Did you know that any hot drink you have along with breakfast in the Caribbean is mainly refereed to as being ‘tea’? That said, here’s the most classic of Caribbean ‘tea”.. Cocoa Tea! My dad would tell me stories about when he lived with my great grandparents as the kid, on their cocoa and coffee estate in Trinidad and Tobago, and how rich and creamy his grandmother would make his tea in the morning. From the cocoa he would have helped to harvest and process the season before.
*The addition of the cardamon pods is not traditional.. I saw some in my spice drawer and knew it would be an excellent addition. I added some orange peel to the pot but it’s optional. Traditionally my mom would have dried orange peel in the kitchen (added) so I grew up appreciating that hint of citrus in my cocoa tea.
In a deep pot place all the ingredients (except the sweetened condensed milk) and bring to a boil on a medium flame.
As it starts coming up to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer (don’t boil vigorously) and whisk.
Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the condensed milk (adjust to your liking). Finally… strain and serve hot.
The cocoa stick I used (processed and shaped into the cigar shape) was a gift from my friend, who’s mom brought it back from Dominica. Most Caribbean grocery stores would usually stock this processed cocoa and if you’re traveling through the Caribbean, it’s usually found in those souvenir stores at the airports. If you choose to do this dairy free, you can substitute the milk with whatever your milk substitute of choice is and instead of the condensed milk you can use a good cane sugar, palm sugar or honey. I won’t recommend using only coconut milk (as my great grandmother would) as it may cause your stomach to act-up.
It’s funny how I kept telling people that I’m not a fan of Hummus and just didn’t understand the sort of current ‘Hummus Hype“.. until I started making my own. While Hummus may seem exotic, it’s probably one of the simplest recipes to put together. There’s no cooking involved, can be done in under 5 minutes and you can play around with flavors you like. In my case I like my Hummus to have a slight kick, with a subtle smoky undertone. Any excuse to put “Caribbean Sunshine” (scotch bonnet peppers) to use.
You’ll Need…
2 cups chickpeas (can)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon Tahini
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon olive oil
juice 1 1/2 lemons
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
2 tablespoon water
For presentation:
– chopped parsley
– few whole chickpeas
– paprika
– drizzle olive oil
Important! If doing this hummus vegan or gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure the recipe meets with your specific vegan and/or gluten free dietary needs.
Drain and rinse the chickpeas (from a can) with cool water, then place in your food processor.
Char the scotch bonnet pepper (use any spicy pepper you like or have available) over an open flame. In my case I used a long tongs to hold the pepper in place directly over a burner on my stove. Should take less than a minute to char. set aside to cool. Remember if you’re using a metal tongs to be mindful that direct contact with the heat will make it go hot to touch.
Smash the garlic and add it along with everything else to the food processor. When the scotch bonnet is cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and give it a rough chop before placing as much as you can handle into the food processor. Keep the seeds if you want it REALLY spicy. It’s VERY important that you wash your hands with soap and water immediately handing hot peppers.
Pulse to start, then puree until smooth. You may need to push down the sides as you go along. Add a bit more water, oil or lemon juice if you find it’s overly thick. If you’re watching the video below, please note the ingredient list above was adjusted accordingly.
Pour into your serving bowl and garnish with some chopped parsley, paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. You can store this hummus in the fridge for a week or so (airtight container).
Did you know? The last group of immigrants (1904) to venture to colonial Trinidad originated in the region previously known as Greater Syria, which comprises of present day Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon. Many of the Lebanese hailed from the villages of Buhandoun and Amyoun while the Syrians came from villages in the ‘Valley of the Christians.’ These Arabs emigrated to the Caribbean from as early as 1904 in an attempt to escape religious persecution and economic hardship in their native countries.
Trinidad’s thriving economy, political stability and pristine environment proved to be the ideal location where these displaced Arabs could establish new lives.
Looking back I think I originally documented this recipe late summer / early fall last year.. when my garden was loaded with the ‘spinach’ I’m about to use in this recipe. I’m using the word ‘spinach’ a bit loosely, as I’m really referring to several types of greens when I do. I’m a HUGE fan of greens so I usually plant several varieties in my garden every year. I’m told that as a kid on the islands my favorites (bhagi aka greens) were Dasheen Bush (tender leaves of the dasheen plant), Pak Choi and Chorai (Jamaican Callalloo)… mom never had a problem with me eating when she would cook those dishes.
You’ll Need…
2-3 cups chopped Jamaican Callaloo
2-3 cups chopped Kale
2-3 cups chopped Swiss Chard
1 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 med onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
1/4 teaspoon allspice
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 cups parboiled brown rice
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, drain and trim the different greens (I cut into 1 cm ribbons) and set aside. Don’t use the tough stems of the Jamaican Callaloo (Chorai) and Kale.
In a wide pot/pan heat the olive oil on a med/low flame, then go in with the diced onion, chopped scallions, smashed garlic, black pepper, allspice and thyme. Cook for about 1-2 minutes.
Start adding all the chopped greens to the pot and stir and add the salt.
It’s now time to add the washed rice (place the rice in a bowl, cover with water and move the grains between your fingers.. the water will go cloudy. drain and repeat until the water is clear. or you can place the rice in a strainer and run cool water over it.. massage until the water runs clear) and mix with everything else in the pot.
It’s now time to crank up the heat to high and go in with the coconut milk and water.
As it comes to a boil, place the whole scotch bonnet on top (don’t break – we want the flavors of the oils on the skin and NOT the raw heat). Stir well, cover the pot and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
It took about 22-25 minutes to cook. Turn off the heat, lid still on and allow it to continue cool/cooking with the residual heat. After about 15 minutes, you can now go in with a fork and fluff the rice. Do remember to remove the scotch bonnet pepper before you fluff the rice to ensure you don’t mistakenly break it. Once broken it will release that Caribbean Sunshine (heat).
An amazing one pot vegetarian rice dish (probably vegan too?) packed with flavors of the islands. Do keep an eye on the level of liquid as it cooks (add more boiling water if necessary) and remember to taste it for salt near the end and adjust accordingly. You can always add vegetable stock instead of water, but be mindful of the sodium level. or go in with chicken stock if not making this vegetarian.
I may have mentioned in previous ‘fish’ recipe posts that as a young fella on the islands (along with my siblings) we had NO luv for fish or any sort of seafood, except for shrimp and fried slices of King Fish. However as an adult I can’t get enough of everything coming out of the ocean. With many requests for fish recipes, especially with Easter and Good Friday just around the corner, I thought I’d share this one using cod with you.
You’ll Need…
1-2 lbs Cod (cubed 1 inch pieces)
1 med onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1/2 orange bell pepper (cubed)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (cubed)
2 scallions (chopped 1 inch)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika (hot)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon achiote oil (or olive oil)
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
1 stalk celery (sliced thin)
4 sprigs thyme (remove leaves off stems)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 med tomato (diced)
splash of water
1/2 lemon (juice)
IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the tomato paste.. in the event there’s any thickening agent with gluten in it.
Heat the oil in a wide pan (one with a lid) on a low heat, then go in with the onion and garlic. Make sure the heat is now on very low as we don’t want to burn the garlic. Allow this to cook gently for 3-4 minutes.
Up-next we can add the diced bell peppers, sliced celery and scotch bonnet pepper (be mindful that you can control the heat level by how much scotch bonnet you add). Take the heat up to medium and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes.
Now add the tomato paste and paprika and stir well. Go in with the black pepper, thyme, salt and tuck in the pieces of Cod fish. I used frozen Cod which was thawed and I squeezed out the extra liquid. Stir well, add the tomato and parsley, (heat at med/low) cover the pot and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. You will need a splash of water to help steam-cook the fish. Less than a 1/4 cup.
Remove the lid. The Cod should be fully cooked by now so it’s time to taste for salt and adjust accordingly as your tolerance for salt will be different than mine. Turn the heat off, toss in the scallions and squeeze in the lemon juice.
A delicious fish dish in under 10 minutes! I served this batch with some steamed rice, but you can treat it as you would any fish side dish. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling the scotch bonnet pepper. If heat is not your thing, you can leave out that spicy pepper.. do keep in mind that the spicy smoked Paprika will have a heat element. Yes, any ocean white fish will work for this dish.
We’ve grilled them, done a sort of “oven BBQ” during the winter and this coming summer I plan on doing a classic smoked/jerk over a charcoal fire, but for now I’d like to share yet another way to do pork ribs. You’re free to use the short ribs type you get at the Asian markets (ones sold for making dry garlic ribs), baby-back or your regular rack of pork ribs for this recipe. Using the classic Caribbean technique of ‘stewing’ to start, then we’ll slowly braise these ribs until they tender and packed with rich Caribbean flavor.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs pork ribs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 slices ginger
1 medium onion (diced)
1 medium tomato (diced)
2 birds eye pepper (bird pepper – chopped)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
2.5 – 3 cups water
4 sprigs thyme
Important! if doing this recipe gluten free, kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Give the ribs a quick wash with cool water and the juice of a lime or lemon (not mentioned in the ingredient list). Drain and get to seasoning. Add everything to the bowl EXCEPT the thyme, veg oil, brown sugar and water. The Bird Pepper is optional.. providing you want a kick to the dish.. you may use any spicy pepper you have on hand or like. Mix well and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least a couple hours.
In a heavy pot over a high flame heat the vegetable oil, then go in with the brown sugar. This step is crucial (we DON’t want to BURN the sugar). Using a dry spoon, stir the sugar until it starts to melt. It will go frothy, then amber in color (act fast). Here is where you add the season pork ribs to the pot. If the sugar goes black. STOP and start over or it will have a bitter taste. (watch the video below for more help with this).
Yes, it’s ok if the marinade goes into the pot as you add the pieces of ribs. But try to keep some back in the bowl. In the same bowl you marinated the ribs add the water and swish around so you can pick up all that goodness to add to the pot later. Stir well to coat the ribs with the ‘stew’ base we started off with. Turn the heat down to medium/low, cover the pot and let that go for about 10 minutes (stir a couple times). It will sprout it’s own natural juices.
After which it’s time to infuse the ribs with the color and flavor of the brown-stew. Remove the lid and crank up the heat to high – we want to burn off all that liquid. Be sure to stir. It will take about 4-6 minutes.
After all the water is gone and you start seeing the oil we started off with at the bottom of the pot, it’s time to add the water we had in the bowl we marinated the ribs in. Stir and bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, top with the sprigs of thyme, reduce the heat to a simmer and place the lid on the pot.
Stir every 10-15 minutes. After about 1 hour and 25 minutes, you can now personalize this dish a bit. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking and you can now crank up the heat and burn off the liquid until you have a gravy the consistency you like. If our mom was doing this she would burn off ALL the liquid, but in my case I allowed it to go on high for about 5 minutes.. until I had a somewhat thick gravy or sauce. (I had this with rice)
These Caribbean stewed ribs are a great side-dish for your next family dinner or it can certainly make an impression the next time you hit a potluck at work.. go ahead and take all the praise. You can always start the “stewing” process on the stove-top and finish off in a slow cooker if you wanted.
After posting an image of these crispy wings on Instagram a couple weeks back, the DM’s we’re rocking with requests for the recipe. And while this probably won’t be considered a “Caribbean” recipe, I thought that it will still fit within the theme of this website. Infused with herbal flavors as we do on the islands, these wings are super simple to make and with the crispy finish.. you’ll impress your family and guests. Guaranteed!
You’ll Need…
5-6 lbs wings
3 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
4 sprigs thyme
1 scallion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 bird’s eye pepper (optional)
3 cups veg oil for frying
*I’ve posted this recipe within the ‘gluten free’ section of the website (as well), please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Feel free to trim off the tips of the chicken wings, cut them in 2 pieces if you wish and give them a look-over for any nasty feathers. As I mentioned in the video, no-body eh trying to get ah feather! Then give the scallion a rough chop as well as the bird’s eye pepper (use any hot pepper you like – optional) and whisk together with everything (except the wings and oil) to make a brine. I like starting with one cup of warm water so the sugar and salt can dissolve easily. Then I go in with 2 cups of super cold water to bring the temperature down to safe levels.
Place the chicken wings in a deep container (or freezer bag) and pour the brine over them. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for about an hour. Try to not allow them to brine for more than an hour or you’ll risk them going salty.
After one hour, drain and rinse well with cool water. Allow to drain off and air dry.
Place the oil to heat in a deep pot (I used a wok) or use your deep fryer if you have one, on a med/high flame. Pat the wings dry with paper towels (make sure they are DRY) , then into the hot oil.
Depending on the size of your wings, they will take between 17 and 22 minutes to completely cook and go crisp and golden. Remember to flip them and DON’T crowd the pot with too many or it will drop the temp of the oil and make them soggy.
Fry in batches. As I removed the first batch I placed them on a wire rack (on a sheet-pan to collect the oil drippings). Normally I’d say to place them on paper towels, but I find that when they sit on the paper towels they can go a bit soggy and loose it’s crispy finish. For a more crispy finish you can fry them for a bit longer.
Since the wings were in that herb-salty brine, there will be no need to salt these further (but I’m on a low salt diet). Taste and sprinkle on some Sea or Himalayan salt as they come out the hot oil if you want. We enjoyed these with the mango habanero sauce I shared a while back.
A few days after Christmas 2016 I was joined by my good friend Marc, who you would have been introduced to some time ago. Marc (Chef Marc) is a fellow Trinbagonian who’s been knocking out the recipes and food-travel videos on his YouTube Channel “Chef Marc“. This time Marc will be putting the leftover ham and turkey from the Christmas holidays for (one of) his signature fried rice. Using ingredients we already had in the fridge, Marc blazed through this recipe in a few minutes.
You’ll Need…
4 cups cooked rice (Jasmine)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 bell pepper (diced)
2 cups cabbage (chopped)
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 cups ham (cubed)
2 cups turkey (chopped)
3-4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce *
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 bird pepper (bird’s eye)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic (fine dice)
IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce – regular soy sauce will have a gluten element to it.
Start by prepping all the ingredients as this recipe calls for high heat and fast cooking.
Heat a wok or wide pan on a med/high heat, then go in with two tablespoons of the olive oil and the bird’s eye pepper. Marc gave then each pepper a couple cuts to help release some of their ‘heat’. Immediately after he went in with the cubed ham as he wanted to render out some of the fat (for flavor) and the toast the edges.
After about 1 minute it’s time to go in with the chopped turkey and mix well. You may need to add another tablespoon of oil if the pan is getting too dry.
Also add the diced bell pepper and sliced cabbage, toss and mix well. Then go in with the black pepper and garlic (he mentioned that he likes to add his garlic late in the cooking process, as to not risk burning it). At this point you can add the salt and sesame oil, stir! It’s now time to add the rice and break up any clumps. TIP!Be sure to use day-old rice or rice that been cooked in salted water and chilled. This will give you a lovely grainy texture to the fried rice.
After the rice is heated through (about 1-2 minutes), add the frozen peas and drizzle on the soy sauce. Stir well.
You’re dun! Turn off the stove and enjoy. The key is to cook on a relatively high heat, have your ingredients prepped and to not be intimated. The recipe, cooking and being in the kitchen should be fun and we do hope you’ll put this recipe to the test and enjoy the time in the kitchen with your family.
I’d like to take a minute to hit Chef Marc a Massive THANKS and to invite him to pass though the CaribbeanPot.com kitchen whenever he feels like feeding us. With both delicious food and knowledge.
In the Southern Caribbean we have “Green Seasoning“, the Spanish speaking Caribbean gave us Sofrito and our Haitian cousins use Epis as the base for many of their delicious offerings. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle (Munsh Pilon), it’s a blend of herbs, garlic and various peppers. In this recipe I’ll be using a food processor and will be personalizing it a bit to my own taste. So you’ll see that I won’t add any salt, bullion cubes nor onion (explained in the video).
You’ll Need…
Bell Peppers (various colors / med)
3 scallions
10 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
3/4 – 1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped parsley
5 shallots
2 stalks celery
Note: Optionally you can add a large onion, cloves, bouillon cube, salt and the juice of a lemon. You can always use vinegar instead of the olive oil or or use a combination of both if you want.
Wash and prep the ingredients (rough chop), then place everything in your blender or food processor.
I like my Epis (same as when I’m making Green Seasoning or Sofrito) with a bit of texture so I pulse it until I get the desired consistency, but feel free to puree to your liking.
Place the now complete Epis seasoning in a container with a lid and store in the fridge for months. Optionally you can freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop out when frozen and store in the freezer in a zipper bag. This will allow you to use one cube every time you’re doing a recipe which calls for this amazing gluten free seasoning.
Epis can be used as a marinade for meats, fish/seafood, added to soups and stews and can be added to your favorite vegan and vegetarian dishes for additional flavor.
This past Fall I decided to do a peppersauce tribute to my home for the last 20 something years.. Canada. With a bumper crop of Habanero peppers (works great with scotch bonnets as well) in my small kitchen garden at the back of my house, the creative juices were flowing. Habaneros are some of my favorite spicy peppers, with the natural fruity undertones along with the fiery heat they possess. With a dose of fresh made apple cider (not vinegar) and some organic maple syrup, this pepper sauce was truly heavenly.
You’ll Need…
8-10 Habanero Peppers
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
* You may need to add a bit more apple cider if it gets too thick.
*Important : If doing this recipe gluten free, kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Wash the peppers and give them a rough chop. Remember to wear gloves and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Include the seeds of the peppers for a more pronounced kick of heat!
Add everything (except the lime juice) to a sauce pan, then place the pan over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Stir and reduce the liquid by about half and the peppers are a bit tender. (about 10-15 mins)
Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a bit before placing in your blender or food processor. When it cools, add the lime juice and blitz until smooth.
This is a great condiment to use wherever you’d normal use hot sauces. I roasted off some chicken wings in the oven and gave them a slight coating of this marvelous peppersauce while they were still warm. Please store in the fridge – last in excess of 2 months easily.
Living in Canada means that it’s almost a ‘treat’ when breadfruit hits our dinner table. Unlike when I lived in the Caribbean as a boy where we had a massive breadfruit tree in our back yard, laden with prime breadfruits. Not only are they expensive in the grocery (when we can actually get them) here, but I find that they are harvested too soon for export, so you never get that true essence of the breadfruit when you prepare a dish. Here’s my take on roasting a breadfruit in your typical kitchen oven, unlike the outdoor fire/coals method we all grew up using in the Caribbean.
Steps!
– preheat your oven to 450 F
– give the breadfruit a shallow cut (like a cross) on the bottom to allow for steam to escape as it roast
– place it directly on the middle rack of your oven. No pan needed as we want the hot air to circulate and cook the breadfruit evenly
– it will take about one hour and 30 minutes to full cook (longer depending on the size)
– it will be HOT, so use oven gloves to remove
– allow to cool completely
– using a pairing knife remove the outer skin (discard)
– slice into wedges, then remove the core and discard
It’s that simple! Now you have a fully roasted breadfruit you can use in any dish you like. Check my YouTube Channel (CaribbeanPot) for a delicious recipe using such oven roasted breadfruit.
While I did plan to share this recipe a while back, it was only after I received a request via Instagram did I actually get in the kitchen with chicken wings and camera in hand. The person who made the request was looking for a chicken wing idea to prepare for her Super Bowl party.. but she wasn’t a fan of the typical “Buffalo Wings”. With that in mind, I decided to give her and her guests a true taste of the Caribbean by using a tamarind glaze with a slight kick, to finish off the wings.
You’ll Need…
3- 5 lbs chicken wings + veg oil for frying
Brine:
– 1/4 cup salt
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 3 cups water
– 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
– 1 scallion
– 2 slices ginger
– 4-6 allspice berries
– 4 sprigs thyme
Tamarind Glaze
– 1 cup tamarind pulp
– 3 cloves garlic
– 4-5 cups water
– 2 slice ginger
– 2 scallions
– 1 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 cup tomato ketchup
– juice of 2 oranges
– 1 scotch bonnet pepper
– 1/4 teaspoon salt
– 1 tablespoon olive oil
– 2 tablespoon honey
Note: While I used 3 lbs of wings, this recipe will work for 3-5 lbs of chicken wings.
Cut your wings into 2 parts (if they came attached) and trim off any extra skin and fat. Then place all the ingredients for making the brine in a pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and let it go for 2-3 minutes. Put the brine in the fridge (I placed it on my porch as it’s wintertime here). You can put some ice cubes in the brine to chill it faster, but I didn’t as I didn’t want it to be diluted. The brine MUST be chilled before you pour it over the chicken wings. Place the wings in the brine in the fridge for 1 hour. Do NOT go beyond the 1 hour or they could turn out to be salty.
As the wings brine, it’s time to get started on the glaze. Place the tamarind pulp (you can get it at Asian, Latino, West Indian and many everyday supermarkets) in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle boil and using a spoon, break it up to get the pulp to release the tamarind goodness. As it simmers, add the slices of ginger and smashed garlic cloves. After about 5-7 minutes, you should have a smooth consistency (except for the seeds of the tamarind). Take it off the stove and strain.
In a saucepan heat the olive oil on a medium flame, then add the chopped scallions.. turn the heat down to low and cook for 2 minutes. Now it’s time to add the diced scotch bonnet pepper (use as much as you can handle, NO seeds unless you want that raw heat and be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling the pepper) and stir well.
Add the strained tamarind liquid and all of the other ingredients for the glaze. turn up the heat and bring to a boil.. then reduce to a simmer.
After about 7 minutes you can take out about 3/4 cup and set aside as a dip. Continue reducing (stir well.. the sugars will cause it to want to stick and burn) until you have a thick glaze. Takes about 15 minutes in total. Remove off the fire and set aside. You’re looking for a glaze which is tangy, relatively sweet and a bit spicy from the scotch bonnet pepper. Do adjust the sugar to your liking.
I forgot to mention that you should remove the wings out of the fridge to bring it up to room temperature before frying. Drain the brine and rise with cool water. Try to rise well so we get rid of most of the salty brine. Drain and pat-dry with paper towels.
Heat your veg oil on a med/high flame (to about 375 F) in a pot with high sides, so you don’t splash and dirty your stove. I used about 3 cups of veg oil. You’re free to bake the wings off or grill them. Gently place the dry wings into the heated oil and cook for about 15 minutes or until golden and fully cooked. I did mine in two batches so the pot wasn’t crowded – yes you can use a deep fryer. Once fried, place on paper towels to soak up any extra oil.
You now have two options, you can place the wings in a large bowl and pour the glaze over them – toss! Or you can do as I did.. I placed the pan with the glaze back on a low flame and tossed the wings directly in the pan. This gives me more of a glazed/sticky texture to the wings.
Top with some chopped scallions, cilantro or sesame seeds and serve warm. These wings will excite your taste-buds and I guarantee you that your friends will be begging you for the recipe. it’s ok to fib and say it’s a family secret (smile).
With my love for peppersauce (hot sauce) I’m always challenging myself to find different flavors to compliment the scorching heat of our beloved Scotch Bonnet Peppers, to add balance, depth and a unique finish. While this peppersauce is fiery, the fruity undertones of the passion fruit makes it very tasty and bearable for those of you who are not into pure heat! My mom like many from her generation, will argue that when making a ‘good’ peppersauce there’s no room for fruit. However with the success I’ve had with the 10 + fruity pepper sauces I’ve shared on here, that mindset can be challenged.
You’ll Need…
1 cup passion fruit puree
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
12-14 scotch bonnet
* feel free to add a couple cloves of garlic and some chopped cilantro if you’d like to play around with the flavors a bit. Some fresh lime or lemon juice would be ideal as well.
Wash the peppers and remove the stems, then give them a rough chop to help your blender or food processor make this easy work. IMPORTANT! Be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. I used the seeds of the pepper, but if you’d like to tame the heat down a bit you can remove and discard them.
If you’re wondering, you can get the passion fruit puree in the frozen section of West Indian, Asian and Latino grocery stores. I found the batch I used at a local Asian supermarket.
Basically all you have to do now is place all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
You can always tailor this pepper sauce to your own liking, by leaving it chunky or by adding other fruits you like (mango, berries etc) and if you need, you can also add a bit more vinegar should you need it (if it’s too thick).
I wanted to maintain both the heat level and fresh fruity undertones of the passion fruit so I left it raw. However you can always cook it for 10 minutes on a low simmer, then bottle. As is, it can last about a month of your kitchen counter, but for a much longer shelf life, store in the fridge. Just give it a shake before using. Definitely not my mom’s peppersauce, but it’s SO good! If you cannot source Scotch Bonnet peppers, an excellent replacement would be Habanero peppers.
