Seafood Archives - Page 10 of 21

The Ultimate Masala Shrimp (curry shrimp).

October 30, 2020September 3, 20205 Comments

The biggest PUNCH of flavor you can do to any dish, is to rock it Masala style! We’ve done fiery geera shrimp, curry shrimp with potato and curry shrimp in the past, however this version is my ultimate favorite. Quick seasoning, develop that rich masala base and quickly cook the shrimp in the deliciousness.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs medium shrimp (cleaned)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
1 medium onion (diced)
2 medium tomatoes (chopped fine)
2 scallions (chopped)
6-8 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
3/4 tablespoon cumin seeds (geera)
1 tablespoon Anchar masala
4-6 wiri wiri peppers
2 tablespoon chopped Shado beni (culantro)

Important! 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.. Especially the curry powder you use. The Anchar masala can be found at your local West Indian market or feel free to use roasted cumin powder if you cannot source it. The Wiri Wiri peppers came from my garden via my freezer. Use as much of any spicy pepper you like or can source.

Season cleaned shrimp (shell removed, deveined and washed with the juice of a lemon or lime and cool water – drained) with black pepper, salt, Caribbean green seasoning and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir well.

I enjoy cooking curry type dishes outdoors, so I employed the use of my propane stove in the back yard. However, on a wood fire you’ll get exceptional flavors (or you can certainly cook on your stove-top indoors). In a heavy pan on a medium heat, add the remaining oil, then the onion and garlic and set you heat on low for 1-2 minutes. Then add the geera seeds (cumin) and stir well (heat still on low), followed by your fav curry powder. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the water and bring to a boil on a high flame.

Add the finely diced tomato and scallion. Two minutes later add the Anchar Masala and stir it well. Now and add the Wiri Wiri peppers (whole). And allow this masala gravy to cook down.

After all the liquid is burned off and you start seeing the oil we started with as you stir (it will be thick), it’s then time to add the seasoned shrimp to the pot and stir well to coat.

Remember that you are to avoid breaking the peppers or you will release the beast (heat).

On the high heat the shrimp will fully cook in 3-4 minutes. Top with the chopped Shado beni aka culantro (or use chopped cilantro if you cannot get Shadon Beni) and enjoy.

An incredible way to prepare and cook shrimp packed with bold flavors. Break a couple of the peppers and make this spicy. Sanctification on a different level for pepper heads.

How To Grill Monkfish Right.

September 3, 2020August 6, 20202 Comments

After having my first ever Monkfish experience at La Paradeta Sants in Barcelona last year, not only did I fall in love with Monkfish, I knew I’d be rocking my own recipe. While not a pretty fish, once the skin and bones are removed, the flesh is quite beautiful and a sponge for flavors. Here’s my “Caribbean” version to what we enjoyed in Spain.

You’ll Need…

1 lb Monkfish (fillet – no bones, nor skin)
2 scallions (chopped finely)
2 cloves garlic (crushed or minced)
1 lemon (juice)
3 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 bird’s eye pepper (chopped)
6 grape or cherry tomato (diced)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper

Important. If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go though the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Note: You’ll see me use a grill pan on my propane grill to prepare this dish. The main reasons are 1. To show you that you can do this on a stove top in a cast iron pan and 2. To keep it away from the direct heat/flame off the grill while still being above the heat source (though we need a hot surface) so we don’t overly char the fish.

The main sort of component to this dish other than the actual grilling, is to prepare the marinade/dressing. Add all the above mentioned ingredients (not the fish), into a bowl and whisk together. Then drizzle 2/3 of it on the fish (make sure the Monkfish is clean.. feel free to wash with cool water and the juice of a lemon as it’s traditionally done in the Caribbean) and allow it to marinate for 4-5 minutes (basically while your grill comes to temperature). Reserve the final 1/3 of the marinade to use as a dressing over the finished grill fish.

Crank up the heat on your grill to 400-450 F, brush or spray the grill with some oil (so the fish doesn’t stick) then gently place the seasoned fish onto the hot surface. Using the heavy cast iron skillet on my grill gave me better control of the heat. You can also do this in your indoor oven or stove top.

Close the lid on the grill and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Then flip over, and pour the marinade that it was marinating in directly on top. Place the lid back on.

Flip one more time if necessary. You’ll need between 6-10 minutes in total depending on the thickness of the Monkfish you used. What I forgot to mention above (but I did explain in the video below) is that I did ‘butterfly’ the thick parts of the fish so I had an even thickness overall. Thus being able to cook evenly.

Try your best to NOT overcook the fish or it WILL go tough on you. As soon as it comes off the grill, it’s time to drizzle on the reserved marinade.

I can guarantee you, that this will be one of the best (and easy) grilled fish recipes you’ll ever enjoy. I did use the seeds of the bird’s eye pepper, but you can discard those if you don’t want the raw heat of it. Scotch Bonnet or Habanero (small amounts) is a good substitute for the Bird’s Eye or.. leave it out or use basic pepper flakes if that’s all you have.

Ultimate Grilled Lobster #JulyMonthOfGrilling

July 19, 2020July 6, 2020Leave a Comment

It’s that time of the year! We’re now into the 10th edition of the annual July Month Of Grilling and we’re starting off with a BANG! (a recipe which is heavily requested on Instagram) This recipe is influenced by the folks at Ducky’s Ortoire Organic Roast Seafood and the delicious offerings they sorted us out with last year. While I wish I had Caribbean lobsters, the cold water lobster is an excellent substitute to accompany the steaks grilled this night.

You’ll Need…

3 1 lb lobsters
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 scallions (chopped fine)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pimento peppers (seasoning peppers – chopped fine)
2 bird’s eye pepper (chopped fine)
3/4 lb butter
6-8 leaves Shado Beni (culantro – chopped fine)
8 cloves garlic (diced fine)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped fine)
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 shallot (diced fine)
1/2 cup coconut milk

Important: 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. Banana leaves can be found in the frozen section of your Asian, Latin or Caribbean grocery store. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.

Please use the video below as a guide when cleaning the lobsters. These were live lobsters, so using a sharp chef’s knife I made a quick (but forceful) cut down the head of the lobster, then continued down the tails to cut into two equal halves. This swift method of cutting through the head, is probably the most humane way to kill the lobsters.

Remove the rubber bands from around the claws and wash out the belly cavity with cool water. In the video you’ll see the stuff I removed. Feel free to wash the lobsters with some lemon juice.

With the ingredients prepped, it’s now time to go crank up your grill. I used my propane grill, but you can use a charcoal grill should you prefer (better flav actually). You’ll want a hot grill.

Heat a pot and add all the ingredients mentioned above (except the lobster and banana leaves). This is the key to this succulent grilled lobster.

Allow it to simmer for about 3-5 minutes after it comes to a boil, to allow flavors get an opportunity to combine. Keep warm as we grill the lobsters.

I prefer to go flesh-side down to start, over direct heat. But.. not for long. 40-50 seconds later, flip them over and hit then with the first basting of the coconut buttery goodness we created. Then cover them with the banana leaves. Should the leaves be difficult to source, simply close the lid on your grill.

4-5 minutes later (depending on how big your lobsters are) remove the leaves (discard) and baste with another round of the flavored butter. Give it another minute or 2 and you’re done.

Serve warm, with the remaining coconut garlic butter as a dip. BTW, this butter is excellent on steaks as well. The goal is to have juicy lobsters, so please don’t over-cook and be sure to be generous when applying the melted butter. BUT be mindful that you may get flare-ups.

Caribbean Compound Butter Shrimp.

June 29, 2020June 20, 20201 Comment

Hot on the heels of the Caribbean Compound Butter recipe I shared a couple days back, here’s the amazing shrimp recipe I promised. Succulent shrimp with deep flavors of butter and the Caribbean. WARNING! …your family and friends will DEMAND you make on the regular. Take the glory, Uncle Chrs doh mind.

You’ll Need…

1 lb shrimp (medium size | 36:40)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon Caribbean Compound Butter
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/2 lemon (juice)

juice of a lime or lemon to wash the shrimp

Place the cleaned/deveind and washed shrimp (I like washing them in cool water with the juice of a lime or lemon and then drain) in a bowl, followed by the salt, black pepper and smoked paprika. Stir well with the olive oil.

I used a cast iron pan as I like the even way it heats up. However, any pan will work. Medium heat, then add the shrimp to the pot. Since we coated the shrimp with the olive oil, we’re using a dry pan. Make sure you stir them and cook for about one minute. They will curl and change color.

Add the compound butter (straight from the freezer) and stir well to coat the shrimp with that herb buttery goodness. It will take on a sort of creamy consistency.

2 minutes later and the shrimp will be perfect. Turn off the stove, toss in the lemon juice and chopped parsley.

Note! I added a chopped bird’s eye pepper at the end for an additional KICK to the shrimp (optional).

Not Grandma’s Stewed Saltfish (stewed salted cod).

July 6, 2020June 14, 2020Leave a Comment

I’ve shared countless recipes featuring the use of saltfish (Salted Cod) over the years, as it’s used a flavor enhancer to MANY dishes in the Caribbean. However, stewed on it’s own.. being the STAR of the recipe is what allows us to really appreciate the humble salted codfish. From our colonized past and slavery, we’ve perfected the art of making humble food, tasty and comforting.

You’ll Need…

3/4 lb prepared salted Cod (any salted fish will work)
8 tomatoes (ripe)
1 bell pepper (cut into strips)
2 pimento peppers (optional – sliced)
1 large onion (sliced)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoon parsley chopped
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
3 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 cup olives
5 sprigs thyme
3 + 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 -2 tablespoon tomato paste

Note: 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. I used boned (bones and skin removed) salted cod as it makes for
easier work. But do go though and make sure there’s no bones left back during processing.

Roast the tomatoes over a charcoal or propane flame, or you can also roast them in your oven. Roast on direct heat for about 5-10 minutes.

Set the roasted tomatoes aside to cool down in a bowl, then remove the skins and discard along with the core/stems. Save the juices which accumulate at the bottom of the bowl. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Prep the other ingredients. (chop, dice, smash)

Prepare salted cod and set aside. (soak in water overnight or boil in water, drain and shred into chunks.. explained further in the video below) .

Heat a wide pan on medium heat, then go in with the olive oil, followed by the onion, garlic, thyme and black pepper and drop the heat to low to gently cook. Give it a toss, then add the bits of slated cod.

3 minutes later add the scotch bonnet, pimento and bell peppers. Mix well to combine everything. Take the heat back up to medium and cook for 3 minutes. Remember to NOT use any of the seeds nor white membrane surround the seeds from the Scotch Bonnet or it will be SPICY! Be sure to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.

Now add the chopped roasted tomato (and juices) and stir well. Add the capers and olives.. and bring back to a boil. Go in with the tomato paste for a bit of color, sweetness and to help create a lovely sauce. Cook with the lid on.. as it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes.

Taste for salt and adjust. I didn’t add any as the salted cod will have some salt remaining and capers can be a bit salty as well. Turn off the stove, top with the remaining olive oil and parsley.

While not a ‘traditional’ way of making Stewed Salted Cod in the Caribbean, I dedicate this version to my ancestors, who paved the way for me to make and enjoy such stunning food. Serve with boiled ground provisions (cassava, yam, dasheen, eddoes, sweet potatoes green banana), roasted or steamed breadfruit, bread, rice or rock it on flour dumplings or even pasta.

My Grandmother’s Fish Choka.

May 12, 2020May 8, 20201 Comment

Following up on the Fry Dry Herrings recipe I shared yesterday, here’s my take on my grandma’s Fish Choka. Basically any fried, oven roasted or grilled fish, flaked and made into a sort of salad (best way I can describe it). Light, tasty and very simple to put together. While the recipe isn’t exact, the technique is very true to the traditional way of making Fish Choka in Trinidad and Tobago. A ‘poor mans’ dish, usually made from fish the fishermen would practically give away (back in the old days).

You’ll Need…

1 lb fried fish (any will work)
1 medium onion (sliced thin)
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tomato (diced)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 lime (juice)
1 birds eye pepper (chopped finely)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon pepper oil (optional)

Strip fish meat off the bones into flakes, ensuring you remove all the bones and discard. If using fried herring or sardines with a batter you have the option of keeping the crispy skin or not.

With the flaked fish in a large bowl, add the black pepper, salt, juice of lime, tomato, bird’s eye pepper (optional), scallion, parsley and pepper oil. Being a bit gentle, toss everything to mix evenly. As mentioned in the video below, my grandma would typically use a clove of crushed garlic in the mix, but my pepper oil got a lot of garlic in it.

Top with the thinly sliced onion. I used a red onion, but you’re free to use any onion you have on hand or like using.. the key is to slice it very thin.

Heat the olive oil until you start seeing smoke. You my use coconut. vegetable or any oil you like using.

Pour the heated oil directly over the onions. This will slightly cook then and in the process, add a lovely onion flavor to the dish and kill some of it’s pungency.

Stir well and ENJOY

While my dad enjoys this as a topping for salted crackers, I’m a fan of Dhal and Rice served with this Fish Choka. The odd times I make sandwiches with it and when I’m not lazy I make fresh Sada Roti.

Grandma’s Traditional Fried Herrings.

May 7, 2020May 7, 2020Leave a Comment

Fry Dry! Small ocean fish marinated in a classic Caribbean marinade, then fried until crisp. Such a simple dish, but deep in tradition (our family’s recipe goes back about 150 yrs) . Just about every Caribbean household got their own version of making this dish.. today I’ll share my grandma’s take on it.

You”ll Need…

2 lbs herrings (cleaned)
1/2 lemon (juice)
1 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
I tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon pepper sauce (hot sauce)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Clean (or ask your fish monger to do it) and wash the herrings with lemon juice and cool water. Drain and season with salt, black pepper, curry powder, garlic, Caribbean Green Seasoning and peppersauce (or your fav hot suace). Mix well (be gentle as you don’t want to break-up the fish) to coat evenly and marinate for about 1 hour. Try to get some of the seasoning
into the belly cavity of the fish. For additional flavor you may grate in a small onion too!

Set up your frying station. Flour (on a plate), Seasoned fish, frying pan and a plate lined with paper towels.

Heat oil on medium heat, dust each fish in the flour (not heavy) and pan fry the fish until they are crisp. Takes between 3-4 minutes on each side. The goal is to have fried (crisp) dry fish.

Fry in batches to not crowd the pan and place on paper towels to drain off excess oil.

Quick, simple and very tasty. I recall days when my grandmother would have boiled rice, split peas dhal and this fry dry herring (sardines and smelts will work great too) . Yea, fire roasted coconut chutney would be the spicy condiment of choice back then.

Oven Roasted Yellow Tail Snapper.

April 28, 2020April 5, 20204 Comments

I’ll be honest, I grew up eating fish three ways. Fried, Stewed and in a lovely Curry Sauce (mommy’s repertoire). Never grilled, steamed, smoked (well except for the smoked herring we get in the Caribbean), oven roasted or broiled. However that quickly changed when I started traveling through the Caribbean and seeing how we do fish and seafood differently. Sadly, I wish I knew sooner (when I lived on the islands) as getting good fish here in Canada is very expensive. Understandable, but painful to see. I’m not a fan of fresh-water (lakes and rivers) fish.. only ocean fish please.

You’ll Need…

1 Snapper (about 2 lbs)
1 tablespoon salt (divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
4-5 tablespoon olive oil (divided)
2 scallions (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
8-10 Brussels Sprout (optional)
8-10 cherry tomato
8-10 olives
4 sprigs thyme
1/2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (to finish)
*juice of a lime or lemon (to wash the fish)

Important! 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.

Wash the fish, then cut slits across the thickest part of the back/belly – to help cook faster and to allow for absorption of the marinade.

Salt (1/2 of it) the fish, especially in the cuts and belly of the fish. Then in a small bowl mix the Caribbean Green Seasoning and 2 tablespoon of Olive oil and paste it all over the fish, including the belly cavity.

Then in your roasting dish (oven proof) go in with the 1 tablespoon olive oil and place the fish on it. Add the Olives, Brussels Sprouts, Scallions, Garlic (smashed) and Thyme and pour any remaining marinade over everything. The Brussels Sprouts is optional as I found some in my fridge and tossed them in there… great addition yea.

Top with black pepper and the remaining salt. Drizzle on the remaining olive oil. This will help develop some color during roasting. You may need to go in with you hands and make sure everything is coated. Try to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Now into a 400 F oven uncovered on the middle rack. 25 minutes.. then 5 minutes on broil (525 F) But be mindful it can burn easily at this high temperature.

As it comes out of the oven, drizzle with the lemon juice and top with the chopped parsley. This will brighten the finished dish a bit. I didn’t add any Caribbean Sunshine (Scotch Bonnet) nor anything spicy, but you can certainly add your fave heat source if you wish.

Today moms got a ton of fish recipes in her arsenal, including a to-die-for baked salmon. Maybe I’ll convince her to share that recipe soon. If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Tin Mackerel In A Delicious Tomato Sauce.

March 26, 2020March 18, 2020Leave a Comment

Canned or “tin food” as we refer to it in the Caribbean is something we all grew up eating in some form or the other. With years of experience, comes very unique and delicious way of using them. You’d never find someone opening a can and eating directly from it. Besides feeling we need to cook it to KILL the ‘germs’ (Caribbean belief), it’s all about adding extra flavor, but more importantly … stretching the one can for a few people. Remember canned foods were imported back in the day, so it was somewhat expensive.

You’ll Need…

2 cans mackerel (this one had oil and olives)
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 clove garlic (crushed or sliced)
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
10-15 grape tomatoes (any tomato – chopped)
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
3 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3 scallions (chopped)
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato concentrate (paste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Optional – juice of 1/2 lemon + spicy peppers

Important! If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the tin of mackerel you use. Add slices of scotch bonnet or any hot peppers you have, if you’d like for the dish to have a KICK!

Heat the olive oil on a medium/low heat in a wide pan. Then add the onion, garlic and black pepper. 1-2 minutes later, add the scallions and the leaves of the thyme. Stir well and cook for another minute.

Now add the tomato paste and stir to coat the bottom of the pan. The heat will help release the natural sugar of the tomato paste for a lovely flavor.

Followed by the grape tomato (any tomato will work). Cook for about 30 seconds, then add the mackerel directly to the pot. This one I had was packed in olive oil and had sliced olives – delicious. Typically if I get the mackerel packed in water, I drain that water and discard as to get rid of some of the brine / sodium.

Break the fish a bit (don’t over-crush) and stir well. Cook on low for 2- 3 minutes, turn the heat off and go in with the parsley and lemon juice.

In under 7 minutes you’ll have a delicious topping for rice, ground provisions, dumplings or pasta and an EXCELLENT side for hot Sada Roti or worst case scenario – sliced bread! Notice I didn’t add any salt as I find the canned stuff usually have enough added salt to it, but do taste and adjust accordingly.

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

The Ultimate Cherry Rum BBQ Sauce.

May 27, 2025February 10, 20208 Comments

This Cherry Rum BBQ Sauce is a great fusion… Canada meets the Caribbean. Freshly picked cherries from Niagara On The Lake, combined with sugarcane juice and all of her byproducts – Molasses, Rum and Demerara Sugar. Read on.. you’ll love the supporting cast of ingredients which goes into making this insanely GREAT homemade BBQ sauce.

You’ll Need…

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 scallions (chopped fine)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Demerara sugar
2-3 tablespoon molasses
1 cup sugar cane juice (with ginger)
1/4 cup honey vinegar (apple cider vinegar will work)
1 1/2 cups tomato ketchup
1 cup dark rum (1/4 cup to finish also)
2 tablespoon honey (+ 1 tablespoon)
1 cup cherries (seeds removed)
2-3 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a deep saucepan heat the olive oil on a medium flame, then add the diced onion and garlic. Immediately reduce the heat to low so we don’t burn the garlic and add the scallions along with the black pepper. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes.

It’s now time to add the cherries (I guess you can use canned cherries if you wish – I’ve never tried that) and stir well and follow up with the orange juice.

Turn the heat back up to medium high and basically all you have to do now, is add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil.

Important: If you cannot get sugar cane juice, use apple juice. If you have pure sugarcane juice, grate in about 3/4 teaspoon of ginger.

40 minutes later, turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree to the consistency you like. For me it was smooth, but thick.

To finish with that pronounced RUM flavor, hit it with a further 1/4 cup of rum and for a lovely balance, add the remaining tablespoon of honey. Allow to cool and store in sterilized containers in the fridge. Can easily last 2-3 weeks.

Did you know that our annual July Month Of Grilling is into its 11th year this year? Stay tuned… I’ve got some delicious offerings (as usual) this year for you.

If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Coconut Curry Crayfish With Cassava Dumplings.

May 15, 2020January 28, 2020Leave a Comment

This sort of dish is typically done with fresh ocean or mangrove crabs in the Caribbean. However, the few times I can get crayfish (or is it crawfish?) locally here in Hamilton, Ontario – I jump at the chance to put them to use. This recipe is based on the classic Curry Crab and Dumplings that Tobago is known for.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs crayfish
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Lemon or lime for washing
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 tomato (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (diced)
2 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 large onion (diced)
2 pimento peppers (optional)
4-6 cloves garlic (smashed)
2 tablespoon Curry powder (your fav)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoon Parsley (chopped)

Dumplings…

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup cassava flour
3/4- 1 cup water (for the dough)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Wash the crayfish with the juice of a lime or lemon and cool water. Watch the video below if you want to learn how to devein a crayfish (as we do with shrimp). Then season with the black pepper, Caribbean Green seasoning, tomato, scallion, scotch bonnet pepper and salt.

I then went ahead and made a soft dough from the ingredients listed above for the dumplings. Adjust the water if needs be, to achieve a firm but soft dough . Cover with a damp paper towel as we cook the crayfish.

FYI I cooked this dish last summer while the temperature outside allowed me to use a traditional coal pot (cooked over a live fire from wood and/or coals). Watch the video below to see what I mean, if you’re not familiar with a traditional coalpot. However you may use the same instructions here, to cook this dish indoors or on a propane bbq outdoors.

In a heavy pot, heat the oil, then add the garlic, onion and pimento peppers (aka seasoning pepper) to the pot and cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Then with the heat still on low, add your fav curry powder and cook off the rawness of the curry. It can take between 3-5 minutes. This will also allow the spices which makes up the curry blend to bloom and release their wonderful flavors. Don’t burn the curry please! Stir as it cooks on the LOW heat. As you can imagine, it was difficult to maintain the low heat on the coal-pot as there’s no knob to turn high or low (smile).

With that lovely curry aroma in the air, it’s time to crank up the heat to med-high and add the seasoned crayfish to the pot. Stir well to coat it all with that curry base.

After about 4-5 minutes, add the coconut milk and water to the pot and bring it up to a boil. During this time we can make the spinner dumplings. Basically the shape of small cigars or a fat cigarette. Pinch off some dough and roll it between your hands to form – watch the video below. Then add them to the pot. You may need to push the crayfish to the side for the dumplings to settle in.

After about 6 minutes, taste the gravy for salt and adjust to your liking. The flour will help to thicken the gravy and to the residual heat form the pot will also thicken things up – be mindful of that. Add more water or coconut milk if you wish. As you move the pot off the heat, top with the parsley (cilantro or shado beni is much better – but I had none)

A CLASSIC one pot curry seafood dish which is guaranteed to make you a superstar to anyone you serve this to. If you can, please support. And should you have questions about this recipe or anything food related, be sure to Ask Chris.

Zesty Octopus Souse (spicy pickle) Recipe.

May 28, 2025September 2, 2019Leave a Comment

While I’ve had souse (protein and vegetable pickle with a cold spicy broth) made from the less glamorous parts of the pig (ears, snout and trotters) and the odd time I’ve done it using chicken feet, this is my new favorite way to make this Classic Caribbean Pickle. Our culinary culture in the Caribbean is one where the entire animal is used.. and with very TASTY results. Supposedly this is a great ‘cure’ for hangovers!

You’ll Need…

1 – 2 Octopus tentacles
1 cucumber (sliced thin)
2 scallions (sliced thin)
1 clove garlic (smashed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)
2 limes (juice)
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon shado beni (or cilantro) chopped

Important! Wear gloves when handling such hot peppers and do wash your hands with soap and water immediately after. By keeping the seeds of the pepper it will enhance the overall heat of the dish. Discard the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds if you wish to cut back on the heat.

Note: The Octopus I used was a gift from a friend and it was already fully cooked (boiled it would seem).

Thinly slice the Octopus, pepper, cucumber (leave the skin on if you wish) and the scallions. Place in a bowl big enough so you can easily toss everything.

Basically all you have to do now is add the salt, black pepper, garlic, lime juice (a combination of 1 lime and 1 lemon works great as well), water and Shado Beni (or cilantro) and give it a good mix.

I’d recommend chilling this Octopus Souse before serving and after it’s been marinating for an hour or so, you may need to adjust the salt to your liking. It keeps in the fridge (in a sealed plastic container for at least 2-3 days). Conch, Oysters and Spiny Lobster can be used in the same manner with excellent results.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2