chris de la rosa Archives | Page 35 of 50

Understandably we don’t automatically associate chili with the Caribbean when we envision the meals being prepared in homes across the islands. However, times are indeed changing and we’re experimenting with different recipes, ingredients and flavors. Just take a peek at the many international restaurants you’ll find in any capital city of any island in the Caribbean and you’ll see that our dining habits are changing. Some may argue that it’s a bad thing as our culinary culture is quickly losing out to these outside influences. Topic for another day! Chili is made on the regular in our home, from the traditional beef, to using spicy sausages, turkey and in this case.. we’ll be using some leftover jerk chicken we had on hand in the fridge.

You’ll Need…

4 cups chopped jerk chicken
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 stalks celery
2 med onions
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
1 package chili powder (about 2 tablespoon)
2 carrots
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
2 scallions

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.

Wash, chop and prep all the vegetables. Then heat the oil in a deep pot (try to use a solid pot) on med heat and go in with the diced onion, garlic, celery and black pepper. Lower the heat to low and allow this to cook for about 4-6 minutes. This will soften up everything and start that flavor base we’re looking for.

With the heat still on low, add the chili powder (pre-packaged stuff is goo enough) and stir well. Cook for another 3 minutes to awaken all the spices in the chili powder mix. Then go in with the diced carrots, mushrooms (yea, I use anything I could find in the fridge) and scotch bonnet pepper (for heat). Stir well, then go in with all the other ingredients – raise the heat to bring to a boil.

Basically I took all the meat off the jerk chicken legs I had and added it to the pot.

Reduce the heat (after it comes to a boil), put the lid on and let it simmer for about 70 minutes. You can start this in a pot, then pour it into a slow cooker and have it go on low for a few hours while you do your everyday routine.

The bits of jerk chicken (especially if you did them on a coals fire) will add a lovely (unique) smoky flavor to the chili and the ‘jerk’ marinade will be a lovely undertone. Taste for salt (adjust accordingly) and near the end, go in with the chopped cilantro.

This is a lovely dish for those cold winter nights (well if you’re like me and based in a country with winters) and feel free to play with other ingredients in the chili to personalize it a bit. Serve with some grated cheddar and a tablespoon of sour cream!

Meat & Poultry

Summer Chicken Chow Delight.

May 27, 2025September 28, 2015Leave a Comment

With the success of the Pork Chow recipe I shared prior to the summer, I thought I’d share a quicker version using rotisserie chicken one can pick up at most supermarkets, being that it’s a great party food idea when visiting friends. As with the pork chow recipe, it’s based on the traditional method of making the spicy pickle usually with mango or other tart fruits. Typically I’d classify this as ‘cuttas’ or drinking food, usually served alongside adult beverages, but it’s just as great a side dish for your dinner.

You’ll Need…

1 roasted chicken (cut into pieces)
1 lemon
2-4 tablespoon water
1 scotch bonnet pepper
pinch sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic
3 scallions
2-3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
drippings from roasted chicken (if there’s any)

Finely chop the cilantro, scotch bonnet pepper (remember to avoid the seeds and white membrane around the seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat and to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers), scallions and you can either crush the garlic or chop it finely as well. Put in all in a bowl, along with the water, salt, black pepper and the juice of the lemon (btw lime juice will work great as well). A good idea is to cut the scotch bonnet pepper into big pieces so people can easily identify them.. so as to avoid it if necessary. Place it all in a bowl and give it a good mix…set aside.

Allow the chicken to chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes so it firms up a bit (makes chopping easier), then cut into small pieces. You can keep or remove the skin.. with rotisserie chicken I find that the skin is quite attractive to some people, so I left it on. It’s now time to assemble the chicken chow. BTW, if you click on Recipe Index at the top we have a couple recipes for roasted chicken if you choose to make your over chicken from scratch.

Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces and gently mix it to combine all the flavors. That’s it!

You can allow it to marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes to really absorb the flavors of the marinade or serve immediately. The goal of ‘chow’ is to be spicy, but you can certainly tailor it to your own liking. I forgot to mention that should you have any dripping in the container the chicken came in, add that to your marinade for extra flavor!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Style Stewed Lamb Chops.

May 28, 2025September 22, 20155 Comments

As a young fella on the islands, I don’t ever recall having lamb (had to call mom and she confirmed this). And to be quite honest, I didn’t even start eating goat until my adult years in Canada after living with my aunt, who’s a master at cooking it in a rich and spicy curry sauce. Today I’m not a huge fan of lamb, as I find the taste and texture turns me off a little (plus the price), but the odd time it is cooked in our home, this is my go-to recipe. Not necessarily “Caribbean”, but you’ll noticed a lot of flavor-adding ingredients being used as we would in the Caribbean.

You’ll Need…

5 Lamb chops (shoulder/cheaper cut)
2 scallions
5 allspice berries
1 small stick cinnamon
1 tablespoon veg oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 med onion
2 cloves garlic
4 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato puree (concentrate)
2 slices ginger
1 scotch bonnet pepper
8 cherry tomatoes
Optional – pinch nutmeg

Note: 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.

Usually we season and marinate meats first in the Caribbean, but in this case we’ll add the seasonings (herbs etc) a little later. Heat the vegetable oil on med/high and brown the pieces of lamb on both sides (takes about 8 mins). Then remove them and set aside.

Turn the heat to low and add the onion, garlic, scallion and thyme, let it gently cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add the tomato puree (concentrate) and cook another 2 minutes. It will go dark.

Now add the add orange juice, black pepper, ginger, allspice berries and bring to a boil. Then go in with the lamb, water, salt and place the scotch bonnet pepper whole. Stir, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 50 minutes or until it’s as tender as you like.

After about 50 minutes, taste for salt and adjust accordingly as my tolerance for salt will be different than yours. Remove the lid and crank up the heat to help the gravy thicken to the way you want it. Here is also where I also add the cherry tomatoes (use chopped regular tomatoes if you wish). Stir every 10-15 minutes or so and try your best to NOT break that scotch bonnet pepper or you will release major heat… unless you want that heat.

Fish out the scotch bonnet pepper, stems from the thyme and all spice berries and discard before serving so no one gets the nasty reality of biting into them. Serve with rice, boiled provisions, flour dumplings or roti.

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Fried Chicken Sandwich.

May 27, 2025September 14, 20153 Comments

Though this recipe was influenced by an image/advertising poster we saw at a local McDonalds restaurant, the manner in which we marinate, ‘bread’ and fry the chicken is 100% Caribbean! It’s a recipe our mom would use when making fried chicken for us and not unlike many such recipes you’ll encounter as you make your way up the island chain which makes up the West Indies. For maximum flavor and texture, I’ll highly recommend using boneless chicken thighs, but if chicken breasts are your thing… you’ll also have fun with that.

You’ll Need…

6 chicken thighs (boneless)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning
1/2 teaspoon peppersauce (hot sauce – as much as you can handle)
1/2 lemon (juice)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 eggs
3 cups veg oil frying

Optional: season flour with a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon smoked hot paprika

To learn how to debone chicken thighs, WATCH THIS VIDEO << CLICK! Season the chicken with the salt, curry powder, Caribbean Green Seasoning, black pepper, lemon juice and peppersauce (hot sauce) and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge about 10 minutes before you’re ready to get started frying, so it comes back to room temperature. Place the all-purpose flour on a plate and whisk the two eggs in a wide bowl. The goal here is to create a sort of breading station. Heat the vegetable oil on on a medium heat as we prepare the chicken pieces for frying. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg, then dust in the flour so it’s fully coated. Dust off any excess flour.

Don’t worry about the remaining marinade on the chicken pieces as we really want that. Now gently add the dusted chicken pieces to the hot vegetable oil. Try to not over-crowd the pan. Fry on each side for about 4-5 minutes or until golden brown. When deboning your chicken thighs, try to make sure they are all the same thickness, so they cook evenly.

Have a plate or wire basket lined with paper towels handy, so when you remove the pieces of fried chicken from the pan, you can set them to drain off some of the excess oil as they cool. Since we seasoned the chicken with salt you will not have to salt it further.. but, your tolerance for salt will be different than mine, so here is when you can sprinkle on some sea salt if you want as the pieces of chicken are hot out of the oil.

This in itself is an amazing way to do fried chicken, so feel free to serve this up if you wish. In our case we’re doing a sandwich. So I had some wonderful brioche buns which I lightly toasted, then on went a piece of (still warm) chicken and I topped it with some of my homemade coleslaw<< click for the recipe. The crunch from the fried chicken, followed by the juicy-seasoned meat itself and the slight creamy tangy coleslaw will set this off as the best fried chicken sandwich – without doubt!

You can obviously top it any which way you like.. so if ketchup, more hotsauce and a bit of mustard is your thing – ENJOY! So back to McDonalds… we were at the drive-thru when Tehya saw the poster with their chicken sandwich and challenged me to make a version. You NEVER challenge a Caribbean bred to anything! Here’s one challenge she lost, but WON.. guess who had two sandwiches?

Gluten Free Side Dishes Vegetarian

Zesty Cucumber Chow (Salad).

May 27, 2025September 8, 20151 Comment

As a young fella on the islands my brother and I would always volunteer to go help dad in the garden whenever we knew cucumbers were in season. We had a stash of salt and a few cloves of garlic in the make-shift shed, where dad would take his breaks from the midday sun. With scotch bonnet pepper (congo as we’d say) and shado beni fresh from the garden.. we’d always make a huge bowl of this ‘chow’ with the ‘baby’ cucumbers (always the sweetest). Immediately after we’d hit the river to go fishing, followed by hours of swimming in the cool refreshing waters of the Guaracara river. Funny thing is dad never got our assistance, but he never peeped a word to mom!

You’ll Need…

6 Dill cucumbers
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 lemon (juice)
8-12 cherry tomatoes
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)
1 clove garlic (crused or diced fine)
1/2 small red onion (optional)

Note: you can use any cucumber you have on hand and the option to peel or not is totally up to you. Remember to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. You can cut back or use more of the pepper if you wish. Traditionally we would use shado beni (culantro) instead of the cilantro.

It was early summer when I did this recipe so I had access to what’s called dill cucumbers (basically small cucumbers) for this recipe, but you can use any cucumber you have on hand. You have the option of peeling or not. In my case, these small cucumbers are quite sweet and I find that the skin adds a lovely texture to it all. What I would recommend doing is not only washing them very well, but to soak them in cool water to make sure all the dirt and sand drops of them.

Cut the stems and bottoms off and cut into spears and place in a large bowl. I also had some cherry tomatoes, so I opted to add them to the salad/chow for some added flavor, color and texture. You can use any tomato you have.

Crush or dice the garlic very finely, chop the cilantro and you can dice the scotch bonnet or cut it into large pieces so when you serve it, your guests can easily identify the pieces and avoid them.

Basically all you’re doing at this point is assembling everything together and giving it a good toss. For best results, allow it to chill and marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour.

If you’re new to Caribbean cuisine or this website, ‘chow’ is basically a spicy pickle we make with tart fruits.. in most cases green mangoes, pineapple etc. In this case we used cucumbers with the same sort of effect.. except, you’ll get a more juicy and refreshing finish.

If you don’t have lemons you can use lime or orange juice for a different flavor profile and if spicy is not your thing.. you can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper. In the video below you’ll notice that I didn’t add any red onions.. so that is totally optional.

Meat & Poultry

Breakfast Sausages With Bell Peppers.

May 27, 2025September 2, 2015Leave a Comment

Your typical Caribbean breakfast is usually laden with ground provisions, dumplings, porridge, curries and roti (depending where in the Caribbean you are) and usually some sort of stewed salted meats (salted cod in most cases), so this recipe will not rank among those traditional type recipes. However, if you’re looking for something with wonderful flavors, brilliant colors and textures, you’ll be quite impressed with this dish. I’ll be using pork (bratwurst) sausages, but you’re free to use any sausage you like (I know some people are into turkey sausages.. just not my thing).

You’ll Need…

4 sausages
2 bell peppers (med)
1 medium onion
3 scallions
1/4 teaspoon Spanish pimentón (smoked hot paprika)
1 teaspoon veg oil
1 clove garlic
3 sprigs thyme
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the veg oil on a low flame and add the sausages. TIP.. add about 1/2 cup water to the pan so the sausages cook before they start burning on the outside before the inside in cooked or you can also place a lid on the pan. By the time the water burns off, your sausages should be close to being fully cooked. Now turn up the heat to fully ‘brown’ them on the outside. Takes about 20 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of them.

Remove the now cooked sausages and set aside. Then add the garlic (crushed) and onion (chopped) to the same pan and cook on low for about 3 minutes. Then go in with the thyme, black pepper, salt, scotch bonnet and pimentón. Stir well and cook for a minute.

It’s now time to add the chopped bell peppers and scallions to the mix and stir well. The goal is to pick up all the flavors from the bottom of the pan from when we cooked the sausages.

Let it go for about 2-3 minutes so the peppers soften up a bit, but retain a bit of texture. The sausages should be cool by now, so chop into bite sized pieces and add to the pan. Be sure to save any juices which may run off while cutting and add to the pan as well. Stir well, cook another 2 minutes and you’re all done.

This sausage with bell peppers will have a slight kick to it from the scotch bonnet peppers, but you can certainly control that. It goes well with cassava dumplings, ground provisions, roti, coconut bake or even something as simple as toasted bread. So give it a try and enjoy!

Gluten Free Vegetarian

Gluten Free Vegetarian Callaloo Recipe [creamy spinach soup].

August 23, 2015August 23, 20152 Comments

Callaloo, the delicious soup-like dish of the Southern Caribbean is traditionally made with the inclusion of fresh ocean crabs for it’s unique and rich flavor. If one cannot source that wonderful ‘blue’ crab, we then look for that layer of flavor from salted meats like pigtails and beef, and I’ve seen some people use smoked meats on some occasions. I must point out that the traditional recipe for making callalloo (not to be confused with Jamaican Callaloo) are the tender leaves of the dasheen or taro plant. However, sourcing those in Canada is almost impossible, so we’ll be using baby spinach with brilliant results in this vegetarian version of Callaloo.

You’ll Need…

6-8 cups chopped spinach
2 cups diced butternut squash (or pumpkin)
1 1/2 cups diced sweet potato
2 birds eye pepper (1/4 scotch bonnet)
4 cloves garlic
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 scallions
1 med onion
1 heaping tablespoon sofrito (see note below)
4-5 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water (or veg stock – gluten free)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
10-15 okra

Note: If you don’t have sofrito you can use 1/2 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning – or leave it out if you wish. If you have access to Caribbean seasoning peppers (pimento peppers) I’d recommend adding a couple. Remember to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Click here for the >> Sofrito Recipe

Heat the olive oil in a deep pot (soup pot) and go in with the diced onion, garlic, thyme, chopped scallions and black pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook (stir) for 2-3 minutes.

Add the cubed sweet potato, chopped okra, squash (use pumpkin if you have) and stir well. Then turn up the heat to med and go in with the chopped spinach. Top with the coconut milk and then add all the other ingredients. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.

As it comes to a boil, reduce it to a gentle bubble (like a simmer) and let it go until everything goes tender and starts falling apart (about 40-50 minutes).

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly as my tolerance for salt will be different than yours. It’s now time to ‘swizzle’ the callaloo.. I have an old-school swizzle stick, but you can use an immersion blender or wire whisk. If using an immersion blender try to PULSE in short bursts – do NOT go continuous or you’ll end in with a forty mess. The goal is to have a somewhat smooth soup-like texture/consistency.

Traditionalists may argue that you need the crab or salted meats for a GOOD callaloo to stand out, but I assure you that this vegetarian version, which happens to be gluten friendly is stunning. As a soup or with rice, stewed meats (for non vegetarians), sides of plantains and salad and you’re in true Caribbean heaven. You and your belly can thank me after that food-induced nap!

Seafood

Pepper Shrimp Recipe – Memories Of Korea.

August 18, 2015August 18, 20151 Comment

Tehya and I had the pleasure of being hosted by the City and Mayor of Seoul Korea a couple years ago and it was one of the most amazing culinary and cultural experiences we’ve ever had. You know a trip is starting off on a good note, when on your 14hr flight your first meal comes with a tube of peppersauce (Gochujang)! A rich, deep pepper paste with a hint of fermentation, balanced by the gentle heat of the peppers and an undertone of soy (sauce). This recipe is in memory of the beautiful people f Korea and the way the City of Seoul catered to our many senses and opened the door for my awareness of the rich culinary culture of Asia.

You’ll Need…

1 lb medium shrimp
2 scallions
1 scotch bonnet
2 birds eye pepper
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 table spoon Soju
2 table spoon Korean chili paste (Gochujang)
1 teaspoon soy sauce (light)
pinch of salt

Tips: Substitute Chinese cooking wine for Soju, add fish sauce instead of salt and tomato paste (1 teaspoon) for the Korean chili paste.

Prep you ingredients .. clean and devein the shrimp, chop the garlic finely, slice the scotch bonnet pepper (wash you hands with soap after), chop the scallions and grate the ginger.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan or wok on a low flame, then go in with the garlic and the ‘white’ ends of the scallions. Allow it to gently cook for a couple minutes.

Add the scotch bonnet pepper as well as the Bird’s eye chili (bird pepper in the Caribbean) – open your kitchen window and turn on the exhaust fan above your stove if you have one, as the fumes with the frying pepper will be extreme.

Please note that I included the seeds of the pepper for that EXTRA kick, but you can exclude them if you’re ‘shy’ of real Caribbean sunshine. Turn the heat up to medium and add the shrimp. Stir well and cook until they turn pink (about 3-4 mins).

Now add the soy sauce, pepper paste and a pinch of salt (I didn’t mention it in the ingredient list.. but you can balance things with a pinch of sugar if you want).

Stir well and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Soju and top with the green parts of the scallion. Stir well.. turn off the stove and get ready to enjoy a perfect example of East meets West (Korea + Caribbean) in the form of a brilliant pepper shrimp.

Quite honestly, I enjoyed these as they were, but as a meal you can place this on a bed of steamed rice and you’ll have a delightful (but spicy) meal. A great snack (we say Cutters or cuttas in the Caribbean) for when you’re enjoying some adult beverages with friends.

The Caribbean will ALWAYS be “home” for me, but I’m quite intrigued by the possibility of calling Korea (or maybe another Asian country) home for a little while. The food, culture, people and SHOPPING is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced to date.

Meat & Poultry

5 Tips For Perfect BBQ or Grilled Chicken.

May 27, 2025August 11, 20151 Comment

It’s not strange to see me in a parka, winter boots and full “blizzard” gear during the coldest of Canadian winters, tending to my grill with loving care and admiration. Ever since I started playing with fire and smoke on the $15 charcoal grill from Canadian Tire about 25 years ago at the back of the basement apt we rented in one of the most run-down areas of town, I’ve been a huge fan of bbq and grilling. Yes, there is a difference (so the “experts” will have you believe), but this post is not about the differences between BBQ and grilling, but rather the basic idea of getting the most flavor and best texture from chicken on your grill. These tips will work on propane, charcoal or any other form of heat you use to get that lovely sticky goodness.. you know what I mean.

I’ll try my best to be as quick and to the point as I can be, so this does not become a confusing post.

Tip 1. Season and marinate your chicken. (click > How To Season And Marinate Chicken Like It’s Don’t In The Caribbean) This step will help you start off with a layer of flavor, even before you add the smoke and your favorite BBQ sauce. Wet marinade or dry rub, use flavors you like!

Tip 2. Leave the skin on the chicken – but trim of all fat and excess skin. The skin will serve as a protective barrier from the heat to keep the chicken moist, plus as it slowly renders it will add additional flavor and moisture.

Tip 3. Indirect heat – low and slow. Think of this like a marathon rather than a 100m dash. Yes, you can certainly go with direct heat, but you’ll end up with chicken which is void of any real flavor and a texture similar to the shoes you’re currently wearing. You WON’T win any friends!

Tip 4. Baste with leftover marinade so the chicken remains moist as it grills. (add fruit juice, beer etc to the marinade to baste) To help add additional flavor and moisture, baste that chicken so it doesn’t dry-off as it grills. Remember we do not want leather or chicken jerky!

Tip 5. Warm BBQ sauce in metal pan (remember it will be hot, so don’t touch) and start glazing the last 5-10 minutes of grilling. Do not marinate your chicken with BBQ sauce as the sugars will cause it to char or burn even before it’s cooked internally. Invest in a metal cup or pan and warm though your BBQ sauce on the grill, so you’re not applying cold (from the fridge) bbq sauce to your perfectly cooked chicken. To give it that rich color and sticky goodness, apply layers of that sauce and finish up over the direct heat.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Stewed Turkey Wings Recipe.

May 27, 2025August 10, 201512 Comments

I’m not a huge fan of turkey, especially when it’s done the traditional North American way – roasted in the oven. I much prefer getting the cheaper cuts like the necks (Curry Turkey Necks) and in this case, wings. Though a bit tougher than chicken wings, I find that they hold up well to the Caribbean way of stewing and the outcome is quite delightful. Tender pieces of meat, with a wonderful gravy which is excellent on rice, potato, dumplings, roti or ground provisions. The key is in the way we’ll season, marinate and finally braise these turkey wings in a process which is most traditional to the Southern Caribbean.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs turkey wings
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tomato (diced)
1 small onion (diced)
3 scallions (Chopped)
1 birds eye chili (1/4 scotch bonnet)
3 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon chopped shado beni (or cilantro)
2 seasoning peppers (known as pimento peppers)
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
3 cups water

Note: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the Worcestershire sauce.

Have your butcher cut the turkey wings into same-size pieces for you, wash and drain. Then season with all the ingredients mentioned above, except the water, veg oil and brown sugar. Mix well, then cover and place in the fridge to marinate for at least 2-3 hours. Overnight would be best, but not necessary.

Heat the veg oil on a high flame in a heavy pot, then add the brown sugar and stir. It will clump, but after a while it will start to melt. Turn the fan on above your stove or open your kitchen window as it can get a bit smokey. Remember to use a dry long handle spoon. Keep stirring the sugar.. it will melt, go foamy/frothy and start changing color… you want it to get to an amber colour. Have the seasoned turkey wings very close as you need to act relatively fast. (watch the video below) As it goes a rich amber color, start adding the pieces of seasoned turkey wings and stir. IMPORTANT – you are adding wet wings to VERY hot molten sugar, so be careful and use a long handle spoon. Stir well, to coat all the pieces of turkey with the lovely color.

Turn the heat down to medium, cover the pot and let it go for about 10 minutes. Yes, it’s ok if some of the marinade goes into the pot as you added the turkey wings. In the same bowl you marinated the wings, pour in the water and move around to pick-up all the remaining marinade – we’ll need that soon. The wings will spring up it’s own natural juices in the pot. Remember to stir it a few times to color it evenly. To intensify the flavor and color of the stew, remove the lid off the pot and crank up the heat to high. It’s time to burn off all that liquid. The goal is to have a dry pot, with the sight of the veg oil at the bottom of the pot that we started of with. Now pour in the water and bring to a boil. This step will now gently cook the wings to perfection.

When it comes to a boil reduce it to a simmer, cover the pot and let it go for about 70-90 minutes. Remember to stir every 10-15 minutes and keep an eye on your liquid level. After about 80 minutes, they should be fully tender, it’s now time to personalize the dish a bit. You can remove the lid and turn the heat up to get the gravy to the consistency you like and remember to taste it for salt and adjust accordingly. Your tolerance for salt will be different than mine.

Top with some chopped scallions and serve!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Coconut Curry Oxtails In The Oven (or slow cooker).

December 4, 2015August 7, 201510 Comments

As a new immigrant to Canada, I remember the days when oxtails were just about the cheapest cut of meat you could get at the grocery store / butcher (they were practically giving the stuff away). Along with liver, gizzards, trotters, chicken feet, snouts and other parts of meats which were considered undesirable by the major part of the buying public, we reveled in the prices. In the Caribbean nothing goes to waste, so what most people refused to use, we had already perfected recipes which brought out the natural goodness of these cuts. Today, with oxtails hovering between $8 and $11 a pound, its now become something you buy for a special occasion or when you have a serious craving.. as in this case with me today!

Note: We’ll start this off on the stove top, then finish it slowly in the oven so it’s important that you use an oven-proof pot. You can use the same technique to start it as I did, then finish it in a slow cooker if you wish. You may need to adjust the cooking time (a bit longer)

You”l Need…

2-3 lbs oxtails (trimmed / washed / dry)
2 tablespoon veg oil
4 cloves garlic (crushed)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped shado beni aka culantro (or cilantro)
3 scallions (chopped)
4 sprigs thyme
3 wiri wiri peppers (1/2 scotch bonnet – no seeds)
1 medium tomato (diced)
3 cups coconut milk
3/4 teaspoon salt

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 which can contain flour as a filler.

Heat the veg oil in an oven-proof pot (with lid) on low heat, then add the crushed garlic and diced onion. Cook on low for about 3-4 minutes. Then go in with your favorite curry powder (I like the Madras blends you get out of the Caribbean). Heat still on low, toast the curry powder to release the aroma of all the spices which make up the curry powder and to cook-off the sort of ‘raw’ curry taste. This will take about 3-5 minutes.

Now add the trimmed (please try to cut off as much of the fat off the oxtail) pieces of oxtails into the pot and stir. The idea is to coat the pieces with the lovely curry base we created.

Basically all you have to do next, is add all the other ingredients, turn the heat up and bring it to a boil If we bring it to a boil, it will start cooking much faster in the oven. Set your oven to 375F.

Place the lid on the pot and on the middle rack in your oven. Now here is where you get to personalize it a few ways. Depending on how old the animal was the tails came from, it will determine how long it will take to cook. On average, to get fall-off-the-bones tender (like I like) it will range between 2 and 3 hours. I lucked out and 2.5 hrs later it was just perfect. Near the end of cooking, taste for salt and adjust accordingly, as your tolerance for salt will be different than mine. And the third way to personalize this depends on how thick you want your gravy. If you find that the meat is tender but your gravy is thin.. remove the lid and crank up the heat a bit or simple place the pot back on the stove top and reduce the liquid that way.

If you want to stretch this dish a bit, you can add some potato and carrots the final hour of cooking.. but I’ll recommend starting off with a bit more curry powder and you’ll need to adjust the salt and cooking liquid (coconut milk) as well.

I finished it off with some fresh chopped herbs (parsley/ cilantro) as I took it out of the oven! Optional, so I didn’t mention it in the list of ingredients.

Tip: Since oxtails can be very fatty and the fact that we started off with veg oil, after about 2 hours of cooking you can skim-off the fat at the surface of the pot and discard (NOT down your sink). The last thing you need is additional grease in your diet. If you find that oxtails are beyond your budget, you can use Turkey necks as I did with this recipe: The Ultimate Curry Turkey Necks Recipe.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Gluten Free Jerk Marinade (for Chicken, Pork, Shrimp and Fish)

May 27, 2025July 28, 2015Leave a Comment

Over the years I’ve shared countless recipes for making jerk marinades, sauces, how to make finger-licking Jamaican jerk in the oven and classic jerk on your grill and bbq. As we continue our annual July Month Of Grilling I thought I’d shift focus and share a gluten friendly version of a classic Jamaican jerk marinade for our friends who deal with gluten intolerance. A jerk marinade which goes well with fish, shrimp, pork and in this case, some chicken legs which we’ll marinate before slowly cooking them over a moderate coals-fire in the back yard.

You’ll Need…

8 lbs chicken legs.

For the gluten free jerk marinade…

4 scallions
1 orange (juice)
1 lime (juice)
1/2 cup vinegar (white)
8-10 sprigs thyme
2 scotch bonnet peppers
4 slices ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8-12 pimento berries (allspice)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic

NOTE: It’s important that you go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs – especially the Soy Sauce.

You’ll need a food processor or blender for making this marinade… or some knife skills as you’ll need to finely chop everything. Remember when handling scotch bonnet peppers to wear gloves and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. The “raw” heat will be in the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds, so trim and discard that area if your worried about such heat. Give everything a rough chop and place it in the food processor (or blender).

Here you have two options, you can puree until smooth, or do as I like – pulse so you get a sort of chunky consistency. You can now pour this over your desired protein or store it in a the fridge until you’re ready to use it. It will remain good for up to a week. The vinegar will act as a natural preservative.

In my case I was doing chicken legs with it, so I trimmed off all the fat and excess skin. You can remove the skin, but I like leaving the skin as it adds flavor as it cook and renders and it also helps to form a protective barrier as the chicken cooks so it does not go dry. I also like piercing the thick parts of the chicken so the marinade gets into the meat and really infuse it with maximum niceness. Pour in the marinade and massage the chicken pieces. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hrs in the fridge – overnight would be ideal. Then get ready to grill as you would normally.

I had a relatively hot fire going, so I placed the chicken pieces away from the direct heat (indirect grilling), lid on and allowed it to go until it was cooked to my likeness (about 50 mins to 1 hr). I used the remaining marinade in the bowl to baste it the first 30 minutes or so – remember raw chicken was in the bowl, so try to cook off the marinade. Flip the chicken pieces every 10 minutes or so and rotate around the grilling surface so you grill them evenly.

The final 5 minutes is when you can place the chicken pieces over the direct heat to allow for that sort of caramelized color you want to achieve – that comes from the heat and cooked sugars in the marinade. Remember if you put the chicken pieces too early over the direct heat, those same sugars will char or burn the outside of the chicken and the inside will be raw.

If you want, you can double the marinade recipe and reserve 1/2. That remaining 1/2 add a bit of honey, orange juice or apple and cook/reduce for a wicked sauce to serve with the cooked pieces of jerk chicken.

I like squeezing on some fresh lime juice as soon as I take it off the grill for that little blast of citrus, which I think awakens the jerk chicken even more. just my take though!

chris de la rosa

Jerk Chicken Chili.

Summer Chicken Chow Delight.

Caribbean Style Stewed Lamb Chops.

The Ultimate Fried Chicken Sandwich.

Zesty Cucumber Chow (Salad).

Breakfast Sausages With Bell Peppers.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Callaloo Recipe [creamy spinach soup].

Pepper Shrimp Recipe – Memories Of Korea.

5 Tips For Perfect BBQ or Grilled Chicken.

Stewed Turkey Wings Recipe.

Coconut Curry Oxtails In The Oven (or slow cooker).

Gluten Free Jerk Marinade (for Chicken, Pork, Shrimp and Fish)

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