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Gluten Free

Gluten free Caribbean cooking and recipes by Caribbean cookbook author Chris De La Rosa

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Gluten Free Vegetarian

How To Make Coconut Curry Papaya.

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Here’s an old school curry dish I don’t recall eating until I left the Caribbean. Essentially mommy never made this vegan curry dish for us, however over the years I’ve learned that it was very commonplace in many homes in Trinidad and Tobago.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs mature green papaya (1 inch chunks)
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large shallot (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoon curry powder (depending on how strong a curry you want)
1 teaspoon Anchar Masala
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water
2 green chili peppers (sliced)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Optional – 2 green chili peppers to finish

Notes! I used green chili peppers in the dish, but you may use any spicy pepper you prefer or should you not enjoy spicy food, leave them out. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure that they meet your specific gluten free dietary requirements. May I suggest you watch the video below as much more about the recipe is discussed there.

As mentioned in the video, it’s best to wear gloves or coat your hands with vegetable oil to prevent the Papaya’s sap from irritating your hands. Trim the stem off the papaya, then cut it into wedges. Use a spoon to scrape off the seeds and discard. Now it’s time to peel off the skin with a pairing knife or potato peeler. Rinse well and cut into 1 inch wedges.

Heat the coconut oil in a deep saucepan on a medium flame and add the sliced shallots. Turn the heat down to low and cook gently. After a minute add the curry powder, Anchar masala (get at your local Caribbean grocer), Caribbean Green Seasoning and black pepper. Should you not be able to source the Anchar Masala, use ground roasted cumin (Geera).

After about 4 minutes, turn the heat back up to medium, then add the prepared papaya to the pan and stir well to coat the pieces with that lovely curry base we created.

It’s now time to add the coconut milk and water and bring to a boil. Add the 2 chopped chili peppers and salt at this point as well.

Reduce the flame to a sort of rolling boil and simmer and cook until the papaya is tender.

Depending on how large you cut the Papaya it will take between 1 hour and 1 hour and 15 minutes to get tender. Use a pairing knife and poke the thickest piece of Papaya and if there’s no resistance, it means that it’s fully cooked.

Here’s where you’ll then taste and adjust the salt to your liking, add the cilantro and if you want a finishing kick as I do, add the other 2 chili peppers. I did stir the pot every 20 minutes or so and you will be required to pay attention to the level of the liquid and add more water should the need arise.

A wonderful vegan/vegetarian curry, which can also be enhanced with salted Cod… but that’s a recipe for another day.

Gluten Free Seafood

How to Make Swiss Chard With Shrimp.

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One of the last vegetables to survive into the colder months in my Canadian garden, is usually Swiss Chard! And while nothing will replace Chorai or Dasheen-bush Bhaji as far as I’m concerned, Swiss Chard tends to satisfy my cravings. Therefore I’m always grateful to have some I can harvest fresh and get busy in the kitchen on those cold nights.

You’ll Need…

5-6 lbs Swiss chard (washed, trimmed)
1 lb medium shrimp (peeled and deveined)
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 tablespoon (divided) salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/4 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (sliced)
1 1/2 tablespoon Coconut Cream

Notes! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. May I recommend that you use the video below to follow along as much more about the recipe may be discussed there.

It’s important that you not only wash each leaf individually, but you must check the crevices and stems of them as well, as you rinse with cool water. Then remove the stems and chop them into 1 cm pieces and set aside.

Roll the leaves like you’re making a cigar and cut into 1 cm shreds.

Season the cleaned and deveined shrimp with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning and curry powder. Mix well and allow to marinate for about 15-20 minutes.

Heat the pan (deep) on a medium/low flame and add the seasoned shrimp. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes. Now remove the shrimp and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the same pan.

Add the sliced Scotch Bonnet pepper (optional) and garlic, turn the heat to low and cook a further 2-3 minutes.

Add the stems of the Swiss Chard as they will take longer to cook than the leaves, stir well and cover the pot. Allow the water from washing the stems and the steam it will create to deglaze the pan and release all the wonderful flavors. Cook for 4 minutes with the lid on.

It’s then time to remove the lid, turn the heat up to medium and add the washed/cut Swiss Chard leaves to the pot. Top with the remaining salt and black pepper and at this point you may add the coconut cream and mix in well. Should you not have coconut cream, add 1/2 cup of coconut milk.

It may seem like a lot as it crowds the pan, but it wilt quickly.

Cook uncovered for about 8-10 minutes.

Try to burn off any liquid which may have sprouted naturally, then add the pre-cooked shrimp and stir well. As the shrimp heats though for 2-3 minutes, taste and adjust the salt to your liking.

Turn off the stove once everything checks out (no liquid at the bottom of the pan and the salt is ideal) and enjoy with rice or hot Sada Roti.

Gluten Free Seafood Side Dishes

Re-Fried Boiled Plantain.

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The perfect combination of sweet and savory with the merger of ripe plantain and salted fish, as we do in the Caribbean. As explained in the video below I always have leftover plantain since I’m the only one in this home who eats it. Frankly, I question if these children are mine every time they refuse my offer for fried or boiled plantain.

You’ll Need…

2 Ripe Plantain (pre-boiled)
‘1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (sliced)
2 sprigs thyme
5-6 chives
2 cloves garlic (sliced)
1/8 lb salted Pollock (salted fish)
1 pimento pepper (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Notes! Please watch the video below as much more is explained there, especially why I didn’t use any salt and other ingredients you may add to this dish. If doing this gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet your specific gluten free dietary requirements.

In doing this dish please consider that I had leftover boiled plantain for the night before dinner. However you may simply trim off the ends of ripe plantain, cut into 2-3 inch pieces and boil for 5 minutes. Drain, cool and remove the skin. Please boil with the skin on, so it holds its shape, especially if they are over-ripe.

Cut the plantain into bite sized pieces and set aside. Then heat the oil (you may use any oil you prefer and butter is also an option) in a saucepan on medium flame.

Unfortunately I couldn’t locate the full assortment of pictures I took, so this post will be lacking of the step by step images.

Once the oil is hot, add the salted fish (use any prepared salted fish you like) and stir well. Turn the heat down to medium/low and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the onion, thyme (leaves), garlic and pimento pepper. Should you want the dish spicy, add any hot pepper you like and in the amount you can handle.

For the salted fish, you will want to make sure you remove most of the salt, rehydrate it and remove any of the tiny bones it can sometimes have. Basically I used boned (bones removed), which I poured boiling water on, allowed it to soak until the water was cool and squeezed out that water. Then shred it into smaller pieces.

After about 4 minutes, add the cut plantain pieces into the pan and stir well to coat with the flavors of the other ingredients. Here’s where you’d give it a taste and adjust the salt should you want.

You have 2 options here. Cook the plantain until it’s heated through, or crank up the heat to medium high and cook until you get caramelized edges. This will bring out the natural sweetness of the plantain even further.

ENJOY!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

How To Make The Perfect Lamb Pepperpot.

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When my Guyanese friends speak about Pepperpot, there’s a certain passion and pride that lights up their faces. And to be honest, I know why. The deep rich flavors of this meat-packed dish is simply outstanding and very comforting. And while most pepperpot includes an assortment of meats, in this version we’ll stick to using lamb alone.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs lamb (with bones)
3/4 cup cassareep
2 cinnamon sticks
3 pieces of orange peel (1 inch each)
3 cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4-8 sprigs thyme
2 scallions (chopped)
3 cloves garlic
1 medium onion (diced)
water
2-4 wiri wiri peppers

Notes! Please watch the video below to follow along as much more is discussed there. Optional ingredient includes, 2 bay leaves, 1 star anise and a thick slice of ginger. I like pepperpot spicy so I used 8 fine wiri wiri peppers, should you not be able to source those peppers, any spicy pepper (in the amount you can handle) will work. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

With my lamb washed and drained, it went into a deep pot (no oil) on a medium/high flame. Cheap cuts of lamb can be fatty, so I do it this way (as explained in the video) to render out and remove some of that fat. The goal is NOT to brown the meat.

After about 6 minutes, turn the flame down (so you don’t get burned) and tip the pot to allow for the fat to accumulate. Remove the fat and discard (NOT down your sink).

Turn the heat back up to medium and add all of the other ingredients mentioned. Stir well, then cover completely with water and bring to a boil.

After coming to a boil, reduce the heat to low as we want this to slowly cook on a simmer until the lamb is tender. I did place the lid on slightly ajar.

Depending on how old the animal was when the meat was harvested, it can take between 2 hours and 15 minutes to 3 hours.

It took just over 2 hours of cooking slowly and me stirring every 30 minutes or so for the lamb to be tender. At this point you’ll taste for salt and adjust to your liking. The gravy’s thickness is a personal choice, so if you want it thicker, cook with the heat raised a bit. However be mindful that as this lamb pepperpot cools, it will thicken further.

In the video I explained how at the end, I used a spoon to scoop out even more fat out of the dish. All you need now is some homemade plait bread to break and dip in this wickedly delicious gravy.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Easy and Delicious Curry Lamb with Potato and Chickpeas Recipe.

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If you’ve tried my Coconut Curry Lamb recipe, you can attest to the absolute delicious nature of a good Caribbean curry. With this version of Curry Lamb, we’ll give the overall dish more body and help to stretch it for more people.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs lamb (I used shoulder w bones)
lemon (juice)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
8-12 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1 medium tomato (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds (geera)
1 teaspoon Anchar Masala
4 medium potatoes (1/4s)
1 can chickpeas (rinsed/drained)
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
1 teaspoon black pepper
5-6 cups water
1 scallion (chopped)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin
2 tablespoon coconut cream

Notes! If making this recipe gluten free please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet your specific gluten free requirements. Especially the curry powder you used (discussed in the video below). Use any hot pepper you like/can source and in the amounts you can tolerate. I prefer using bone-in lamb for this recipe, however you’re free to use boneless cuts should you prefer.

Wash the pieces of lamb with the juice of the lemon and cool water, drain and set aside. for now. Get your deep pot on a medium flame and add the olive oil. You may use any oil you enjoy using.

Then add the onion, garlic, cumin seeds, Caribbean Green Seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper, cook for about 2-3 minutes, before adding the anchar masala (see your fav West Indian grocers, in the video below I explained what to use should you not be able to source it). Stir well.

Follow up with the curry powder (I discuss my fav curry powder in the video below) and stir well. Continue cooking on that medium flame for another 2-3 minutes. Then it’s time to add the diced tomatoes and stir well.

Cook for another 2-3 minutes, then add the prepared lamb pieces (cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces and I included the bones) and stir well to coat.

Add the salt and black pepper, continue cooking for another 5-7 minutes with the pot uncovered. It’s time to add the potato (cut into large pieces) as well as the chickpeas (channa) and stir well.

If you watched my curry Channa and Aloo video you’ll see how I removed the outer skin of the chickpeas and why I do so. Add the coconut cream (use 1 cup coconut milk if you don’t have cream) and water to cover everything.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and place the lid on the pot, slightly ajar. The goal now is to cook everything slowly and in doing so we’ll not only get tender pieces of lamb, but we’ll develop the rich and deep flavors of the curry.

After 1 1/2 hours, we need to check to see if the lamb is tender as well as taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Keep in mind that during the cooking process, should you need to add additional water (if it goes too THICK), feel free to do so. Also note as this cools it will thicken further, so adjust the gravy consistency accordingly.

Once the lamb is tender, salt is perfect and the gravy is to your liking, add the scallions, parsley (explained why I didn’t use cilantro nor shado beni in the video) and roasted cumin (geera) powder, stir well and shut off the stove.

A couple additional flavors you may consider adding as it cooks are a small stick of cinnamon and 2 bay leaves.

Gluten Free Seafood

Green Fig (cooking banana) With Saltfish.

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When we did the Green Fig Salad we would have already discussed that for the most part, bananas are lovingly called FIG/s and the green ones are used in cooking in the Caribbean. There were comments when I posted the video that these were not figs, so I wanted to clarify things again.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs green cooking bananas (green fig)
1/2 lb boned salted cod (prepared)
2 tablespoon coconut oil
1 large tomato (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 scallions (chopped)
3-5 bird’s eye peppers (see notes below)
1 teaspoon black pepper

Notes! In doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet your gluten free dietary requirements. I used coconut oil, however you may use any oil you prefer using. While I only had Bird’s Eye peppers on hand, you may use any spicy peppers you have or prefer. Or should you not like the dish spicy, the option to leave it out is up to you. Please use the video below to follow along, especially when preparing the green cooking bananas. When shopping for the green bananas (fig) outside the Caribbean, they may be called Green COOKING Bananas.

May I recommend that you try to source boned or boneless (bones removed) salted Cod or any salted fish you can afford. However, as you shred it (after you’ve boiled or soaked) be sure to keep an eye out for tiny bones and remove. Please refer to the video below (or above) to learn how to prepare the salted fish for use, so it’s rehydrated and most of the slated it was cured with, is removed.

In the video below I explained that you could peel the green bananas before boiling, but this step is much easier. Simply cut off both ends, then using a paring knife, cut the length of the banana, the depth of the skin. Then place them in a pot with water, bring to a boil, reduce to a rolling boil and cook for 10-12 minutes.

Drain and allow it to cool before peeling off the skin.

I explained in the video that I didn’t salt the water when boiling the green figs (banana) as I’m trying to cut back on the salt intake in my diet. Traditionally, 3/4 teaspoon of salt is added to the water.

Heat the coconut oil in a wide saucepan on a medium flame, then add the prepared salted Cod and stir well. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 3 minutes to flavor the oil.

After 4 minutes, add the onion, garlic, scallions, black pepper and tomato to the pan and stir well. The goal is to soften everything and in doing so, combine all of those flavors. Should you have some fresh thyme, add a couple sprigs (not mentioned in the ingredient list). Additionally, should you want to add diced bell peppers, you’re more than welcome to do so at this point.

The cooked green bananas should be cool enough to handle at this point. remove the skin (discard) and add them to the pan with everything. Feel free to cut them into smaller pieces should you prefer. I added the Bird’s Eye peppers whole as I didn’t want the heat throughout the dish (I munched on the peppers as I ate later). Should you want the raw heat, cut the peppers into small pieces and add them when you added the onions etc.

All we have to do at this point is coat the bananas with that lovely base we created, heat them though and we’re done. Essentially you’re looking at about 4-6 minutes or a med/low flame.

This is a complete meal. Serve with a few slices of ripe avocado and enjoy!

Gluten Free Seafood

Steamed Red Snapper (fish).

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There’s always the call for more fish recipes from fans of my work and I really wish I could share others. While lake and river fish (what I call sweet-water fish) are very accessible in Ontario, I’m not a fan of them. I find that they lack flavor and the texture tends to be very mushy. And YES, I can secure ocean or salt water fish at the different West Indian and Asian markets, but most days they’re VERY expensive. I don’t mind paying the price eh.. however I’m the only one in my home who eat the stuff, so logically it makes little or no sense to spend the money. The only fish my daughters will eat is their grandmother’s fried King Fish. Hopefully I can get Zyair on the fish train soon.

You’ll Need…

2 red snapper (about 3/4 lb each)
8 sprigs thyme (divided)
4 scallions
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 medium tomato (diced)
2 cups fish stock
1 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
8-12 okra (trimmed)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (chopped)
1/2 orange bell pepper (chopped)
5 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoon Olive oil
1 lb pumpkin (large cube)
1 medium christophene aka chayote, chocho (sliced)
1 lemon (divided)
1/2 lime
2-4 tablespoon coconut cream
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
8 Pimento berries (allspice)
2 bay leaves | 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate puree
1 carrot (small) (julienne)
2-3 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Notes. I encourage you to personalize things according to your likes and be as creative as you like. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements (especially the fish stock you use). May I recommend you use the video below as a guide when preparing the recipe in the event you have any further questions not covered in this recipe post.

VERY IMPORTANT! – Lovingly called “steamed”, but in fact it’s somewhat simmered in liquid and not technically steamed. Here is my truly Steamed Fish Recipe.

Wash, chop and generally prep all of the ingredients.

Clean and wash the fish with cool water and the juice of the lime, then make a cut across the belly (thickest part – both sides) of each fish to allow for even cooking and for the flavors to go deep within the flesh later. Season with the 3/4 of the salt and 1/2 of the black pepper (in and out), then stuff the cavity with 1/2 of the thyme and 1 scallion each. I explained why I don’t use all-purpose seasoning in the video below.

Most recipes online will tell you to start with butter, but being mindful of salt, saturated fats etc, I opt for olive oil. In a wide pan on a medium heat add the oil, followed by the onion, remaining thyme, bell peppers, remaining black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, allspice berries (aka pimento seeds), bay leaves and the remaining salt (you may adjust later on). Turn the heat down to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.

It’s now time to add the pumpkin, carrot and Christophene and mix well. After 2-3 minutes, make space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste. Yes this is not an ingredient traditional to the recipe, however with my tested application I can tell you with certainty it works well. Making that space in the pan means the tomato paste will be in direct contact with the hot pan, thus the natural sugars in the tomato will shine through with the caramelization.

After 2-3 minutes stir everything well, turn the heat up to medium and add the fish stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and allow it to cook for about 7 minutes. As it comes to a boil add the remaining scallions, garlic and coconut cream. Reduce to a simmer.

It’s now time to tuck the seasoned fish into the pan as well as the tomato and okra. With the okra (say ochro) you’ll want to trim off the stems and I like to also trim off the pointy ends. Try your best to tuck everything into the liquid in the pan as best you can. You’ll want to try and spoon on some of that liquid onto the fish before putting a lid on the pan.

I used a pan which I didn’t have a lid for, so I used a cookie sheet to cover the pan. Should that fail, use foil to make a temporary lid.

Depending on the size of the fish you used, in about 10 minutes they will be fully cooked. As you turn off the stove be sure to spoon on some more of that liquid on the bottom over each fish. Keep in mind that the residual heat in the pan will continue cooking the fish. Top with the lemon juice and chopped parsley!

A classic fish dish out of the Caribbean, with it’s origin being Jamaica but with versions found throughout the region.

Gluten Free Seafood Vegetarian

Curry Seim (hyacinth bean) With Potato.

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The last of the produce from my garden for 2023! Sadly, freezing nights set in a couple weeks back and hastily we (mom and dad visited to assist) had to winterize the garden and get ready for the upcoming winter. With an abundance of Seim in hand, I thought I’d share a quick recipe with you all. Should you want to keep this recipe fully vegan/vegetarian, you may skip the addition of the prepared salted Cod fish.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs of Seim (trimmed)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 lb prepared salted cod
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (see notes below)
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera)
1 medium onion (sliced)
3 medium potatoes (sliced)
1/2 cup water (or coconut milk)

Notes! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. May I suggest you follow along with the video below as I speak about they two types of Seim used and how to trim them for use in the dish. I didn’t add any hot pepper to the dish, but you’re free to do so if you enjoy very spicy curry dishes. Finally, I used boned (bones removed) Salted Cod, but you may use whatever type of salted fish you can access.

Wash, trim and cut the Seim.

Heat the oil on a medium flame in a deep pot and add the prepared salted cod. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then remove from the pot (try to leave back as much oil as possible) and set aside for later.

In the same pot, turn the heat down to med/low and add the cumin (geera) seeds and cook for 2 minutes, then add the curry powder and stir well. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Should you need another tablespoon of olive oil (use your fav oil) in the pot, feel free to add more.

The curry will go darker and start to clump, that’s an indication that we’re on the right path. Do NOT burn it! Add the sliced potatoes and stir to coat with the curry base we made, then add the prepared Seim to the pot and repeat the stirring part.

Top with the salt, black pepper, garlic, onion and should you want to add a piece of Scotch Bonnet pepper, now would be the time to do so. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil (with the lid on).

After 3-4 minutes it’s time to add the water, turn the heat back down to low, place the lid back on the pot and gently cook everything until it’s all tender. In my case, it took about 30 minutes.

The final two steps are to add back the previously fried pieces of salted Cod and mix well. After 2 minutes taste and adjust the salt to your liking. Keep in mind that even though we did prepare (boiled or soaked in hot water) the salted Cod, it will still have remnants of the salt it was cured with. Once happy, turn off the stove.

Luckily for me I had some frozen buss up shut (paratha) Roti in the freezer, so I thoroughly enjoyed myself this evening as I tucked away into a dish I disliked as a lil fella on the islands.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Cabbage With Smoked Pork And Pumpkin.

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The only way mommy could get me/us to eat cabbage as kids growing up on the islands, was if she made or bought Chow Mein. Back then I don’t ever recall seeing bean sprouts in Chow Mein as I do in Canada as the norm. Maybe I’ll share that recipe soon! However as an adult, I’m always looking for ways to put cabbage to use. Here’s another (soon to be) classic dish using the humble cabbage..

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb smoked pork soup bones
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 lb pumpkin (cubed)
2 pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 1/2 – 2 lb cabbage
1 medium onion (sliced)
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 bell pepper (chopped)

Notes! I used sea salt as it’s the only salt I really use. Use your fav salt. Should you wanted to add 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 2 cloves crushed garlic, it will add additional flavor to the overall dish. 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. May I suggest you watch the video below as some questions you may have should be answered there.

At my local butcher the smoked pork I purchased was labelled as Smoked Pork Soup Bones. In your area it may be called something else. Should you want to use remnants of ham, smoked pork hocks, smoked ribs, or if pork is not your thing, you may use smoked turkey. Regular smoked pork or turkey bacon could be used with success as well.

Heat the oil in a pan on a med/low flame and add the pieces of smoked pork. Allow it to cook for about 5 minutes to flavor the oil and the render some of it’s fat out.

Then add the sliced onion, black pepper and pimento peppers. Don’t stress if you can’t source the pimento pepper (I grew mine, but you can try West Indian and Asian supermarkets). It gives the dish a lovely flavor, without any heat.

After a couple minutes add the curry powder and if you wanted, some garlic and dry thyme.

Next goes the diced pumpkin (butternut squash will work as well) and stir. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, then add the bell pepper.

Two minutes later add the chopped cabbage and mix well to combine and coat everything with that lovely smokey flavor.

Don’t worry if you find that it looks like it will not all fit, as the cabbage gets in contact with the heat from the pan, it will wilt down. Add in layers if necessary. Top with the salt and cook on a medium flame until it’s tender to your liking. BTW I did wash the cabbage before and after slicing.

I allowed it to cook for 5-6 minutes after adding the cabbage (pan uncovered) as the residual water from washing the cabbage and the natural juices it sprouted allowed it to steam sauté.

To personalize things, taste and adjust the salt to your liking and determine how ‘cooked’ you want the finished cabbage. The diced pumpkin will give the dish a wonderful sweet undertone. Should you want to give it a kick, add a few slices of your fav hot pepper. Serve with rice or as you would with any cabbage dish.

Gluten Free Seafood

Curry Lobster With Potato.

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I’m definitely not impressed by lobster in any form or fashion. I personally think is highly overrated and I’d much prefer shrimp any day… well except for pepper lobster. While I did enjoy the Curry Lobster With Shrimp I shared a while back, it’s not something I’d crave. In doing this Curry Lobster, if you’d like to go with half the water and add coconut milk to make up the other 1/2 of liquid needed, it will add a lovely sweet undertone to the overall curry sauce.

You’ll Need…

2 lobsters (about 3 lbs total)
2 1/2 tablespoon veg oil
1 medium onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 green scotch bonnet pepper (cut 1/2)
1 ripe Scotch Bonnet pepper (whole)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 tablespoon curry powder
2 1/2 – 3 cups water
4 medium potatoes (pre-boiled in salted water)
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust)
2 tablespoon finely chopped parsley *

Notes! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. Especially the curry powder you use as some may have fillers. I used two scotch bonnet peppers, use any spicy pepper you like or can source. Optionally, you may leave them out or use as much as you can handle. Please follow along with the use of the video below.

Clean, trim and cut the lobster into pieces. Hit the claws to crack them so we get the curry flavors deep within. Yes, you may use lobster tails if you wanted to.

Peel and cut your potatoes into 1/4’s and boil in salted water (about 3/4 teaspoon) until tender. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan and add the diced onion, smashed garlic and geera seeds (cumin). Cook for 3-4 minutes on a low heat.

Add the green scotch bonnet pepper (cut in half) and the Caribbean Green Seasoning. A green scotch bonnet will not be as fiery as a ripe or fully mature one, but it will still have a kick. A couple minutes later add the curry powder and stir well. Continue cooking on low.

The goal is to NOT BURN anything, especially the curry or you’ll have an offensive tasting curry sauce at the end. Never BURN curry! After 4 minutes add the water, turn the heat up and bring to a boil.

As it comes to a boil add the whole scotch bonnet pepper (I explain why in the video below) along with the prepared lobster to the pan and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes before adding the pre-cooked potatoes.

Be sure to mix well so the potato gets covered with the tasty curry sauce and in the process, soak up some of it.

After 3-4 minutes, it’s time to taste and adjust the salt to your liking and as you turn off the stove, toss in the finely chopped parsley. Should you prefer to use cilantro or Shado Beni (culantro), do you. If you find that the gravy or sauce is a bit runny, you may crush a few pieces of the potato to thicken things up. However do keep in mind that the residual heat in the pan will further cook things, plus as it cools it will thicken up further.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Lemon Honey Mustard Glazed Roasted Chicken.

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While mommy made amazing baked chicken (I don’t ever recall hearing the word ‘roast’ or ‘roasted’), especially around Christmas-time, when turkey wasn’t as popular as it is today in the Caribbean during the holidays. Typically it would be a large chicken cut into large pieces seasoned with Caribbean Green Seasoning and roasted until it was golden brown and fully cooked.

You’ll Need…

2 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs each)
3 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 stalks rosemary (divided)
8 sprigs thyme (divided)
8 sage leaves (divided)
2 head of garlic (tops trimmed off)
2 cups of chicken stock
2 tablespoon honey
2 lemons (juice)
3/4 tablespoon dry mustard powder

Notes. Please use the video below to follow along as some questions you may have will answered there. I didn’t use a wire rack in the roasting pan, but you may if you wanted. Be sure to spray your roasting pan with cooking spray or line it with foil to help making clean-up later easier. If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. Especially the chicken stock you use.

In a small bowl mix together the oil, Caribbean Green Seasoning, black pepper and salt. Brush the chicken with this marinade (in and out). Stuff the cavity of each chicken with rosemary, thyme, sage and one head of garlic each (try to place them last as we’ll remove them during roasting) . In the video below I showed how I trimmed off the top part of the garlic so later on the garlic itself will be easier to remove out of the skin.

Place the now seasoned and stuffed birds in your roasting pan and pour the chicken stock on the bottom. Then into a 400 F preheated oven on the middle rack for one hour. If you find that it’s getting dark or burned in some areas, you may lightly tent them with foil. I didn’t.

After 1 hour, remove the garlic from the cavity of the chicken and place the chicken back in the oven but raise the temperature to 425 F . Time to make the Lemon Honey Mustard Glaze. In a blender or food processor (I used a magic bullet) add the garlic cloves (remove the skins), honey, mustard and juice from the lemons. Should you want a more pronounced lemon flavor, zest the lemons and add it to the glaze. For a more pronounced mustard flavor, add 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard as well.

One hour and 20 minutes later, it’s time to remove the chickens from the oven and hit them with their first coat of glaze with a brush. Since the sugar in the honey will make it easy to burn when they roast moving forward, may I recommend you lower the shelf in the oven and to keep an eye on things in case you need to rotate the roasting pan.

I applied 5 coats of the glaze in about 15-20 minutes (from the time I started applying the glaze). Keep in mind that if you use larger chickens they may take a bit longer to fully cook.

Remove from the oven once they’re fully cooked and PLEASE allow them to rest for about 8-10 minutes before you cut/serve. At the one hour mark when I removed the garlic, I also removed the chicken stock from the pan to make my gravy. Should you be interested in that chicken gravy recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment.

Definitely not mommy’s baked chicken, however as with most of the recipes I share, her mark in in there somewhere.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Cabbage With Jerk Chicken.

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Leftover Jerk Chicken! “can you explain this leftover Jerk Chicken ting Chris? I’ve never had such” One of the comments I received when I first shared this recipe on Instagram. The simple answer to this question is, no one in my home appreciates Jerk Chicken Breast. Usually when I make jerk chicken I use an entire chicken (usually 2) which I butterfly and the leftover jerk chicken breasts are used in stir-fry, fried rice, topping for salads, noodle dishes, dips and in this case, Cabbage with jerk chicken.

You’ll Need…

1 Small Cabbage (chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Jerk Chicken (leftovers chopped into pieces)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 small carrot (match sticks)
1/2 bell pepper (sliced)
1 medium onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
3/4 tablespoon brown sugar

Notes! If doing this recipe gluten free please go though the full list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements. Especially take note of the jerk marinade you used in making your jerk chicken as many will have soy sauce and other ingredients which may contain gluten. My jerk chicken is always made spicy (until Zyair starts eating it), so to balance the heat, I added the brown sugar.

This is a very quick dish to put together so may I recommend that you prepare all of the ingredients in advance and please use the video below to follow along.

Heat the oil in a wide pan on a medium/low flame then add the pieces of jerk chicken and stir. This step will heat through the chicken and allow some of that jerk flavor to really stand out.

Once heated through (about 3-5 minutes) add the chopped cabbage (chopped to your liking and stir to coat with the jerk chicken flavor. It will wilt down as it cooks, so don’t worry too much about not having enough space in the pan.

Once the cabbage has wilted a bit, add the other ingredients and mix well.

You’re free to add any vegetables you like. Another reason for liking this type of dish.. you can clean out ends of vegetables you have in the fridge.

After about 5 minutes it’s time to personalize things. Once you’re happy with the doneness of the vegetables (I like a slight crunch), taste and adjust the salt.

Should you wanted to add a bit of soy sauce, more jerk marinade, a bit of Hoisin sauce or freshly chopped Scotch Bonnet for more heat, I’d do so as you were heating the jerk chicken at the start.

I used leftover jerk chicken breast (white meat), however any jerk chicken will work. All I suggest is to remove the meat off the bones first. While this is a CLASSIC side dish, my fav way to enjoy this cabbage with jerk chicken is as filler for sandwiches.