Meat & Poultry Archives - Page 6 of 29

Yet another CLASSIC Caribbean one-pot dish from my childhood, which holds a special place in my heart. Usually mom would make this with Salted Pigtails, but in my case, I had smoked salted pigtails on hand. The kiss of smoke adds a a lovely layer of flavor to the entire dish… tell ah friend!

You’ll Need…

2 lbs smoked (salted) pigtails (cut 1 inch pieces)
1 lime (juice)
1 large breadfruit (cut into wedges)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
2-3 cups water
1 tomato (diced)
3 slices ginger
1/2 large onion (sliced)
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
3 wiri wiri peppers
2 tablespoon chopped parsley

Cut the smoked (salted) pigtails into 1 inch pieces, then place in a bowl with water and add the lime juice. Let it soak for about 1 hour.

Lets prep the breadfruit (refer to the video below). Cut off the stem (giving you a flat surface to work with), then cut into wedges, remove the core (discard) and then the skin. Wash with cool water.

Season the pigtail pieces. Drain and rinse with cool water. Now add the Caribbean Green Seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper. Mix well. Allow to marinate for about 30 minutes (maybe you can do this and then get to preparing the breadfruit).

Heat the olive oil (use any oil you like cooking with) on a high heat in a deep, heavy pot. Add the brown sugar (watch the video below) and stir (with a dry spoon). The sugar will melt, go frothy, then amber in color. This is when you’ll add the seasoned pigtail pieces to the pot. Should the sugar GO BLACK … STOP! Allow the pot to cool completely, wash and start back. Or it will be bitter tasting.

Stir well to coat the pieces of pig tails. Lower the heat to medium and cook for about 4-5 minutes. Then add the breadfruit pieces and stir well to coat those as well. Now add the coconut milk and stir to loosen up the bits on the bottom of the pot.

Top with everything else but the parsley and bring to a boil.

As it comes to a boil, skim off any froth at the top and discard. Turn the heat down to a simmer (low) and cook with the lid on, but slightly ajar. It will take about 1hr and 45 minutes to cook through. Add more water if needs be.

Note! Do not break the Wiri Wiri peppers (if you have them) or they will release the raw heat. Remember you can remove the seeds off the Scotch Bonnet to control some of it’s heat. Or leave both out if heat is not your thing. Add a pinch of curry powder for a lovely addition of flavor.

Top with the chopped parsley and enjoy. At the end you can personalize this by adjusting the salt and the consistency of the gravy. Remember it will thicken as it cools. All of this is explained in the video below.

Yet another comforting dish for me on those cold winter days when I miss the tropical sun of the Caribbean. If pork is not your thing, you can easily use smoked turkey as a replacement. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Channa (chickpeas) & Aloo (potato) With Chicken.

May 27, 2025October 23, 2022Leave a Comment

Here’s one of my favorite dishes to make when I have leftover Stewed Chicken and plan to make hot Sada Roti. While it does take a little work to remove the sort of skin off the Channa (Chickpeas), I highly suggest you do as the end result is simply delicious.

You’ll Need…

2 cans chickpeas (540 ml each)
1 medium onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
left over stewed chicken

1 tablespoon Caribbean Green seasoning
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon roasted cumin (ground geera)
1/2 cup water (for curry slurry)
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

4 medium potatoes (cut into 1/4)
4-6 cups water
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
3 chili peppers (optional)
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Note! Be mindful to read the label of the curry powder and chick peas you use, to make sure they are gluten free. If rocking this dish for a gluten free diet. Also note that you should wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water when working with spicy peppers, like the Scotch Bonnet.

Drain and rinse the chick peas from the can (watch the video below for my tip). Then place them into a bowl covered with water and using your hands/finger, give them a rub to remove the outer skin (see the video below). Yes, you don’t have to do this step. However in my humble opinion.. it’s well worth the effort.

Place the curry powder in a small bowl, add Geera (cumin), the Caribbean Green Seasoning, garlic, onion, black pepper and 1/2 cup water. Stir to create a thick slurry.

With your large pot on a med/high flame, add the oil of your choice (I use olive oil when cooking) and then pour the curry slurry into the pot. Stir well. Add a tablespoon of water in the same bowl where you had the slurry.. to rinse off any remaining curry and pour it into the pot as well.

Turn the heat down to low and let it cook for 4-5 minutes. This will help bloom the spices which makes up a good curry powder. After-which, turn up the heat to burn off all that liquid in the pot. The goal is to see the oil we started with at the bottom of the pot. This step will help to develop that rich curry flavor. It may take 3-5 minutes.

Add the Scotch Bonnet pepper, stir.. then add the chick peas (channa) to the pot and stir well to coat the peas with the curry base and use the remaining liquid from the rinsed chickpeas to deglaze the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes as well.

With the heat still on high, add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down to a rolling boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potato pieces are tender and start falling apart. Toss in the Chili peppers (whole) should you decide you want to use them. And here’s where you can add the salt to the pot.

Here’s where you can adjust the salt to your liking and keep this dish fully vegan. However we’re not! We’re adding the leftover stewed chicken to the pot at this point.

Heat through for about 4-5 minutes and you’re basically done. Couple things to keep in mind. Add more water when cooking if you find that it’s too thick. Should it be too runny at the end (knowing it will thicken as it cools), use your spoon to press down and crush some pieces of the potato and the chicken peas. Adjust the salt to your liking.

Top with Chadon Beni or cliantro and BOOM.. You’re Done!

The combination of the spicy curry with the deep flavors of the stewed chicken, added to the pillowy / silky texture of the chickpeas and potato – this dish just scream #comfortfood Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Curry Duck With Pigeon Peas.

May 27, 2025August 20, 2022Leave a Comment

While I’ve shared several Curry Duck Recipes with you over the years, only after receiving a request via Instagram for Curry Duck With Pigeon Peas, did I realize that had not already shared this classic Caribbean curry recipe. And while using freshly harvested Pigeon Peas would make for an even better tasting dish, the frozen version still gives you an EXCELLENT result.

You’ll Need…

6-7 lbs duck (prepared)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
1 tablespoon ground masala
2-3 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tomato (diced)
2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced)
1 medium Onion (sliced)
8 cloves Garlic (smashed)
Cumin (geera) seeds
2 1/2 – 3 tablespoon Curry Powder
5-8 dried curry leaves
1 tablespoon dehydrated Chadon beni (optional)
1 tablespoon Anchar Masala
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
5-8 Wiri Wiri peppers (optional)
2 3/4 cups water (divided- adjust)
2-3 cups frozen pigeon peas + water to boil

Important! This version is very spicy, but you can adjust the amount of Scotch Bonnet and Wiri Wiri you use, to your own preference.

Pre boil the pigeon peas in water for 30 mins, drain and repeat for another 30 minutes. This step will help to tenderize the peas, but more importantly, it will remove that sort of bitter taste you can get if you don’t do this step. Drain and set aside after.

Season the clean duck (remove skin and fat, wash with lemon juice and cool water – drain). Yea, I removed most of the skin as the additional fat in really not good for us. Tip… get your butcher to cut the duck for you, using his band-saw. Duck bones are very brittle and will shatter with a conventional chefs knife or cleaver. Watch the video below for more tips, including why you flame the duck’s skin during the butchering process.

In a large bowl with the clean (cut) duck, add the salt, black pepper, 2 tablespoon of the Caribbean Green seasoning, ground Masala, Scotch Bonnet (use as much as you can handle, I like my curry duck SPICY) and tomato. Mix well and try your BEST to allow it to marinate in the fridge overnight.. or at least 2 hours. The tomato’s acidity will help to balance off overall flavor of the curry, plus help us with a thicker gravy at the end.

In a large pot (iron works best) heat the oil (of your choice) on a medium flame, add the onion and garlic, turn the heat down to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the cumin seeds and stir well. We’re trying our best to not burn anything. A minute later add the remaining tablespoon of Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir.

One minute later add the curry powder of your choice (I used my blend) and cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Watch the video below for more tips.

Now turn the heat up to high, stir and add 3/4 cup of water. This step cooks off the rawness of the curry, giving you a much more rounded finished curry at the end. As it comes to a boil, reduce to medium (heat) and add the curry leaves and chadon beni.

The goal is to cook this until the water burns off and you start seeing the oil we stared with, add the Anchar Masala and stir well.

You’re looking for a thick slurry (see my tip in the video)! With the heat still on high, add the seasoned duck to the pot and stir well to coat the duck with this lovely curry base.

Put the lid on and bring to a boil. It will take a couple minutes.. reduce to a medium/low heat and cook. After ten minutes (stir a few times) crank up the heat to high and burn off all that liquid.

Once you can see the oil on the bottom of the pot we started with (and all the liquid is gone), add the pre-cooked pigeon peas and stir well. Now add 2 cups of water and bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer to cook the duck until it’s tender. Lid on , slightly ajar.

Do stir ever so often and pay attention to the liquid (add more water if you find it’s too dry).

1 hour later and the duck (depending on the age of it when it was butchered) should be tender. Now it’s time to personalize things, taste and adjust the salt, cook the gravy to the consistency you like (keep in mind it will thicken as it cools) and make sure the tenderness is to your liking. I like fall-off-the bone, some people do like a little chew.

Turn off the stove, top with the cilantro and wiri wiri peppers and ENJOY!

Served with hot steamed rice or with off the tawa Buss-Up-Shut Roti! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Chicken Tenders.

May 27, 2025June 23, 2022Leave a Comment

This recipe is based loosely on the way mom would make fried chicken for us as children. It’s a recipe I did quite often when my daughters were growing up (to prevent them asking for McDonalds) and something I still do when I get Chicken Tenders on sale at the market.

You’ll Need…

salted crackers (about 1/2 a pack)
2 lbs chicken tenders
vegetable oil (3 cups)
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
3 eggs (whisked)
1 cup all-purpose flour

Feel free to season the whisked eggs with a bit of salt and black pepper if you wish. I use vegetable oil for frying, but you can use whichever oil you like frying with. If you wanted to give these a go in your air fryer, spray them with a bit of cooking spray (oil) first.

Season the chicken tenders with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper. Mix well to coat all the pieces of chicken. No need to marinate for long… maybe just the time you need to prep everything else.

You may use bread crumbs you can purchase at your bakery or grocery store, but I’m doing as our mom would do when we were growing up on the islands.

Place the salted crackers in a large zipper bag (or tea towel) and smash to crumbs with a rolling pin. The beauty of doing it this way is that you won’t have uniform crumbs, but some pieces will be bigger than others, thus giving the finished chicken tenders a uniqueness.

Now prep your breading station. The seasoned chicken, eggs (whisked) in a bowl, flour and the crumbs we made from the crackers.

Grab the tenders, dust it in the flour, then into the whisked eggs (shake off the excess egg), then roll/pat it in the crumbs. Repeat until you’re all done. I set each coated piece of chicken tender on a cookie sheet as I worked my way through them all.

Heat your veg oil on a med high heat in a wide pan, then add the breaded pieces of chicken.. don’t crowd the pan.

Fry, flip and fry again, for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain on a wire rack (on a cookie sheet to catch the excess oil). I explain why I don’t use paper towels in the video below.

As you take them out of the hot oil, you may sprinkle on some sea salt if you wish. I didn’t as I’m trying to cut back on the salt in my diet.

Serve warm! I did a Scotch Bonnet Honey Mustard Sauce to dunk these into. WARNING this sauce is SPICY and not rated for children use… unless they’re my daughters! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Loaded Caribbean Corned Beef.

May 28, 2025June 12, 20221 Comment

This version of “fry” Corned-beef aka Bully Beef is inspired by after-school visits to my Jamaican friend’s home and the way his grandma (RIP granny) would make it. Her version was a bit more runny/saucy as I believe she would add a 1/4 cup or so of water.. I talk about this in the video below.

You’ll Need…

1 can corned beef
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 medium tomato (sliced)
1 small habanero pepper (sliced)
1 small carrot (thin strips)
1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 orange bell pepper (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic (smashed)

I used a whole Habanero pepper, including the seeds. Use as much as you can handle, or any spicy pepper you like. Remove the seeds and white membrane of the pepper to control the heat level slightly. Finally, as we’ve discussed in the past, wear gloves and wash you hands with soap and water immediately after handling such spicy peppers.

Prep the vegetables in advance as this is supposed to be a quick side dish to top steaming hot rice, on sandwiches or even toss your fav cooked pasta into the mix. Growing up, we would enjoy the version mom would make, with hot Sada Roti or as mentioned previously, on top of hot long grain rice.

Place the opened tin of corned beef in a dry non-stick pan… I explain why I don’t start with oil in the pan, as well as why I don’t add any salt, in the video below.

On a low heat, break up the corned beef into pieces.. it will be easier as it heats up.

Add the black pepper, carrot, bell peppers, habanero pepper, onion, frozen corn and tomato.

Stir well to make sure everything is mixed together nicely. Cook on a medium heat and at this point add the ketchup and garlic.

After about 6 minutes with the lid on.. BOOM! You’re Done. Toss in the scallions to finish!

Bully beef (also known as corned beef in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and other Commonwealth countries as well as the United States) is a variety of meat made from finely minced corned beef in a small amount of gelatin. The name “bully beef” likely comes from the French bouilli (meaning “boiled”) in Napoleonic times, or possibly from the head of a bull depicted on the popular Hereford brand of canned corned beef. The cans have a distinctive oblong shape. Bully beef and hardtack biscuits were the main field rations of the British Army from the Boer War to World War II.

Please serve hot! Add chopped cabbage to leftover and refry for yet another excellent side dish. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Spicy Geera (cumin) Chicken Liver.

May 27, 2025June 11, 2022Leave a Comment

While I do enjoy Chicken Liver, this appreciation only started in my adult years. While mom had a lovely repertoire of recipes using Chicken livers, nope.. my siblings and I never appreciated any! Well, until today! While this recipe is traditionally done spicy, you can certainly tailor it to your own heat appreciation.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs chicken liver (washed cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 lime or lemon (to wash the liver)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoon cilantro stems (chopped)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
2 chili peppers (sliced)
1 teaspoon anchar masala
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera)
1 1/2 tablespoon dry roasted geera powder (cumin – divided)
5 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic (optional)

Wash the trimmed chicken liver with the lime or lemon juice and rinse with cool water. Drain and season.

In a large bowl place the washed chicken liver, the stalks of the cilantro (watch the video below), 1 tablespoon cumin powder aka Geera (dry roasted ground), Anchar Masala (check your local Caribbean market), black pepper and salt. Give it a good mix and allow it to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

I used a non stick pan to help cut back on the amount of oil (use any oil you like using) used, though we still need 2 tablespoon to start. Toast the cumin seeds (oil is on a low/medium flame), then add the remaining cumin powder and stir well.

After 2-3 minutes, add the onion, scallions, Scotch Bonnet pepper , thyme, chili pepper (watch the video below to hear me explain why I cut the peppers as I did), in goes the parsley and cook for 4 minutes. At this point is where you’d add garlic if you were including it in the dish. Smashed!

Now add the seasoned liver to the pan, turn the heat to medium/high and stir well to coat the pieces of liver with that glorious Geera (cumin) base we made.

Cook for about 7 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt to your liking and you’re basically done at this point. As you turn off the stove, toss in the leaves of the cilantro (chopped) and enjoy! Traditionally Chadon Beni (culantro) would be used instead of the Cilantro

Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers!

Yes, Geera is just another word for Cumin, I apologize for any confusion caused. This is a great side dish or as a snack (say cutters) to adult beverages, especially COLD beer! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Black-eyed Peas Cook-up Rice.

May 27, 2025June 7, 20224 Comments

Like Pelau, cook-up rice is another iconic comforting one-pot dish to come out of the Caribbean. And YES, as you move up and down the chain of islands, you’ll find variations of this dish. Our mom would do this dish with salted beef or pig’s tail, but you can do I as did and add a combination of your fav meats. I used canned coconut milk (convenience), however if you have access to freshly made coconut milk.. you’ll want to use that!

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken (cut into serving size pieces)
2 lbs salted pigtail (2 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 medium onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 carrot (cut into rings)
2 cups diced pumpkin
3 scallions (chopped)
5 sprigs thyme | 1 Can Black Eyed Peas
1/2 teaspoon smoked pimenton (smoked paprika)
1-2 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate
2 cups coconut milk
2+1 cups water + 1 chicken stock cube (adjust if necessary)
2 1/2 cups long grain brown par-boiled rice
3-5 pimento peppers (sliced)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
8-12 taro (dasheen) leaves

Pre-boil the salted pig tails to make them a bit more tender and to remove most of the salt. (cover with water, bring to a boil. cook for 35 minutes, drain, rinse and cool)

Place the chicken (I used dark meat – leg and thigh) and the pig’s tail in a large bowl, then add the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set it aside.

Get your big soup pot out as this will yield a lot of food (the remains can be frozen and reheated easily).. I went with a heavy iron pot. On a medium flame, add the olive oil (feel free to use coconut oil if you prefer), then onion, scallion, fresh thyme, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers. Use as much of that scotch bonnet as you can handle.

Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Now add the tomato paste (non traditional) and smoked paprika and stir well (I explain why in the video below).

Heat up to medium now, then go in with the seasoned meats… the marinade too! Mix well to coat the pieces of meat with everything.

Five minutes later add the black eye peas (from a can, so I rinsed it first), pumpkin and carrot. Stir well. Then add the coconut milk and 2 cups water + chicken stock cube. Bring to a boil.

Allow it to cook on a rolling boil (reduce the heat) for about 15 minutes.

As this happens, prepare the taro leaves (use spinach if you cannot source dasheen (taro) leaves). Watch the video below to see how this is done.

Add the chopped dasheen leaves to the pot and give it a good mix. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the pimento peppers now, if you can source it and grate in the ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, then it’s time to add the rice.

Wash the rice, then into the pot. Turn the heat up, add the additional cup of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Adjust the water later if needed (add more).

Watch the video for my tip on getting this dish more creamy and additional ingredients you can add for a more spectacular cook-up rice.

25 minutes after adding the rice and you can now personalize things. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking, continue cooking if you want it more soft or turn off the stove as I did as I knew that the residual heat of this iron pot would finish off things for me.

I closed the pot, and allowed it to sit for 15 minutes before I went in for a feast!

Serve warm with sliced tomato, cucumber and a THICK slice of zabouca (avocado) and one must NOT forget the peppersauce. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Incredible Rib Pelau.

May 27, 2025March 22, 2022Leave a Comment

While I do make Stewed Ribs when baby-back goes on sale and have shared that recipe with you, this will be the first time I’m making/sharing a Pelau recipe with ribs as the cornerstone of the recipe. We’ve done Chicken Pelau, Vegan Pelau, Oxtail Pelau, Salted Pigtail Pelau, Beef Pelau, Curry Stewed Chicken Pelau, Curry Chicken Pelau and most recently, I did and amazing Seafood Pelau that blew people’s mind! However, this version using pork ribs (use beef if you wish) is truly one of my faves.. #ComfortFood

You’ll Need…

5 lbs pork ribs
1 lemon (juice)
1 tablespoon pepper sauce
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1-2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 large carrot (cubed)
2-3 pimento peppers (sliced)
1 can red kidney beans (small)
2+1 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 cups coconut milk
3 cups long grain par-boiled rice (washed)
1/2 lb spinach (washed)

Note! This Incredible Pork Rib Pelau recipe is inspired by my friend Chef Barry Bartholomew IG @cheffinbar.

Cut the ribs individually (you may remove the sliver skin on the underside first if you wish), then wash with cool water and the juice of the lemon and drain dry. Now it’s time to season the ribs and have them marinate for at least 2 hours.

Add the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, Angostura bitters and peppersauce (hot sauce). You may use fresh Scotch Bonnet or your fav pepper if you wish… I was out of them. Stir well and marinate.

Watch the video below to follow along with this step (as well as how to cut the rack of ribs into individual ribs) as it can be a bit tricky. NO, the sugar we’re about to use will NOT make this dish sweet.

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot. Add the brown sugar and using a dry spoon, stir the sugar. It will melt, go frothy, then amber. As soon as it goes DEEP amber in color (be gentle here) add the seasoned ribs to the pot. Should the sugar go black, STOP! Allow the pot to cool completely (move from the hot burner) and wash, dry and start over. Or you will have a bitter tasting dish.

This step is called “stewing/browning” and it’s one of the most important steps in preparing Pelau. BTW Pelau is basically a one pot dish, with a protein, pigeon peas (not today), coconut milk, herbs etc and rice. Made mostly in the Southern Caribbean and differs from island to island in the ingredients used. As you add the seasoned ribs to the pot, stir to have them coated in the ‘browning’.

Put the lid on the pot, turn the heat down to med/low and let it go for about 15 minutes. Try to stir every 4-5 mins. Yes it will sprout it’s own natural juices.

After the 15 minutes, remove the lid and crank up the heat to high. The goal here is to develop a rich flavor and deep color. Be mindful to stir and keep an eye on things so it doesn’t burn.

When you can see the oil we started with (some fat will render from the pork ribs too) at the bottom of the pot, it’s time to add the red beans (I used a small variety of red beans out of a can, which I washed – traditionally pigeon peas is use in making Pelau), carrot, Pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers), vegetable stock, coconut milk and water. I added 2 cups of water here and later on I added the 3rd cup (more on that in the video below).

Bring this up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, lid on slightly ajar and allow it to cook for about 30 minutes or until the ribs starts getting tender.

Its then time to wash your rice (watch the video below where I comment about this) and add it to the pot. Bring back to a boil (you may need to raise the temp a bit), then reduce to a simmer.

After about 10 minutes I added the spinach and stirred it in. It was here I noticed I needed more liquid, so I added the 3rd cup of water. No spinach is not traditional to this dish, but as I mentioned in the video. It’s a great way to sneak vegetables etc into a dish for children and picky eaters.

The spinach will wit down so don’t stress about seeing it pile on. There are 2 things to pay attention to when it comes to Pelau. The color and the texture. Both are personalization based on the individual. Some like it a bit darker and this is achieved by the “browning or stewing” step at the start. The other key thing people focus on, is the texture. You’re Team Wet Pelau (meaning a bit soggy) or Team Dry Pelau, meaning there’s a look of steamed (grainy) rice at the end. I’ve recently converted to Team Wet Pealu, so I used a bit more than usual liquid, plus I stirred the rice quite a bit. By stirring, the rice grains rub on each other and release starch, giving the finished dish a more creamy (wet) texture.

After another 10 minutes or so, you’ll be done. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. I like to turn the stove off, place the lid on and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a side of watercress, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, coleslaw and/or a thick slice of Avocado (say zabouca). In my case I like mine with a side of Roasted Tomato Choka and/or Roasted Pepper Choka.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Stew Chicken (brown stew) With Potato.

May 27, 2025February 18, 20221 Comment

Brown Stew! Nah.. that’s another recipe altogether, but for some it may be how they would recognize or identify this dish. Stew Chicken (don’t say stewed) is as classic a recipe gets, when it comes to Caribbean culinary culture. Loaded with deep flavors of herbs, ginger and caramelized sugar, braised until the chicken is falling apart and a dish you’d readily prepare when hosting guests.

For those weekdays when mom didn’t have enough chicken to make a complete dish, she would toss in potatoes to stretch it for our family of six.

You’ll Need…

4 lbs boneless chicken thighs (bone in works excellent also)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper (* optional | sliced thin)
1 med tomato (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
5 medium potatoes (1/4)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
3-4 cups water
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

Important! If making this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the Worcestershire Sauce, which can be left out if it’s an issue.

Season the chicken (2-3 inch size pieces) with the salt, Worcestershire Sauce, tomato, onion, ginger, Caribbean green seasoning, black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper. Add as much scotch bonnet as you can handle or use a spicy pepper you like or can source. Yes, Habanero works great too. As always, wash your hands with soap and water after handling spicy peppers.

Allow the chicken to marinate for 1-2 hours or overnight if you have the time.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot or a medium high flame, then add the brown sugar. This is the most critical part of the recipe, so may I recommend that you watch the video below to follow along. The sugar will melt, go frothy, then amber and onto a deep amber. At this point you will add the seasoned chicken to the pot (being careful) and stir well. The goal is to coat the chicken with the caramelized sugar. No the dish will NOT be sweet.

Should the sugar go beyond dark amber = BLACK! STOP.. cool the pot down completely, wash, dry and repeat, black or burnt sugar will give the dish a bitter taste. While the sugar was melting and going to the desired color, I constantly stirred the pot (DRY Spoon).

With the heat still on high, bring to a boil (lid on). Yes, it will produce it’s on natural juices.

After 3-5 minutes you can now remove the lid and try to burn off that liquid. That will intensify the color and flavor. It will take about 3-5 minutes.

In the same bowl you marinated the chicken, swish around 3 cups of water to pick up any remaining marinade.

With the chicken now browned and there’s no liquid, add the potato to the pot and stir well.

Then add the water (from the bowl) to the pot and bring up to a boil. If you find that the potatoes are not covered, add the 4th cup of water.

On a high heat it will come to a boil in about 3 minutes. Turn the heat down to a rolling boil, place the lid on slightly ajar and let it go until the chicken is fully cooked and the potato falling apart.

I purposely put the potato in large pieces as I wanted to maintain it’s shape, even when cooked. BUT.. near the end I was a bit vigorous when I stirred the pot to gently bruise them so it would release it’s starch and thicken the gravy.

Time for you to determine if the gravy is thick enough for your liking and do taste and adjust the salt level. Be mindful that as the dish cools, it will naturally thicken too.

Toss in the parsley and get ready to enjoy an incredible meal. Well, you’ll need some steamed rice, roti or even as a topping for pasta tossed in butter. Yea, mac and cheese would be elevated with this as a side.

Back to mom and not having enough chicken. It wasn’t that we didn’t have enough, but a matter of her planning her weekly menu. On the weekend we’d butcher two large chickens. The first would be for the large Sunday lunch (biggest meal of the week in Trinidad and Tobago) and the other bird would be divided in half. Those two halves of chicken would make it’s way into two different meals.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry Seafood

Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub.

May 27, 2025February 15, 20222 Comments

Here’s my take on a classic Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub! A recipe I’ve tailored to my own taste, as you won’t see any Paprika (as in many recipes online) and to be honest with you, dried thyme is NOT my fav. However it’s a key ingredient in any Jamaican jerk rub or marinade you’ll ever come across, so I included it.

You’ll Need…

3 tablespoon Pimento Berries (allspice)
4 tablespoon Cane Sugar
3 tablespoon black pepper
3 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoon dehydrated onion flakes
3 tablespoon dehydrated garlic
3 tablespoon ground ginger
4 tablespoon dehydrated scallions (or chives)
1 1/2 tablespoon scotch bonnet pepper flakes
6-10 bay leaves
3 tablespoon dry rubbed thyme

Note! To add a smoky undertone (if you won’t be using a smoker or grilling over charcoal), the smoked Paprika I mentioned that I didn’t use above, will work. NO, regular pepper flakes will NOT give you the same effect as the Scotch Bonnet pepper flakes. But if that’s all you can source, so be it.

I find that by crushing the Pimento (allspice) berries, it gives the finished rub a much deeper flavor. However, the ground stuff will work, if you don’t want the work or you don’t have a heavy mortar and pestle.

The addition of the Bay Leaf compliments the Pimento Berries as the have the same flavor profile, so I’d recommend using them. Those I crushed also. A spice grinder will also work.

To be honest, that’s the only real work involved in putting this wicked Jamaican Jerk Rub together. Basically all you have to do now is place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine.

Use fresh or store in a airtight glass jar. I prefer a glass jar as the flavors of the rub is very strong and can leave a scent-stain on plastic containers. Store in a cool, dry/dark place in the airtight jar and it will last you a few months easily. Give it a good shake before using next.

Do keep in mind that I didn’t use any salt in this rub as I much prefer to control that, depending on what I’ll be using the rub on. Speaking about use, it can be used on vegetables, fish, shrimp, pork, chicken (poultry) and lamb.

My fave is smoked/grilled dry rub chicken. Trim the excess skin and fat off chicken pieces, dust generously with the Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub, allow it to marinate for a couple hours (or go directly onto your grill), then grill as you’d normally do.

Circling back on my comment above about dried thyme… while I’m no fan of it, fresh thyme out of my garden is my JAM! I can use that herb on everything I cook.

Do keep in mind that this will be SPICY and if you use your hands to rub onto whatever you’re grilling, wash with soap and water immediately after.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Grandma’s Split Peas And Dumpling Soup.

May 27, 2025February 8, 20222 Comments

This is as classic a Caribbean soup can get, as it’s loosely based on a thick dhal (yellow split peas) and dumpling soup my grandmother would make on a Saturday (have you heard of Soup Saturday?). Truly simplicity at it’s best! My grandmother would usually flavor hers with bits of Salted Cod, but we’ll be using salted Pig tail in this version.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil (any oil you like using)
1 large onion (diced)
5 cloves of garlic (smashed)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
3-4 lbs salted pig tail (prepped)
1 1/2 cups yellow split peas (washed)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups coconut milk
5-8 cups water
5 medium potatoes (1/4)
1 large carrot (cut into 1/4 inch coins)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon brown sugar
pinch of salt (for dumplings)
3/4-1 cup water for the dumplings
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)

You can replace the salted pig’s tail with salted Cod fish. Smoked bones or turkey will work just as great. Or feel free to rock it without any of those and keep it vegetarian.

Start by prepping the salted pig’s tail. Cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (you can ask your butcher to do this). Give it a good rinse with cool water, then into a deep pot with water (cover). Bring to a boil and simmer for 40-50 minutes. This will make it tender and remove most of the salt it was cured in. Drain and set aside for now. or Feel free to boil for 30 minutes, drain, add new water, bring back to a boil and cook another 30 minutes if you want.

Put your huge soup pot on medium flame, add the oil followed by the onion, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper (use and pepper you may have on hand and in the amount you can handle). Turn the heat down to low and let it gently cook for 3 minutes.

Add the pre-cooked salted pigtails, black pepper and Caribbean Green Seasoning, followed by the washed split peas. Stir well.

Now add the coconut milk and 4 cups of water. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Then reduce it to a gentle boil and cook until the peas are fully cooked and falling apart. About 1 hr and 15 minutes.

Turn the heat to medium, then add the potato and carrots. Bring back to a boil (add more water if it’s too thick). I added 2 more cups of water at this point as when you add the flour dumplings it will further thicken.

As it comes back up to a boil, lets make the dumplings. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt, then add half of the water and make a soft dough. Add more water if needed and if it’s too wet, add a bit more flour. Knead for 3-5 mins, then set aside to rest for 5 minutes. I did place a damp paper towel over it to prevent the dough from forming a skin.

On a flour dusted surface, roll out the dough ball as if you were making a pizza or Sada Roti. I like my dumplings (following how grandma would do it) thin and flat. After the dough is about 1/8 of an inch, use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut into 1 inch squares.

Twenty minutes after adding the potato and carrot, add these completed dumplings to the pot, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together. It will only take about 5 minutes to cook.

Some housekeeping. Pay attention to the thickness of the soup and add more water accordingly, as it will thicken considerably as it cools. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking… I didn’t add any salt to this pot as the remaining salt in the salted pig tail was enough. The scotch bonnet pepper we used can be spicy so be mindful of that and if you don’t have scotch bonnet or prefer something like a Habanero or Jalapeno.. rock that! Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers.

Toss in the parsley and enjoy

An incredible soup with some basic ingredients. While this is very TASTY, for some reason it could never taste as good as my grandmother’s. Side Note… there were times she would add eddoes and yam to the soup.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Incredible Curry Chicken Breast.

May 27, 2025January 3, 20224 Comments

Dry, Bland and “Like Rubber“! A few words the average Caribbean person will use to describe curry (curried) chicken breast (white meat). And while there’s some truth to this, I’m here today to change that forever.. with a few simple steps.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs chicken breast (no skin nor bones)
1 teaspoon salt (adjust)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 medium onion (diced)
6 cloves garlic (smashed)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 – 2 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground roasted cumin (geera)
1 teaspoon Anchar Masala
3 cups water
2 medium tomatoes (diced)
2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may have flour as a filler. I find using a heavy pan (like cast iron) gives you better results. I also like cooking this dish outdoors (the strong scent indoors can last a long time).

Heat the oil on a medium flame. Then add the onion and garlic, turn the heat down to low and cook for 3 minutes. Then add the Caribbean green seasoning and stir well. Typically you’d season the chicken with the Caribbean Green seasoning, but we’re doing things differently. After 3 minutes after adding the Green Seasoning, add the curry powder and stir well.

The curry will go darker as we cook it (heat still on low). After 4 minutes add the diced tomato, this will help give you a thick gravy at the end, PLUS the acidity will help balance the overall flavor of the curry. Stir well, then add the water.

Turn the heat to medium to bring it to a boil. As you start seeing little bullbles, add the black pepper, salt, anchar masala and geera.

Turn the heat down to med/low and simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Toss in the peppers (whole). Feel free to make it spicy by using a more SPICY pepper.

The liquid will reduce by about a third, add the pieces of chicken breast (2 inch pieces) and stir well to coat with the curry sauce.

Cook for 7-10 minutes as we don’t want to make the chicken dry. Turn off the heat, toss in the cilantro to finish things off. Or if you have fresh Shado Beni (culantro), use that instead of the cilantro.

Remember to taste for salt and adjust to your liking. Note! If you break the peppers it will make the dish spicy.

Now you know! Dry and bland curry chicken breast are a thing of the past. The trick is to create a delicious curry gravy and to add the chicken breast near the end, so you never over-cook it. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/