 tablespoon chopped shado beni (or cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon salt (see note below)
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cloves garlic (diced or crushed)
2 1/2 cups water + 1 cup
1/2 lime (juice)

Note – depending on how tart (sour) your tamarind is you may need a bit more salt and brown sugar. If tamarind pulp (solid block, not the liquid) is available in your grocery store, it will save you having to remove the shell/seeds (would have already been removed).

Important! If doing this recipe according to a gluten free diet, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

Crack the shell of the tamarinds and remove the pulp. Discard the shell and stringy bits, and get ready to cook. It will be sticky on your fingers.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil and add the pulp, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool, so you can safely handle it.

As it simmers, prep you other ingredients (chop finely or puree).

With the boiled tamarind pulp cool, it’s now time to use your hand/fingers and remove the hard seeds on the inside (discard).

Place the pot back on a medium flame and add another cup of water – bring to a boil.

Now go in with all the other ingredients and after it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for another 20 minutes.

At this point all the flavors should have combined nicely, so it’s time to use a blender or stick blender to puree it into a sauce (with texture). Or you can add a bit more water and allow it to cook longer until everything breakdown into the sauce consistency you like. Be sure to taste for salt and sugar and adjust accordingly as some tamarind can be a bit more tart than others. Tamarind chutney is supposed to be the perfect balance between tart, sweet and spicy!

You can place it in a glass container and store in the fridge for at least 1 week.

Gluten Free Vegetarian

A Quick Jamaican Callaloo Fried Rice Recipe.

December 8, 2015November 12, 20155 Comments

One of the things my parents instilled in us from an early age, was to NEVER waste food, so growing up you’d always find containers (usually old margarine containers) with leftover food in the fridge. I love rice (brown parboiled) in just about any way it can be cooked, so having leftover rice in the fridge is like seeing the pieces of puzzle waiting to be put together. Said puzzle does not have an after picture to follow, so it’s rare that my final fried rice is ever the same. This time I’m using some fresh Jamaican callaloo (called chorai bhagi or spinach in the rest of the Caribbean) from my garden.

You’ll Need…

2-3 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 shallot (or small onion)
1 clove garlic
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon soy sauce (see note below)
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/3 cup diced carrot
1 cup prepared Jamaican callaloo (trimmed)
2 okra
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Notes. Be sure to use gluten free soy sauce if doing this gluten friendly and if you want more of that vegetable – add about a cup more of the prepared Jamaican callaloo.

Learn how to prepare Jamaican callaloo for cooking: How To Prepare Jamaican Callaloo.

Tip! Make sure the rice is chilled so you’ll get a nice grainy fried rice at the end. Prepare all your ingredients in advance (chop/dice) as this recipe cooks very fast. Heat the veg oil on a medium flame in a wok or non-stick pan and add the garlic, shallot, diced peppers, carrot and black pepper. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Then add the prepared (chopped) Jamaican Callaloo and diced scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to wash your hands after handling the scotch bonnet, don’t use any of the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds and tailor the amount used to your own tolerance.

Now add the chopped okra, soy sauce (see note above about gluten free) and sesame oil and cook for another 2-3 minutes. The callaloo will wilt.

Basically all you have to do now is add the rice, mix well and warm though and you’re done. You’ll notice that I did not add any salt as my rice was cooked in salted water and the soy sauce will add that extra sodium element. For a bit more flavor you can always add a tiny bit of freshly grated ginger at the start.

A delightful way to make use of leftover rice and for the doubters who think vegetarian food is bland and boring – guess again! This is a superb way to enjoy a quick meal with fresh ingredients (except the rice) and truly comforting.

Gluten Free

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread.

November 12, 2015November 9, 2015Leave a Comment

If you grew up on the islands you’d have at least one experience with cheese paste sandwiches… the go-to snack at many kids birthday parties. A zesty cheese spread made with grated cheddar, spiced with mustard and usually done in different colors so you get that sort of rainbow effect when you look at a cross-section of a sandwich. This recipe is the gown-up version of said cheese paste as we’ll add some fresh vegetables to the mix and instead or grated cheese, we’ll employ the use of cream cheese.

You’ll Need…

1 package of plain cream cheese
1 small carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/2 cup diced bell pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (*optional)
pinch sea salt
pinch black pepper

IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with specific gluten free dietary needs. Remember the bagels I used in the image/video does contain gluten. NOTE: I have this posted under vegetarian and I know some people skip the cheese as part of their vegetarian diet – please substitute as necessary.

Make sure to bring the cream cheese to room temperature (soft – DON”T microwave), so it’s easy to mix. Grate the carrot, dice the celery and bell pepper. Make sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling the scotch bonnet pepper and DON”T include any of the seeds nor the white membrane surrounding the seeds or you’ll be dealing with the raw heat. If you want you can use a few drops of your fav hot sauce / peppersauce instead of the fresh scotch bonnet. Chop the chives and parsley very fine.

Now in a deep mixing bowl add the soft cream cheese and mix together all the ingredients until they are well combined. Taste for salt and adjust according.

Enjoy on toasted bagels, sliced bread, pita, or your fav Caribbean style breads (coconut, cassava.. even sada roti). This is a also a great topping for crackers, toasted chips or anything you use as a vehicle for dips.

Store in a container in the fridge for at least a week. You can personalize this a bit more by adding any of your fav grated vegetables to the mix.

Breakfast Gluten Free Seafood

Ultimate Caribbean Breakfast Recipe.

May 28, 2025October 15, 20151 Comment

Breakfast was usually a grab and go routine for me as a young fella on the islands during the week, as I went to school in the city and it meant leaving our sleepy village very early in the morning. I had to take a 2nd taxi (shared) when I got into San Fernando (2nd largest city in Trinidad) to make it in time for the first bell. So weekends was when mom would go all out with whatever we wanted for breakfast. Now this sort of breakfast was never included as I only developed a liking for many of the ingredients you’ll see me use, during my travels across the Caribbean as an adult. However the dish itself represents the sort of satisfying breakfast you’d find across the West Indies, especially on the weekends.

You’ll Need…

4 green cooking bananas (cooked)
1-2 cups prepared salted fish (Cod)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup diced bell pepper
4 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 large shallot (or 2 cloves garlic & 1 small onion)
1 can ackee (drain / rinsed)
2 tablespoon olive oil (or coconut oil)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 small okra (cut in half – length)
6 cups Jamaican callaloo (trimmed/shredded)

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.

Video Tutorials:

How To Prepare Jamaican Callaloo For Cooking

How To Shop For, Cook And Peel Green Bananas.

How To Prepare Salted Fish

Please use the video tutorials above to prepare the necessary ingredients. If using canned ackee as I did, be gentle and rinse with cool water to get rid of the brine it’s packaged in and set aside. On a medium flame, heat the olive oil (or coconut) and add the diced shallot and thyme. Lower the heat to low and let it cook gently for 3 minutes.

With your heat still on low, add the prepared salted cod and the black pepper and continue cooking for 3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium and add the cut/trimmed ockra and scotch bonnet pepper (remember to use as much as you can handle and don’t use any seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat). Stir well and cook for a couple minutes.

It’s now time to add the prepared Jamaican callaloo (chorai bhaji) and stir well. It will look like it will overflow, but it will shrink (wilt) down as it cooks. Add all the other ingredients, except the cooked green bananas and ackee and mix well.

After 5 Minutes, add the cooked green bananas (cut into 1 inch pieces) and mix well. Then GENTLY fold in the ackee. Please be gentle as it’s very tender and can fall apart very easily. Warm trough and combine the flavors and you’re basically done.

An amazing one pot Caribbean breakfast beast served (enjoyed) hot. Feel free to add other types of ground provisions to the mix (like yams, dasheen, cassava etc) and be sure to have some slices of fried plantains on the side with some coconut bake or johnny cakes.

Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments Vegetarian

Ultimate Caribbean Salsa Topping For Tacos, Hotdogs & Burgers.

May 28, 2025October 13, 20151 Comment

When some of your youngest fans get their mom to contact you “mom can you contact Chris to see if he can do a Caribbean taco recipe for us?” you know you have to jump into action. So the first thing I cranked out was the topping for said taco. During the summer months this also works as a great topping for grilled burgers and hot dogs. And when those cold wintry weekends kicks in and I want to brighten up my mood… I put a side of this with my eggs at breakfast! Versatile indeed!

You’ll Need…

2 cups diced pineapple
1 1/2 cups diced mango
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3/4 cup diced tomato

* optionally you can add diced cucumber, scallions and for more of a kick you can add a bit more scotch bonnet pepper. If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Prep all the ingredients. Remember when handling scotch bonnet peppers to wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. You can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper or opt for a milder pepper if you wish. Do not use any seeds or the white membrane surrounding the seeds as that’s where the ‘raw’ heat will be. Basically you’re dicing all the ingredients somewhat the same size.

Then place it all in a large bowl and mix well. Place in the fridge to chill and marinate for about 30 minutes so all the flavors come together.

Hoping to have the taco recipe done in the coming days as I’m sure my little friends are eagerly waiting. It still amazes me that there are kids as young as 1 and 2 years old who watch me on Youtube on the regular and find me entertaining. Brings a joy to my heart to know that I’m helping to preserve and curate my/our culinary culture. Thank you to mom, dad and all the elders who are allowing the young ones to tune in (I’ll keep that in mind when I’m recording to keep the content family friendly). BTW, you can store this in the fridge for about 1 week before it starts to fall apart on you and loose it’s texture and zing.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Jerk Chicken Chili.

May 27, 2025October 7, 20151 Comment

Understandably we don’t automatically associate chili with the Caribbean when we envision the meals being prepared in homes across the islands. However, times are indeed changing and we’re experimenting with different recipes, ingredients and flavors. Just take a peek at the many international restaurants you’ll find in any capital city of any island in the Caribbean and you’ll see that our dining habits are changing. Some may argue that it’s a bad thing as our culinary culture is quickly losing out to these outside influences. Topic for another day! Chili is made on the regular in our home, from the traditional beef, to using spicy sausages, turkey and in this case.. we’ll be using some leftover jerk chicken we had on hand in the fridge.

You’ll Need…

4 cups chopped jerk chicken
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 stalks celery
2 med onions
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
1 package chili powder (about 2 tablespoon)
2 carrots
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
2 scallions

IMPORTANT: 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.

Wash, chop and prep all the vegetables. Then heat the oil in a deep pot (try to use a solid pot) on med heat and go in with the diced onion, garlic, celery and black pepper. Lower the heat to low and allow this to cook for about 4-6 minutes. This will soften up everything and start that flavor base we’re looking for.

With the heat still on low, add the chili powder (pre-packaged stuff is goo enough) and stir well. Cook for another 3 minutes to awaken all the spices in the chili powder mix. Then go in with the diced carrots, mushrooms (yea, I use anything I could find in the fridge) and scotch bonnet pepper (for heat). Stir well, then go in with all the other ingredients – raise the heat to bring to a boil.

Basically I took all the meat off the jerk chicken legs I had and added it to the pot.

Reduce the heat (after it comes to a boil), put the lid on and let it simmer for about 70 minutes. You can start this in a pot, then pour it into a slow cooker and have it go on low for a few hours while you do your everyday routine.

The bits of jerk chicken (especially if you did them on a coals fire) will add a lovely (unique) smoky flavor to the chili and the ‘jerk’ marinade will be a lovely undertone. Taste for salt (adjust accordingly) and near the end, go in with the chopped cilantro.

This is a lovely dish for those cold winter nights (well if you’re like me and based in a country with winters) and feel free to play with other ingredients in the chili to personalize it a bit. Serve with some grated cheddar and a tablespoon of sour cream!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Style Stewed Lamb Chops.

May 28, 2025September 22, 20155 Comments

As a young fella on the islands, I don’t ever recall having lamb (had to call mom and she confirmed this). And to be quite honest, I didn’t even start eating goat until my adult years in Canada after living with my aunt, who’s a master at cooking it in a rich and spicy curry sauce. Today I’m not a huge fan of lamb, as I find the taste and texture turns me off a little (plus the price), but the odd time it is cooked in our home, this is my go-to recipe. Not necessarily “Caribbean”, but you’ll noticed a lot of flavor-adding ingredients being used as we would in the Caribbean.

You’ll Need…

5 Lamb chops (shoulder/cheaper cut)
2 scallions
5 allspice berries
1 small stick cinnamon
1 tablespoon veg oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 med onion
2 cloves garlic
4 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato puree (concentrate)
2 slices ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper
8 cherry tomatoes
Optional – pinch nutmeg

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Usually we season and marinate meats first in the Caribbean, but in this case we’ll add the seasonings (herbs etc) a little later. Heat the vegetable oil on med/high and brown the pieces of lamb on both sides (takes about 8 mins). Then remove them and set aside.

Turn the heat to low and add the onion, garlic, scallion and thyme, let it gently cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add the tomato puree (concentrate) and cook another 2 minutes. It will go dark.

Now add the add orange juice, black pepper, ginger, allspice berries and bring to a boil. Then go in with the lamb, water, salt and place the scotch bonnet pepper whole. Stir, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 50 minutes or until it’s as tender as you like.

After about 50 minutes, taste for salt and adjust accordingly as my tolerance for salt will be different than yours. Remove the lid and crank up the heat to help the gravy thicken to the way you want it. Here is also where I also add the cherry tomatoes (use chopped regular tomatoes if you wish). Stir every 10-15 minutes or so and try your best to NOT break that scotch bonnet pepper or you will release major heat… unless you want that heat.

Fish out the scotch bonnet pepper, stems from the thyme and all spice berries and discard before serving so no one gets the nasty reality of biting into them. Serve with rice, boiled provisions, flour dumplings or roti.

Gluten Free Side Dishes Vegetarian

Zesty Cucumber Chow (Salad).

May 27, 2025September 8, 20151 Comment

As a young fella on the islands my brother and I would always volunteer to go help dad in the garden whenever we knew cucumbers were in season. We had a stash of salt and a few cloves of garlic in the make-shift shed, where dad would take his breaks from the midday sun. With scotch bonnet pepper (congo as we’d say) and shado beni fresh from the garden.. we’d always make a huge bowl of this ‘chow’ with the ‘baby’ cucumbers (always the sweetest). Immediately after we’d hit the river to go fishing, followed by hours of swimming in the cool refreshing waters of the Guaracara river. Funny thing is dad never got our assistance, but he never peeped a word to mom!

You’ll Need…

6 Dill cucumbers
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon (juice)
8-12 cherry tomatoes
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crused or diced fine)
1/2 small red onion (optional)

Note: you can use any cucumber you have on hand and the option to peel or not is totally up to you. Remember to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. You can cut back or use more of the pepper if you wish. Traditionally we would use shado beni (culantro) instead of the cilantro.

It was early summer when I did this recipe so I had access to what’s called dill cucumbers (basically small cucumbers) for this recipe, but you can use any cucumber you have on hand. You have the option of peeling or not. In my case, these small cucumbers are quite sweet and I find that the skin adds a lovely texture to it all. What I would recommend doing is not only washing them very well, but to soak them in cool water to make sure all the dirt and sand drops of them.

Cut the stems and bottoms off and cut into spears and place in a large bowl. I also had some cherry tomatoes, so I opted to add them to the salad/chow for some added flavor, color and texture. You can use any tomato you have.

Crush or dice the garlic very finely, chop the cilantro and you can dice the scotch bonnet or cut it into large pieces so when you serve it, your guests can easily identify the pieces and avoid them.

Basically all you’re doing at this point is assembling everything together and giving it a good toss. For best results, allow it to chill and marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.

If you’re new to Caribbean cuisine or this website, ‘chow’ is basically a spicy pickle we make with tart fruits.. in most cases green mangoes, pineapple etc. In this case we used cucumbers with the same sort of effect.. except, you’ll get a more juicy and refreshing finish.

If you don’t have lemons you can use lime or orange juice for a different flavor profile and if spicy is not your thing.. you can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper. In the video below you’ll notice that I didn’t add any red onions.. so that is totally optional.

Gluten Free

Oven Roasted Sardines.

Roasted Tomato Coconut Soup (vegetarian).

Coconut Chicken Tenders Recipe [gluten free].

Curry Pork With String Beans.

Simple Tamarind Chutney Recipe.

A Quick Jamaican Callaloo Fried Rice Recipe.

Vegetable Cream Cheese Spread.

Ultimate Caribbean Breakfast Recipe.

Ultimate Caribbean Salsa Topping For Tacos, Hotdogs & Burgers.

Jerk Chicken Chili.

Caribbean Style Stewed Lamb Chops.

Zesty Cucumber Chow (Salad).

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