After just one bite of Popeye’s popcorn shrimp many years ago I knew I had to find my own version of making this delicious snack. I needed something where I would control the ingredients used and as a son of the Caribbean soil, I knew it had to reflect our love for seafood and passion for rich flavors. But don’t take my word for it, give the recipe a test drive!
You’ll Need…
3 cups vegetable oil for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 cup dry bread crumbs (see note below)
1 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped finely)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
pinch teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Note: I like using crushed salted crackers instead of the bread crumbs.
Peel, devein and wash the shrimp (Video demohow to peel and devein shrimp). Then season with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, crushed garlic, black pepper and finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper. Allow this to marinate for 10 minutes.
As the shrimp marinates, prepare the breading station. In a bowl place the bread crumbs (I like using crushed salted crackers as I find the texture and airiness is much better) , in another bowl you’ll have the flour and the final bowl you’ll whisk together the milk and egg.
Since these popcorn shrimp cooks very fast I suggest you bread all of them before you start frying. Each shrimp – dust in the flour, then the egg mixture, then roll in the bread crumbs (you may need to press them down into the bread crumbs a bit) and set aside.
Basically all you have to do now is deep or shallow fry these until they are golden brown. With my flame on medium/high (oil hot) I gently placed each shrimp (do in 2 batches to not over-crowd the pan) and cooked them for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Fish them out and place on paper towels to try and absorb some of the excess oil.
Serve warm with some Caribbean pepper sauce or any sort of dip you like using. (top with some chopped parsley and lemon wedges to make the dish look even more appetizing)
There’s enough popcorn shrimp here for 5 people as a snack and the recipe can easily be doubled if needs be. One bite and you’ll never go back to Popeye’s or anywhere else that serves popcorn shrimp.
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Curry goat or goat curry as it’s called in Guyana is one of those dishes you immediately think about when you envision Caribbean cuisine and rightly so, as it’s something you’ll find being prepared on just about every island in the Caribbean. Though the recipe may differ from island to island one thing is common – it must be tender. This usually means cooking it slowly for at least a couple hours to the point where the meat falls off the bones. And though you now get boneless curry goat at the many Caribbean take-out restaurants, the pieces with bone is still the traditional cut of goat meat to use. It can be argued that there’s much more flavor in the bones.
You’ll Need…
3 lbs goat
1 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper
1 medium onion sliced
4 cloves garlic crushed or sliced thin
3 sprigs thyme
1 tomato sliced
5 red birds eye pepper (or 1/2 scotch bonnet)
1 scallion
1 teaspoon curry powder for seasoning the meat
2 tablespoon curry powder for cooking
1/2 teaspoon amchar masala (optional but goes well with this dish)
1 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
2 leaves shado beni (bhandhanya)
1 teaspoon ketchup
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cups water
Notes: I like using goat with the bones, but if you prefer (and can afford it) you can certainly used boneless goat.
Season the washed goat with the salt, black pepper, Caribbean green seasoning, amchar masala (roasted ground cumin will work as well), ketchup (adds a nice acidic layer), teaspoon of curry, the chopped tomato and the chopped scallions. Mix well and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight may give even better results.
Heat the vegetable oil in the pressure cooker (same steps if you’re not using a pressure cooker) on med/high heat and toss in the diced onion and garlic. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook slowly for 3-5 minutes. With the heat still on low, now toss in the curry powder (2 tablespoon – I use a madras blend made in the Caribbean) and stir well. Let that go for another 3 minutes or so on low heat to cook off the raw curry taste. Add the peppers, cook for a minute and then add the seasoned goat.
Turn the heat up as you want to sear the meat and allow it to pick up some of that lovely curry colour and flavor from the bottom of the pot.
After 10-15 minutes on high heat, top with the other ingredients and secure the lid on the pressure cooker. Cook for 30-35 minutes as per your pressure cooker instructions.
Ensure the pressure cooker is cool before opening (release air and run cool water over it if in a rush). You should now have tender curry goat, but the gravy may be runny for your liking. With the lid off, put the open pressure cooker back on the flame (high) and burn off the liquid until you have a gravy the consistency you like.
TIP. Goat can be notoriously fatty, so what I usually do is after it’s done pressure cooking I allow it to cool completely (before thickening the gravy) and in doing so you’ll see a thin layer of fat at the top form (very thick). Spoon that out and discard. Now turn up the heat to get the gravy right.
By cooking this curry goat in the pressure cooker we cut the cooking time by about 2/3’s, so if you’re ever pressed for time, this pressure cooker curry goat recipe will come in handy. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you’ll have to bring the pot to a boil after adding all the ingredients, then reduce to a gentle simmer for about 2 to 2.5 hours (lid on). Remember to stir and do check to see if there’s enough liquid as it cooks slowly.
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I don’t have to remind you that if you or anyone sharing this drink is allergic to peanuts, stay away at all costs. Peanut punch or peanut drink as it’s sometimes called in the Caribbean, is a rich and creamy drink made with peanuts as the base as the name would hint. Traditionally it’s made with peanut butter (or you can grind freshly roasted peanuts, but who needs all that work), milk, condensed milk and with a hint of vanilla, but this time we’ll take things to the extreme by adding some more ingredients. So this is not your traditional peanut punch recipe.
Notes. You can personalize this further by using whatever (fat content) milk you normally use and try to use a good milk chocolate – one you enjoy. The chocolate and vanilla ice cream will be enough to sweeten this drink, so there’s no need for sugar or condensed milk.
Give the chocolate a rough chop so it’s easier for the blender as well as the banana. Then place everything into the blender and blitz until you have a smooth consistency. Try to ensure the milk is cold as we really don’t want to add ice in the blender as I’ve seen other recipes do.
Chill in the fridge and serve cold (add ice if necessary to the glass) . This can remain in the fridge for a couple days, but do remember to give it a good stir before serving as the ingredients may settle when stored.
There’s enough in this recipe for 2 people and it’s easy to multiply the recipe if you plan on making a bigger batch. This is really a meal in itself and great way to start your Caribbean morning.
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There’s been a lot of discussion, hate and much love for this recipe after I posted the recipe video online. In an effort to prevent the traditionalists from getting uneasy when they go through this recipe, let me be clear that this is NOT a traditional jerk chicken recipe. This stove top jerk chicken recipe is mainly for anyone who do not have access to either a bbq, grill and/or pimento wood. It’s an effort to mimic the flavors you’ve come to enjoy from classic jerk, but with the convenience of using a sauce pan.
BTW, for those of you who wrote in asking for a gravy to go with your jerk chicken.. stay tuned, this gravy will blow your socks off!
You’ll Need….
3lbs chicken drums
Marinade
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
8 pimento berries (or 1 teaspoon ground allspice)
3 scallions
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
6 springs thyme
1 med onion
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon veg oil
juice 1/2 lemon
1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
* garnish with chopped parsley
IMPORTANT! Please go through the ingredient list if doing this recipe gluten free to ensure that they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce and chicken stock.
Place all the ingredients mention for the marinade into a food processor of blender (chop finely and mix well if you don’t have access to a blender), then pour it over the washed/drained chicken pieces and allow it to marinate for at least 2 hours in the fridge.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a deep sauce pan (tip – use a non stick pan for better browning), knock off most of the marinade off the chicken pieces and brown on med-high heat. Takes about 10 minutes or so to get some colour.
Add in the honey and tomato paste and give it a good stir. This will add some lovely colour to the dish and the honey will help balance off the heat of the scotch bonnet pepper. P0ur in the lemon juice and chicken stock followed by 3/4 cup of the jerk marinade the chicken was sitting in. Turn the heat up to bring it to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and let it cook for 20 minutes. Now remove the lid and turn up the heat to burn off any excess liquid. Here’s where you’ll taste it for salt (adjust accordingly) and thicken the gravy to the desired consistency.
Your kitchen will have the wonderful scent of the ginger, spices and herbs from the marinade and to be quite honest you’ll be counting down the minutes to dive in. Garnish with some chopped parsley and get ready to enjoy some of the most delicious jerk chicken NOT made the traditional way. It may take on the appearance of stewed chicken, but I assure you there’s no mistaken the jerk elements of this tasty dish.
I almost feel as if I’m trying too hard to add validity to this recipe, but give it a try then come back and leave your comments!
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This is a delightful dish our mom would prepare whenever there was leftover chicken from the day before (usually on a Monday). She would curry the beans and the last 5 minutes or so add in the chicken pieces for the perfect accompaniment for boiled rice or hot roti off the tawa. In this version I’ll do things a little different by doing the curry chicken base first, then we’ll add the trimmed beans and simmer it all in some coconut milk.
Notes. I used a madras curry blend (made in the Caribbean). The chicken thighs were deboned, but feel free to use bone-in (about 2lbs).. cook a little longer. Do NOT cut the peppers, simply remove the stems and use whole. We’ll get some flavor from them, without the raw heat. IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free, do ensure that the curry powder has no flour filler to meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Cut the chicken into 1 -2 inch pieces, wash and drain. Then season with the salt, black pepper, green seasoning and amchar massala (you can also use ground roasted geera – cumin) and allow to marinate for about 1 hour. In the meantime you can trim the string beans (simply cut off the tips and cut into 2 inch pieces).
Heat the oil in a fairly large pan on med-high, then add the chopped shallot (you can also use onion) and garlic and turn the heat down to low. Cook this gently for about 3 minutes. Then add the curry powder and stir well. Cook for a further 3 minutes to get the raw curry taste out. It will go darker in colour and go a bit grainy.
Now add the peppers (do not break them unless you want the heat) and cook for about 30 seconds, then add in the seasoned chicken and mix well to deglaze the pan and to coat the chicken pieces with the lovely curry base we created.
Turn the heat up to medium/high and cook the chicken with the lid uncovered for about 4-5 minutes. Then add the trimmed beans and coconut milk (remember to give it a good stir) and bring to a boil. Place the lid on the pan and cook for about 10 minutes (depending on how well you like your beans cooked) on a simmer (so lower the heat).
Remove the lid and time to finish off the dish. You check for salt at this point (adjust accordingly) and you can also personalize the dish at this point. Depending if you want gravy or not, you can now turn up the heat and burn off all the remaining liquid. OPTIONAL: Toss in a few cherry tomatoes, turn off the heat and place the lid back on. The residual heat will soften the tomatoes so it does not go to mush and really give the dish some colour.
This is a dish Tehya simply craves (me too) and it’s a great way to get children eating vegetables. But please try to not overcook the beans as it will take on a soggy texture and loose it’s bright flavor.
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The past three recipes during this the official month of grilling on Caribbeanpot.com, we’ve done our cooking on a propane grill but today we’ll go old school and dust out the charcoal bbq for that extreme flavor you can only get by using coals. With just two steps and a few ingredients you’ll not only love how simple this candied pork tenderloins are to make, but you’ll be amazed at how juicy and packed with flavor they will be.
The first step is to marinate the pork tenderloins, then spark up the charcoal bbq and do your thing!
* I used dark soy sauce but if you’re concerned about the sodium level, you can certainly use a light soy. If you can’t source the seasoning peppers, you can use a 1/4 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper finely diced. You can also combine the seasoning peppers with scotch bonnet for a little Caribbean KICK!
Though there are only two steps in making these amazing candied pork tenderloins, it does require some patience. In a bowl combine the soy sauce, ginger, garlic and brown sugar, then place the (washed and dry) tenderloins in a zipper bag (get a strong one so it does not leak on you) and mix in all the ingredients. Seal the bag, give it a good massage then place it in a bowl in the fridge. I put it in a bowl so in the event of any leakage, there won’t be a mess in the fridge to clean up.
TIP! For extreme flavor allow this to marinate overnight, but you can also go with a couple hours if you’re pressed for time.
As you get your coals up to temperature I would recommend taking the pork out of the fridge, discard the marinade and allow it to come up to room temperature. The last thing you want to do is to put cold meat on a hot bbq.
Here is where you will now personalize the dish by the technique you use for grilling. I did the indirect method where I placed the tenderloins away from direct heat and allowed them to slowly cook for about 45 minutes. Since pork tenderloins are never uniform in shape, I always place the skinny end as far away from the direct heat as this end will ALWAYS cook faster and can dry-up on you.
Please note that due to the sugar as well as the soy sauce in the marinade it will take on color very fast, so try to cook over indirect heat. That said, the last 4-5 minutes of cooking I did place them directly over the heat to get a lovely color and for added flavor.
After you remove them off the bbq, it’s very important that you cover them with some tin foil and allow them to rest before slicing. This resting will redistribute the natural juices back into the meat and make for a more tender and juicy candied pork tenderloins.
Tip: You can add some apple wood to the coals for a lovely fruity smoke flavor which will compliment the pork very well. If you don’t have a charcoal grill, you can do your thing on a propane grill.
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.
As we work our way through July’s month of grilling I thought I’d share a lovely breakfast done on the grill, but one which can easily be done in your kitchen oven as well. Yes I do read your emails, so this one is especially for those of you without a grill or bbq. Kieana, Tehya and myself had a grand time with this breakfast, so I know you’ll enjoy this one as much as your guests. This is not your typical Caribbean breakfast, but with the fresh herbs and slight kick from the scotch bonnet peppers… traditionalists will fall in love with this dish.
You’ll Need…
4 eggs
2 large potatoes ( I like Yukon gold)
1 tablespoon chives
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
pinch of black pepper
pinch sea salt
2 tablespoon olive oil (see note)
1 medium onion
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
1 medium tomato
3/4 cup cheese (see note)
4 strips crispy bacon
* Near the end of cooking I had some grated cheddar which I used to top the dish (Optional)
Note: I used some of the bacon fat instead on the olive oil. Use any cheese you like… I used feta. You can use sweet potato or Caribbean yam instead of the everyday potato which I used if you really want to make this Caribbean.
Peel, wash and boil your potatoes until tender but without falling apart. Slice the tomato and onion thinly, then chop the parsley, chives and scotch bonnet pepper. Do not include any seeds from the pepper and remember to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water after handling scotch bonnet peppers. Also give the bacon a rough chop or if it’s fried crisp, you can easily crumble it in your hands.
It’s now time to layer everything into your cast iron pan or heat proof pan if you’re doing it in the oven. Brush on the oil (or as in my case the bacon fat) to cover the entire pan, then add the sliced onion, followed by the potato (cut 1/4 inch thick). The onion will caramelize when cooked and give it a wonderful sweet flavor.
Now add the feta cheese (spread evenly) and top it with the chives, scotch bonnet pepper, thyme and bacon bits.
Crack in the eggs (spread them apart evenly) and put the tomato slices between them, then top with the parsley, black pepper and salt. It’s now time to head out to the grill to get cooking. There are 3 burners on my grill so the the 2 burners directly under the pan were set on low and the one on the far right was on high. You’re looking for a moderate temperature and do remember to keep the lid on the grill closed.
After 20-25 minutes the eggs should be set and this is where you’ll personalize the dish a bit. Depending on how firm you like your eggs you’ll have to determine how much longer you want to cook this. I went for a further 5 minutes, but at this point I topped everything with some grated cheddar and allowed it to melt and bring the entire dish together.
Do remember that it will continue cooking after you remove it from the grill, so keep that in mind when determining how you want your eggs cooked.
The potatoes were boiled in slightly salted water, feta is usually a salty cheese and the bacon (and fat) will also have some salt, so do keep this in mind when salting the dish as you prep it. If you’re doing this in your oven I would go with a 375 F heat for 20-25 minutes, then under the broiler for 2-3 minutes to melt everything together and give it a little color.
This is a 4 person dish and can be sliced in quarters the shape you would slice pizza so everyone gets and egg. You can certainly top it with more eggs if you want.
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As we begin July’s month of grilling as we’ve done in the past, I thought I’d start off with a dish which is very easy to prepare and has the wonderful flavors of the Caribbean in every bite. Don’t be intimidated with the amount of scotch bonnet pepper we used as it’s well balanced with the earthy sweetness of the honey. If Tehya can come upstairs with clean bamboo skewers in hand and say “dad this shrimp was on point!”, I’m sure you can handle the little Caribbean sunshine of it all.
Notes: Wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and do remember to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Do NOT include any of the seeds and white membrane surround the seeds if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
If you’re not sure how to peel and devein shrimp, watch this video…
There are really just two steps to preparing this dish (marinate and grill).. So let’s start off by marinating the shrimp. In a strong zipper bag or plastic container, place the cleaned shrimp and all the other ingredients. Give it a good toss and store it in the fridge for one hour.
As the shrimp marinates, I’d recommend soaking the bamboo skewers in water to help prevent them from burning while on the grill. After one hour, it’s just a matter of threading the shrimp onto the skewers and heading out to a relatively hot grill. If you have a grill pan, you can certainly make these indoors on your stove.
When I cleaned my shrimp I left a little bit of the tail/shell on, just for presentation purposes.. the choice is yours.
Lightly grease your grill surface to prevent sticking (I used cooking spray, but you can dampen a paper towel with vegetable oil and brush) then place the skewers on (medium/low flame) on one side for 3-4 minutes.
After which you’ll then flip them over and cook for another couple minutes. Try not to over-cook them and pay attention to any flare-ups which may cause them to burn. The lid of my grill was covered during the grilling process . Remember they will continue cooking with its residual heat after removing off the direct flame, so factor that in so you don’t end up with rubbery shrimp at the end.
Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and enjoy! I got 5 skewers with the one lb of shrimp and that’s pretty much enough for 5 people (1 skewer had only 2 shrimp though). Your guests will be raving after just one bite, so I would definitely double up on the recipe (just the shrimp as there will be enough marinade) to accommodate their immediate addiction.
Don’t forget to check back all of this month for more exciting and taste-bud challenging recipes off the grill!
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.
In the past we’ve used beef and shrimp as the base for delightful stir fry Caribbean style, but there’s no reason why we can’t use one of the most popular ingredients in the Caribbean with similar or dare I say better results. Saltfish (dry slated cod or other white fish) is a much revered ingredient throughout the Caribbean, so using it to add flavor to a quick stir fry came quite natural.
You’ll Need…
3/4 cup salted fish (flaked)
1 cup carrots (julienne)
2 cups cabbage
1.5 cups bell peppers (use any color you like)
2 scallions
1 medium onion
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
pinch black pepper
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (use gluten free if doing the recipe gluten free)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
Notes: You’ll need to prepare the salted fish before using. Cover with water in a pot and boil for about 25 minutes. Drain, rinse (squeeze dry) and shred/flake. I usually get boned saltfish so I don’t have to worry about the tiny bones, but do keep an eye out for any which may still be present. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Heat the oil in a wok or large non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Add the salted fish and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Then add the onion, ginger, thyme, carrots and bell peppers.
After 3 minutes (be sure to keep stirring) add the cabbage, soy sauce, black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper (don’t use any seeds). Mix well!
Here’s where you’ll personalize the dish.. I cooked it for 3 minutes after adding the cabbage as I like a little crunch on my vegetables (especially cabbage) but you can cook longer if you wish. Top with the scallions and get ready to serve.
You’ll notice that we didn’t add any salt to this dish as the slated fish will still have a trace amount of salt and the soy sauce will also help finish seasoning the dish. I would recommend serving this as soon as you’re done, so you get the full freshness of the vegetables. In less than7 minutes, you’ll have a wonderful dish to serve your family. BTW, this saltfish stir fry makes delicious sandwiches.
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.
The Caribbean is flooded with pepper sauces and condiments of all kinds as it’s simply part of our culinary culture. The textures, heat level, ingredients, ways of preserving and overall vibrancy of them all are unique to the maker and individual island. In Trinidad and Tobago you’ll find a lot of chutneys and amchars, while in Barbados you’ll hear the locals boast about their peppersauce. As someone who consider myself an aficionado of anything hot and spicy, it must be said that Haitian Pikliz is at the top of my list when it comes to spicy condiments.
The slight crunch of the vegetables, the heat from the thinly sliced scotch bonnet peppers and the flavors the vinegar (takes on) which is use to bring it all together is just outstanding (after marinating for about a week or so).
This recipe is dedicated to the beautiful people of Haiti.
You’ll Need…
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 large carrot
1 cup bell pepper (green, orange, red)
1 onion
2 scallions
6 scotch bonnet peppers
4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
12-14 peppercorns
2 cups vinegar (see note)
1/2 lime juice
* 4 cloves (traditionally used)
Note: Add enough vinegar to cover the ingredients in the storage container. Allow to marinate for about 5 days before use. I was out of cloves, but it’s a traditional ingredient used in making this lovely pickle, so I would recommend using.
This is a very simple recipe to put together as it involves a couple steps and some patience (to marinate). Start off by slicing the cabbage very thinly, same for the all the other ingredients. You may be tempted to use a food processor, but I would suggest you don’t. The food processor may overwork the vegetables and you won’t get that unique size/shape pikliz is supposed to have. Grate the carrot and diced the garlic very fine.
Place all the sliced ingredient sin a large bowl .. large enough so you can easily mix everything easily without spilling all over the place. Also mix in the salt, pepper corns and cloves.
Get a fairly large glass bottle and pack in everything, then all you have to do is top with the vinegar, cover and set aside to marinate. You can certainly begin using right away, but if you give it about five days to marinate and really take on the flavors of everything you’ll be rewarded with the best pikliz you’ve ever had.
Since we used vinegar as the base, it will act as a preservative so you don’t have to worry about it going bad if you don’t store it in the fridge. However, if you do store it in the fridge it can last months. But be aware that some the heat will be lost the longer it stays in the fridge. Now if only I had some Griot to accompany this Pikliz!
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.
The Caribbean is flooded with pepper sauces and condiments of all kinds as it’s simply part of our culinary culture. The textures, heat level, ingredients, ways of preserving and overall vibrancy of them all are unique to the maker and individual island. In Trinidad and Tobago you’ll find a lot of chutneys and amchars, while in Barbados you’ll hear the locals boast about their peppersauce. As someone who consider myself an aficionado of anything hot and spicy, it must be said that Haitian Pikliz is at the top of my list when it comes to spicy condiments.
The slight crunch of the vegetables, the heat from the thinly sliced scotch bonnet peppers and the flavors the vinegar (takes on) which is use to bring it all together is just outstanding (after marinating for about a week or so).
This recipe is dedicated to the beautiful people of Haiti.
Ingredients
Instructions
Video
Place Green Cabbage (2 cup), Scotch Bonnet Pepper (6), Assorted Color Bell Peppers (1 cup), Onion (1), Carrot (1), and Scallion (1 bunch) in the mixing bowl.
Add in the Peppercorns (12), Salt (1 teaspoon), and Garlic (4 clove).
Add some juice from the Lime (1/2) by squeezing over the bowl, then toss everything together.
Get a fairly large glass bottle and pack everything in, then top with Distilled White Vinegar (2 cup). Cover and set aside to marinate. Let sit for 4 to 5 days before using.
This can be served with your favorite meat dish, soup or whatever savory dish you think could use some heat!
Note
Add enough vinegar to cover the ingredients in the storage container. Allow to marinate for about 5 days before use. I was out of cloves, but it’s a traditional ingredient used in making this lovely pickle, so I would recommend using.
Our mom would make a very similar dish for when my dad would have his friends over to play cards and she called her’s steamed breadfruit. Basically stewed pork, topped with breadfruit and simmered in freshly made coconut milk. That was and still is a hit with anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of having a plate. Just writing about this and my mouth is overcome with liquid craving! Without much doubt her way of ‘steaming’ the breadfruit is one of my favorite meals.
This Grenadian oil down recipe I’m about to share was passed on to me about 20 years ago by a good friend from Grenada and though it did not replace my moms recipe for cooking breadfruit, it’s absolutely outstanding. One plate and you’ll know why Grenadians are so passionate about their oil down and why they refer to it as their national dish. You will notice that there will be some minor differences in the traditional way it would be cooked in Grenada, but I like bringing out as much flavor from ingredients I use and when you’re not based in the Caribbean, there are times when traditional ingredients are difficult to source.
Notes. I used Jamaican callaloo leaves (chorai bhaji), but traditionally dasheen leaves are used and if you don’t have access to either, you can use spinach or your favorite greens. You can personalize this dish by adding your favorite ground provision like yams, dasheen, cassava etc. Typically a large breadfruit would be used as it’s usually the star of this dish, but sourcing (and affording) a large breadfruit in North America is not as easy as if you’re on the islands.
* You can also add smoked herrings, salted fish etc. Flour dumplings are also added the last 15 minutes of cooking for that unique Grenadian way.
First up we’ve got to prep the salted pigtails. Hopefully you can get your butcher to cut the tails into 1.5 inch pieces or make sure you have a clever to cut through the bone. Place in a deep pot covered with water and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a rolling boil for about 40 minutes. This will not only help tenderize the salted pig tails, but it will help remove most of that harsh salt it was cured in. Drain, rinse and set aside.
Cut the chicken into serving size pieces, wash and drain. Then season with the Caribbean green seasoning and black pepper. Allow to marinate for the length of time the pig tails pre-cook. You can also peel, wash and cube (large pieces) the eddoes, cooking banana, carrot, breadfruit, Jamaican callaloo and pumpkin. Make sure to keep the vegetables/ provisions in a bowl covered with water so they don’t discolor.
In a deep pot, heat the veg oil on a medium flame and add the onion, garlic, scallion and pimento peppers and cook for about 2-3 minutes. You’ll start with a wonderful flavor base.
Turn the heat down to low as we stack everything in the pot. Layer in the now pre-cooked salted pig tails, the seasoned chicken and everythign else. Top with the chopped callaloo and finally.. mix in the curry powder and turmeric together with the coconut milk and pour into the pot. Traditionally the last thing to go on top the pot would be the dasheen bush leaves to form a sort of seal for everything to cook under.
Turn the heat up to bring the pot to a boil (lid on).
After it comes up to a boil reduce to a simmer, have the lid slightly ajar and cook for about 35-40 minutes. Try not to stir as we really don’t want things to fall apart and become mush.
The scent coming out of the pot will be intoxicating and your family will pester you.. is it done yet? .. patience young ones! The “oil-down” comes from the fact that the oils from the pig tail and coconut milk will coat and flavor this dish like no other.You’ll notice that I didn’t add any salt, so you’ll have to add accordingly. The remaining salt from the pig tails will be enough to properly season the dish, but your tolerance will be different than mine.
I remember making this dish for some friends when were in St Vincent a few years back, old school… 3 stones, fire wood and the outdoors.. good times! But the washing of that pot after was not fun.
This will be a huge pot of food (about 6-8 people) and it’s always good to make this when you have family and friends coming over.
Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.
My first true encounter with ‘good’ Jamaican festivals was breakfast at our friend Dino’s home in Portmore Jamaica several years ago. Imagine waking up to a full spread of festivals, ackee and saltfish, boiled green bananas and to top it all off, a piping hot cup of rich and creamy Milo! Moms (Dino’s mom) had us set for the day! When the day came for us to continue our trek through Jamaica (Ocho Rios > Montego Bay then Negril) it was painful to know that we won’t be waking up to such a wonderful home-cooked breakfast anymore.
My inquisitive self had to investigate this wonderful Jamaican Festivals recipe in more detail, so with some arm-twisting I got mom to leave me with some hints. Here we go…
You’ll Need…
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
* About 3 cups of veg oil for frying.
In a large bowl sift in the flour and baking powder, then add the cornmeal, sugar and salt. Give that a quick whisk to mix the ingredients, before we start adding water.
It’s now time to start adding the liquids, so pour in the vanilla and start adding the water a little at a time as you whisk everything around. As it stars to take the shape of dough, you will need to get your hands in there and start kneading. If you find that the 1/2 cup of water was not enough, do drizzle in some more. The idea is to work it for 5-7 minutes, until you have a well formed dough ball that’s firm dough and slightly sticky. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for about 1/2 hr.
After it’s rested, dust your work surface with four and divide the dough ball into 8 equal (as best you can) parts. Then using your hands form each piece into a cigar shape. Try to make them about 6-8 inches long and not overly thick. They will increase in size as they fry.
It’s now time to fry these until they are golden brown and get ready to enjoy some of the best fried dumplings you’ve ever had. Heat the vegetable oil on med, then gently add the shaped festivals dough into the pan. Allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes before you flip them over. In total you’ll probably need between 5-6 minutes for each to be fully cooked and take on that lovely golden color we’re looking for. Have paper towels ready to drain off the excess oil after they’re cooked.
These Jamaican festivals are just amazing and you’ll love the crunchy exterior and the fluffy interior will have a lovely texture followed by the flavored sweetness of the vanilla and sugar.
Do try to serve warm and if you want to get a bit creative you can certainly dust them with some icing sugar if you want to make them more like a snack for the kids.
WINNER WANTED!
As I promised on Facebook a few days back, we’ve got a lovely 7 piece Tomodachi knife set to give out to one lucky winner. There was a lot of excitement when I posted that note, so I do expect to see a lot of entries for this giveaway. All you have to do is watch the following video and in the comment section directly below, let me know if the tutorial was helpful (basically what you like about it).
Your name will be automatically entered to win this beautiful knife set which I’m sure you’ll enjoy using. One lucky winner will then be chosen (randomly) and we’ll mail out the prize to you as we normally do.
Here are the rules pertaining to winning this knife set.
– contest is open to everyone globally (even if you won something here before)
– 1 winner will be chosen at random
– contest is open from May 30 – to midnight June 30.
– winner will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.
– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with their mailing address
– we will cover all shipping expenses (standard mail)
I hope you take a moment to enter your name as I’d really like to mail this wonderful collection of knives out to you. It’s simple, free and fun!
