Due to the massive demand for Vegan, Vegetarian and Ital recipes, I launched a new series on YouTube, I call #MeatFreeMondays In doing so, I had to find a simple way to make Cauliflower tasty and stand out. Now… If you follow me on Instagram you would have already seen me bash Cauliflower as being the lamest vegetable on the planet. I have no love for this vegetable.. NONE! I’m much more of a fan of it’s cousin, Broccoli.
You’ll Need…
1 large cauliflower 1/2 – 3/4 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided)
Note – use smoked paprika instead of the curry powder should you want a different flavor profile. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Preheat the oven to 425 F
Then wash and cut the cauliflower into large pieces (I did 1/4s).
In a bowl, mix the olive oil, black pepper, 1/2 the salt, curry powder and green seasoning. Mix that well.. you now have a simple but marvelous marinade/dressing for the cauliflower pieces.
Place the cauliflower onto a baking tray and brush it with the dressing. Be generous on all sides.
Sprinkle on the remaining salt, then into the oven on the middle rack. (reminder 425 f).
35 minutes later and you’re done. However, for more of a golden/roasted color, you can keep it in for a bit longer. Remember to use the oil on the pan to brush the cauliflower after 15 minutes into roasting.
Note. Depending on how large the pieces of cauliflower you use are, it may take longer to fully cook.
This dish is as CLASSIC as it gets when it comes to the culinary culture of the Caribbean. Our ancestors would rejoice with pride at seeing that so many centuries later, it still holds a special place in our hearts when it comes to comfort food. FYI Breadfruit (Pacific Islands) as with salted cod (Eastern Canada) , was brought to the Caribbean as a means to feed our forefathers who were slaves. And as you go from island to island you’ll see how we have all mastered making excellent dishes with both since then.
Important! Remember to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling spicy peppers (like habanero). If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
This is called a Coal Pot and it’s the traditional stove used in the Caribbean by our ancestors.
Fire roast the breadfruit (watch the video below to follow along) until it’s black and charred on the outside. Please note you can roast the breadfruit on your propane bbq or indoor grill. 350-400 F for about 1 – 1 1/2 hours. On the open fire (as I did), roast for about 40-45 minutes and remember to rotate so all sides gets into contact with the flames/coals.
Allow it to cool, then using a knife, remove the charred (YES it will be BLACK and Burned – unless you used your indoor oven or grill) skin. Then remove the inner core and discard. Now slice into segments/wedges. I used a sheet of paper towel to hold onto it for easier peeling.
In a wide pan on a medium flame, add the olive oil and butter, then add the prepared salted cod and stir well. This will infuse the oil/butter with the salted cod flavor.
Add the black pepper and two minutes later add the onion, Habanero Pepper (I was out of scotch bonnet peppers), thyme and garlic. Stir well to make sure all those lovely flavors come together.
Next up, add the tomato and cook for another 3 minutes.
Lower the flame and add the roasted breadfruit pieces and mix well to soak up all the niceness in the pot. Remember to flip the pieces of the breadfruit as the side touching the bottom of the pan will start developing a crust.
4 minutes later add the scallions, give it another mix and cook for a last 3-4 minutes. I cooked it for 8 minutes (low heat) after adding the breadfruit to the pan. Now get ready to enjoy one of the most delicious and comforting meals you’ll ever have. Be kind to yourself and have some ripe avocado and Caribbean peppersauce on hand, to complete the meal.
Note that I didn’t add any salt to the dish as the remaining salt from the salted cod was enough for the entire dish for my liking. Taste and adjust accordingly.
BLISS! When two culinary worlds collide, you get what I refer to as the Ultimate Comfort Food! Curry Stew Chicken and Pelau are two of my fav dishes out of the Caribbean. Anyone close to me will tell you that I can eat either on a daily basis. Such is my love for them. Served with a side/s of Tomato Choka, Coleslaw, Salad, even just sliced Avocado (zabouca) and/or cucumber.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken 1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 tablespoon Curry Powder 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (optional) 1 med onion (diced) 1 med tomato (diced) 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 1 tablespoon oil (I used olive) 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 1/2 cups coconut milk 6-8 cups water 2 1/2 cups long grain par-boiled rice 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 2 pimento peppers aka seasoning pepper (optional) 2 tablespoon chopped shado beni (culantro) 1 stalk celery (diced) 1 medium carrot (diced) 1 can pigeon peas (1 1/2 cups)
Season the chicken (cut into serving sized pieces) with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, black pepper, curry powder, onion, tomato, Worcestershire Sauce, pimento peppers and scotch bonnet pepper. Allow this to marinate for at least 2 hours. Overnight in the fridge may give best results.
Tips! Wash you hands with soap and water after handling such spicy peppers. Do not use the seeds and white membrane of the pepper if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat. Yes, use you fav spicy pepper if you cannot source Scotch Bonnet. If you’re doing this gluten free pay attention to the ingredient list on the curry powder and Worcestershire Sauce you use. Some curry powder may have flour as a thickener and filler.
Please watch the video below to follow along with this step. Heat the oil on a med/high flame on a deep and heavy pot (one with a lid). Then add the brown sugar and stir (dry spoon). I suggest stirring as some spots in your pot may have HOT spots and the sugar may BURN there. The goal is to NOT BURN the sugar or you’ll end up with “bitter” tasting Pelau.
The sugar will melt, go frothy, then a dark amber color. This is when you’ll add (be careful when adding) the seasoned chicken to the pot. Add about half the seasoned chicken, stir well, then add the rest. The goal is to coat the pieces of curry-seasoned chicken with this lovely caramelized sugar. Do NOT get the sugar black. Should this happen, turn off the stove, cool the pot completely, wash and start over. NO this is NOT a sweet dish.
Now place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. In the meantime, add 6 cups of the water to the same bowl where you marinated the chicken in, to pick up any remaining marinade which may be in there. Set aside for later.
3-4 minutes later and it will come to a boil and start sprouting it’s own natural juices. Now it’s time to develop that rich color. Remove the lid and allow that liquid to burn off. Here’s where I like adding my grated ginger and stir well.
As the liquid burns off, add the pigeon peas (rinse and drain), followed by the celery and carrot. Stir to coat with the ‘stew’ niceness and continue cooking on high to burn off that liquid. Takes about 5-6 mins in total.
Add the coconut milk (stir), followed the water we reserved in the bowl earlier and bring to a boil.
Wash the rice (see the video below), drain and add to the pot (as it comes to a boil), stir well and bring back to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer and allow the rice to fully cook, go plump and soak in all the stew/coconut goodness. BTW my lid was on but slightly ajar. Add more water should the rice not fully cook at this point. In the ingredient list I mentioned we’ll need 6-8 cups of water.
Couple things, should you want a more wet and creamy pelau I’d suggest stirring the pot a few times. This will brake down the rice and it will release more starch. Should you want a more grainy pelau (team dry), don’t stir too much.
25 minutes later and it’s time to personalize things. 1. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking. 2. You need to decide if you want a ‘wet’ or ‘dry’ pelau. For a more wet (creamy) pelau you may need to add a bit more water and cook longer. For team dry, burn off that liquid, cover the pot completely (after you turn off the stove) and let it sit in it’s own residual heat to dry-up. Flake/fluff with a fork after about 20 minutes and serve.
Top with finely chopped shado beni (culantro), should you not have access to culantro, you may use cilantro or parsley.
SERVE PIPING HOT! No, but I do enjoy a massive plate as soon as its off the stove. One of those things you got to suck air in as you eat, to help cool it down or you risk 2nd degree burns in your mouth. (smile.. I’m just a greedy) Add a little kuchela on the side if you want a little extra heat or spice flavor.
Here’s another ingredient (Cassava) I disliked with a passion as a kid on the islands, but can’t get enough of it as an adult. To be honest, the only thing made with Cassava I enjoyed as a kid was probably Cassava Pone. And if I were completely honest, I’d say it was because of the plump raisins in it and the fact that it was a sweet treat.
Note! I used frozen Cassava in making this dish, as it’s what I can easily find available here in Canada, plus I love the way it cooks quickly and it’s guaranteed to be soft. I usually get it in the frozen food section at local grocery stores, including West Indian, Latin and Asian markets.
Cook the cassava according to the package instructions. In my case I placed the frozen cassava in a pot covered with water and the salt, brought that up to a boil and allowed it to cook on a rolling boil for about 7 minutes. It’s NOT fully soft (cooked). Drain. and set aside to cool.
In a saucepan heat the butter (2 tablespoon) on a medium/low flame, followed by the onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, scallions and pimento peppers. Stir well and cook on low now.
As this gently simmers, it’s time to handle and prep the cassava. You may want to watch the video below. Remove the woody sort of string that runs down the center of the cassava (discard). Then cut the cassava into bitesize pieces.
Back to the sauce pan.. hit it with the black pepper and stir again. TIP You may use coconut oil at the start instead of the butter we opted for.
Now add the carrot (just cleaning out the fridge) and coconut milk. Bring to a boil (raise the heat), and allow it to simmer for 3-4 minutes (reduce the heat after it comes to a boil).
It’s now time to add the cassava back to the pot and finish cooking it all the way through. The cassava will now start absorbing all that goodness in the pot and the coconut milk will start to reduce down. Lid On.
Five minutes later and you’re done! Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Finish with more black pepper and the remaining butter.
Such a tasty dish for something so simple… I can guarantee you that you and your family will want this on the dinner table quite often.
After posting the stove-top version of this classic Soy Sauce Fried Chicken a while back, there were many requests via Instagram for a more healthier version. While there’s no replacing what hot oil can do to chicken (when to comes to taste), the oven version is very close to perfection as well. The simplicity of this Chinese influenced dish makes it even more attractive to rookies and pros alike, in the kitchen.
I used a whole chicken which I cut in half and trimmed off he excess fat, but kept the skin.. you want that! Feel free to use chicken legs, wings or any part of the chicken you enjoy.
watch the video to see how I parted the chicken.
For the marinade, it’s very simple. Basically all you do is put all the ingredients mentioned, in a bowl and stir well. Yes, the mushroom soy sauce makes a HUGE difference in the overall taste.
Rub this marinade all over the chicken and allow it to marinate for at least 4 hours in the fridge.. overnight may give you best results.
Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before you go into the oven so the chicken comes back up o room temperature.
Set your oven to 425 to preheat. Now place the seasoned chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet. TIP! Spray some cooking spray on the wire rack to prevent any sticking. Also, line the baking sheet with foil to make clean up easier later. Onto the middle rack of the oven.
55-60 minutes later and you’re done. However, this depends on how large your chicken was. Cook longer if you have a massive bird.. also you’re looking for that deep rich color and a somewhat crispy skin. Turn on the broil setting for a couple minutes if you want the chicken darker (providing it’s fully cooked).
Allow it to cool, then chop into serving sized pieces.. ENJOY! An excellent side dish for fried rice or stirfried vegetables and leftovers makes for excellent sandwiches. I’ve seen many bar (rum shop) patrons in Trinidad and Tobago snack on juicy pieces of this chicken, served with fiery pepper-sauce on the side as they enjoyed their adult beverages of choice.
On the eve of kicking of the 2021 version of the annual #JulyMonthOfGrilling, I thought I’d run a NEW Giveaway. With the help of our friends at Calmdo today’s offering is a NEW Air Fryer Toaster Oven. As you know (or not) it’s been a scorching Summer here in Canada and that means I don’t turn on the oven in my kitchen (heats up the entire house). So this little beauty is being put to the test lately in my garage. Compact, multi function and convenient! Great for camper / trailers, students (dorm), small apartments, boats or your everyday kitchen.
Key Features….
20 LITERS SPACIOUS CAPACITY
PROGRAMMABLE 18-in-1 OVEN: Design with 18 preset programs, let you cook all food in a breeze, distinct functions are easy to setup, cooking varies from rotisserie, BBQ, skewer, pizza, wings, cake and sweet dessert, advanced oven shortens cooking time and brings you more delicious and healthier food.
DISHWASHER SAFE: All accessories which comes with the oven are dishwasher safe, nonstick airflow rack and basket let it easier to cleanup and store, stainless steel cavity maintains more heat inside, fit for all types of cooking, featuring anti-rust, anti-corrosion and anti-oxidation.
FAST HEATING SYSTEM: 360°hot air circulation technology with 1800 Powerful motor, delivering super-heated airflow that surrounds and radiates food, faster and evenly cooked, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with little to no oil
Giveaway Rules…
Open to everyone globally
Entries close Midnight July 6, 2021
All you have to do is leave a comment below, say what you’d use the Air Fryer for
You WILL be required to enter your name and email address (only way for us to contact the winners)
1 winner will be chosen randomly
We will contact the eventual winner July 7, 2021. Should you be the winner, you MUST respond within 48 hrs of receiving our email or we will select another person
All members of your household can enter their name/comment below
The Calmdo Air Fryer will be shipped via Canada Post Ground, we cannot provide tracking information (unless you’re based in Canada) and cannot guarantee shipping times due to COVID
Do NOT contact us asking who the winner is. It will be announced via Instagram Stories, Facebook and in a subsequent Giveaway video on YouTube (* with the winner’s permission)
Do NOT Email, Direct Message or Call us to enter – leaving a comment below is the ONLY way to enter.
Yes you can enter your name even if you’ve won something from us in the past
CaribbeanPot.com is not affiliated with Calmdo. Should you want to own your own (or any of their wonderful kitchen gadgets) Air Fryer please go to Calmdo.com
Nothing SCREAMS summer better than Ice Cream! Well, maybe snow cones and/or chilled adult beverages. And while dad convinced us growing up that Coconut Ice Cream was superior to all others (with just cause) and though I have a special place in my heart for Rum and Raisin, I’d be telling a lie if I didn’t admit that good Vanilla Bean (as you’re about to witness), ranks as one of the best flavors when it comes to that frozen treat we crave on those hot days of summer (Spring, Fall and Winter too).
You’ll Need…
2 vanilla pods 2 cups milk (I used 2 %) 3 cups whipping cream (high fat) pinch salt 1 cup white sugar (adjust to your liking) 4 egg yolks
from the vanilla I tested over the years, I have to say that the beans from Madagascar are my fav.
In a large pot place the cream and milk on a med/low flame. We’re looking for tiny bubble on the edges.
Cut the vanilla beans in half (lengthwise) and scrape the insides to pick up all the vanilla pulp. Place that in the pot with the cream and milk, along with the scraped vanilla pods.
In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks together to combine.
As you whisk, it’s time to start adding some of the warm milk/vanilla combo to the bowl to temper the mixture and NOT cook the eggs. I did it 2 tablespoons at a time, until I got about 1 cup of liquid with the sugar.
Now add that sugar/egg mixture to the pot (still on a low flame) and whisk to combine.
3-4 minutes later, turn off the stove, fish out the bean pods (discard) and place the liquid (covered) in the fridge to chill.
After it’s fully chilled (about 2 hours), it’s time to pour it into your ice cream maker and run it according to the directions for your machine.
It can take anywhere between 35-50 minutes depending on your machine.
Since it won’t be fully firm (more the consistency of soft-serve at this point) I usually place the ice cream in freezer containers and into the freezer to firm up. TIP! Should you have extra ice cream liquid (custard), place it in ice cube trays to freeze. Once firm, enjoy!
Back to my dad and his famous coconut ice cream. He insisted a few things. 1. The coconut must be freshly grated and coconut milk extracted. 2. An old school wooden CRANK ice cream maker MUST be used. 3. Burlap and rock salt must be packed on the side (on the ice) to maintain the perfect temperature for the ice to do its work, under the Caribbean sun and Finally.. this is KEY.. 4. He had an EXACT amount of turns (cranks) memorized, to give you the perfect texture and consistency. Interestingly.. it was down to a science…. that works to this day.
While one may say this is not a “Caribbean” salad, I have to question why not? Have you ever had sun ripened tomatoes or watermelon straight from the farmer’s field? I have and it was when I was a lil fella on the islands and that farm was our family kitchen garden in Trinidad and Tobago. The feta and balsamic are definitely not “Caribbean” but you can now find those ingredients at many of the bigger grocery stores across the Caribbean island chain.
You’ll Need…
2-3 lbs heirloom tomatoes 1/2 small watermelon 8-12 mint leaves 1 tablespoon honey 1 cup feta cheese 3-4 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Heirlooms areseed varieties that are at least 50 years old, and you can save these seeds and plant them year after year. Heirlooms are never hybrids or GMOs. … GMOs are Genetically Modified seeds.
Every Spring I try my best to get Heirloom tomato plants for my garden as I find them to be the most sweet, juicy and interesting (no two are the same shape or color) tomatoes one can eat. While I’d love to say these tomatoes were from my back yard, I must confess that they were from a local grocery store.
Wash and chop the tomatoes (remove the core + stems and discard) into different shapes/slices to give the salad some texture and make it more eye-appealing. Please try to use heirloom tomatoes as the flavor and texture is unlike the greenhouse (nor GMO) stuff you get in the supermarket. Place it in a large bowl.
Cube the watermelon (remove any seeds if you don’t have the seedless variety). Then add it to the bowl, along with the Feta and Mint leaves (If the mint leaves are large, give them a quick chop).
Sprinkle the salt (especially over the tomato pieces) and half of the black pepper over everything.. you’ll get better flavor with fresh cracked black pepper IMHO. You can add some Scotch Bonnet Pepper Flakes if you want a KICK to the finished salad.
Note. watch the serving tip in the video below.
Make the dressing by whisking the olive oil, balsamic, honey and remaining black pepper together.
When you’re ready to serve the salad, pour the dressing (whisked) over the top and gently mix. I used my hands as I found it to be most effective this way.
Add more Feta or any cheese you like, should you like a lot of cheese in your salad. And you can always substitute Basil for the Mint if mint is not your fav herb.
This is yet another one of those “boil and fry” dishes (I’ve shared a few to date) we enjoy throughout the Caribbean. Food we inherited from our ancestors who made use of the land and with limited resources, made incredible meals. Cassava (aka yuca or manioc) was something we always had growing in our kitchen garden growing up, so it’s presence in soups, baked treats, breads and in dishes like this, was the norm. FYI on some islands smoked herring is known as red herrings.
Important! I used frozen cassava, which I cooked according to the package directions. I also used smoked herring fillets which were cleaned (skin, head etc removed) and main center bone removed, however it did have some tiny bones. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.
Place the frozen cassava in a deep pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the salt and reduce to a rolling boil and cook until tender. For this brand of frozen cassava it takes about 20 minutes to cook. If using fresh cassava, peel, cut into pieces and bring to a boil in the salted water – adjust cooking time accordingly. To test for doneness, simply stick a sharp knife though a thick piece and if there’s no resistance, they are ready.
As the cassava boils, I boiled water in my kettle and poured over the herring fillets in a deep bowl. This will help to do a few things, hydrate them, remove some of the salt, along with excess smoke. Let it sit in the water until it’s cool enough to handle.
Drain the cassava and set it aside to cool as we have to prepare it a bit further.
The herrings should be cool enough to touch. Here is where you need gloves or the scent of that smoky fish will remains on your hands for a while. Drain the water, rinse with cool water and squeeze dry. Now shred and in doing so if you see any tough bones, remove and discard. There will be some tiny (flexible) ones, those can remain as they should not pose a choking hazard.
In a large pan/pot, heat the olive oil (any oil you like cooking with will work) on a medium flame, then add the onion, garlic, scotch bonnet, black pepper, scallions and thyme. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 3-4 minutes. (Please watch the video below as I speak about Scotch Bonnet Peppers)
4 minutes later, it’s time to add the prepared smoked herrings to the pot and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the tomato and 1/2 of the parsley. Mix well.
The cassava will be cool, (watch the video below) so it’s time to chop it up into 1 inch pieces and remove the woody center and discard.
Now toss the cut cassava into the pot and stir well, so the cassava picks up all that lovely smoked herring flavor and cook for 3 minutes. Add the butter to give the finished dish a bit of rich creamy flavor and toss in the remaining parsley and you’re done!
I consider this one of the classics when it comes to Caribbean culinary culture and it brings me much joy to not only share this one with you, but to enjoy it when I get a little homesick for the islands.
After sharing this video on YouTube, the comments were very interesting. From “Why?”, to “Only a man would do this”, and “brilliant on it’s own or on the side of grilled salmon”. Chow is basically a quick spicy pickle we make in the Caribbean. Usually made with tart fruit (like green mango or Pommecythere aka golden apple ) and enjoyed as a snack by both kids and adults alike. Except adults tend to enjoy it better when there’s beer and cocktails involved. Note! typically the cucumber is cut into slices or wedges when this chow is done the traditional way.
You’ll Need…
2 Medium English Cucumbers (any cucumber will work) 1 tablespoon sea salt (divided) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 3 Wiri Wiri Peppers (any spicy pepper will work) 3-4 cloves garlic 1 tablespoon Shado Beni (chopped) * Cilantro will work too 2 shallots (or a small red onion – sliced thin) 1 lemon (juice) 1 tablespoon Korean pepper paste (Gochujang)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. If you cannot source Wiri Wiri (coffee) Peppers, any spicy pepper will work.
Wash the cucumbers, then smash then using a rolling pin or as in my case, my wooden pestle. It will get messy! Then give the pieces a rough chop. Finally, add the pieces to a bowl and toss them with 1/2 the salt mentioned above.
The salt will do two things for us. It will help to pull out some of the water or tart juice from the cucumbers and two, in doing so allow the cucumbers to absorb the flavors we’ll add later.
As this sit in the salt, place the remaining salt, garlic and Wiri Wiri peppers in your mortar and crush to a paste. After 30 minutes, drain the cucumber to get rid of the liquid which will naturally sprout.
Now top the drained cucumber with that crushed pepper/garlic paste.
Basically all you have to do after is add all the other ingredients mentioned and give it a good toss.
The Korean pepper paste (Gochujang) is NOT traditional to this recipe (nor the shallots), but ever since our trip to Seoul a few years back I just enjoy adding it to this type of chow. There’s a deep fermented (almost smoky too) flavor it adds to the finished chow, that takes it to different level (IMHO).
I like placing it in a container with a lid and allow it to chill in the fridge before I tuck in. As a snack or a spicy salad, there’s no denying that it’s refreshing and an excellent way to make use of cucumbers.
“Hey I know you, you’re the guy from YouTube! My boyfriend sent me the video you did with Shrimp and Cabbage a few days ago.. excellent recipe” Met a young lady the other day at the Caribbean Grocers in Mississauga and she was excited to tell me that she enjoys my recipe videos. Always nice to meet people who test-drive my recipes with success. Gone are the days when cabbage is supposed to be bland and give you gas… this is guaranteed to be a HIT in your home.
You’ll Need…
1 lb medium shrimp (cleaned + deveined) 3/4 tablespoon salt (divided) 1 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 1 medium onion (sliced) 1/2 lime or lemon for washing the shrimp 4 cloves garlic (crushed) 2-3 tablespoon olive oil (divided) 1 teaspoon curry powder 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 2 tablespoon water 1/2 medium Cabbage (shredded) 8 grape tomatoes (optional) 1 Wiri Wiri pepper (optional) 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate puree 1/2 cup scallion tops (green part)
if doing this recipe gluten free please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific #glutenfree dietary requirements.
Peel, devein and wash the shrimp with cool water and the lemon juice. Drain and marinate with 1/3 of the salt, 1/2 the black pepper, curry powder, Caribbean Green Seasoning and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and give it a good mix. Set aside.
Heat a pot on a medium heat, then add the seasoned shrimp to the (dry) pot and stir. Quickly cook the shrimp for 2 minutes, then remove and set aside. Do NOT overcook the shrimp. Doing it this way will prevent that, plus give us that shrimp flavor to start with.
Add the remaining olive oil to the pot (still on medium heat) and add the onion, remaining black pepper, garlic and wiri wiri pepper (cut to release the heat) . Turn the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes.
Then move things from the center of the pot and add the tomato paste and stir well. We want that paste to get in contact with the hot pot to help it caramelize and go sweet. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the grated ginger and stir well.
Now turn the heat back up to medium and add the shredded cabbage. Should you prefer the cabbage more chunky – rock chunky. Stir as you add. Then add the remaining salt.
In the same bowl you marinated the shrimp, swish around the water and add it to the pot to help create a bit of steam. Here is where I added the tomatoes (optional as I was clearing out the fridge).
Seven minutes later the cabbage was the texture I like cabbage (slight crunch, cook more if you want), now is where we add back the shrimp we cooked earlier (including any juices) and stir. Cook for 2 minutes and you’re done. I’d recommend tasting for salt and adjust accordingly as I’m trying to cut back on my sodium intake and the recipe may reflect this.
Top with the scallions and get ready to enjoy a stunning cabbage dish with rice, roti or on sandwiches.
Here’s one of those meals which takes me back to the Caribbean, but not as a child… as we never had this version of fish growing up in our house. I think the only fish dish we had which came out of the oven, was when mom made baked salmon. However, it does give a level of comfort as it reminds me of my travels throughout the Caribbean as an adult (tourist).
You’ll Need…
1 2-3 lb fish (I prefer ocean fish) 2 scallions (chopped) 1/2 medium onion (diced) 2 pimento peppers (sliced) 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 stalk celery (diced) 4 cloves garlic (divided) 10 okra (divided) 1.5 lbs pumpkin (divided – dice and sliced) 1 lemon 8 small bell peppers 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided) 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided) 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger 6-8 sprigs thyme (divided) 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar
NOTE! If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your gluten free dietary requirements.
Prep the vegetables.
Lets prepare the stuffing for the fish as I want it cool before use. In a saucepan add a tablespoon and a half of olive oil, followed by the diced onion, celery (including any leaves), scallions, 1/2 the thyme (leaves only) and stir.
After 3 minutes on low heat, add 1/4 the black pepper, 1/2 the salt, 3/4 cup diced pumpkin, 1/2 the garlic, 4 okra cut into 1 cm wheels and continue cooking on low.
Add the pimento peppers (1/2 cup diced bell peppers will work too), grated ginger (the ginger will give it a peppery note) and stir well.
5 minutes and you can turn off the stove and allow it to cool.
It’s time to make the sort of dressing. Add 1/3 cup olive oil to a bowl and mix in the remaining salt, black pepper and the remaining thyme leaves, garlic and lemon juice. Whisk!
I washed and prepped my fish (pat the fish dry), then I sprayed my baking tray with cooking spray (oil). I then made made 3 cuts down the belly of the fish holding my knife on a 45 degree angle (watch the video below). Now it’s time to pour or brush on the dressing we made. Get the belly cavity and make sure some gets into the cuts we made too. For easier clean-up after may I recommend lining your baking tray with foil or parchment paper.
Now it’s time to add the ‘cooled’ stuffing we made earlier into the belly cavity of the fish. Yes, it will spill out.. we want this actually.
To make it to a full meal, it’s time add the remaining pumpkin (skin on is fine), remaining okra and tiny sweet bell peppers. Spoon on the remaining dressing to cover everything.
add a bit more salt and black pepper on top of everything if you want.
Sprinkle on the brown sugar on the pieces of pumpkin to add a bit more sweetness as it roast. I sliced the pumpkin about 1 1/2 cm thick.,
Into a 425 F (preheated) oven on the middle rack uncovered as we want to get that oven-grilled effect (char) on everything.
