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Haitian Pikliz (Picklese) in a pink dish
Gluten Free Side Dishes Vegetarian

How To Make Haitian Pikliz (Picklese)

46 Comments on How To Make Haitian Pikliz (Picklese)

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.

Meat & Poultry

An Unconventional Grenadian Oil Down.

10 Comments on An Unconventional Grenadian Oil Down.

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.

 

You’ll Need…

2 lbs salted pig tail
3 lbs chicken (I used breast)
1 teaspoon Caribbean green seasoning
black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 scallions
4 sprigs thyme
1 medium breadfruit
1 large carrot
2 cups chopped Jamaican Callaloo *
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
3/4 teaspoon Saffron (turmeric)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
3 pimento peppers (seasoning peppers)
2 cups pumpkin
4 green cooking bananas
3 cups coconut milk
2 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 tablespoon chopped shado beni
6 eddoes

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.

Appetizers & Snacks Vegetarian

Jamaican Festivals – The Ultimate Fried Dumplings!

519 Comments on Jamaican Festivals – The Ultimate Fried Dumplings!

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!

Vegetarian

Jamaican Callaloo (Amaranth) And Bean Soup.

3 Comments on Jamaican Callaloo (Amaranth) And Bean Soup.

I must mention that I used chicken broth in this recipe and you’ll find it’s listed under the vegetarian section of the website so please use vegetable stock to make this fully vegetarian as I didn’t have any left in the pantry when I was putting the recipe together. If you can’t source Jamaican callaloo (chorai bhaji), any ‘greens’ will work (spinach, collard greens… even the green parts of pak choi (bok choy) or Swiss chard).

The flavors from the fresh herbs, scotch bonnet pepper, onion and the textures of the sweet potato and callaloo, will all combine for an excellent Caribbean inspired soup.

 

You’ll Need…

3 cups chicken broth
1 can (540 mL)  Bean Medley
1 large onion diced
1 potato
5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
8 cups  Jamaican callaloo
1/4 cup parsley leaves with stems
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper.
1 diced sweet potato
2 scallions (spring / green onions)
1 tablespoon thyme

Notes. use veg stock for the veg version of this recipe. If you don’t have coconut oil, use extra virgin olive oil.

 

Start by prepping the ingredients.. wash, chop and dice. The sweet potato is peeled and diced as you would any regular potato and try to cube them in the same sizes. Remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet pepper, wash your hands with soap and do not include any of the seeds. That’s where the real fire is when it comes to such lethal peppers.

Heat the oil in a heavy soup pot on medium heat, then add the diced onion, garlic, parsley, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to low and let that gently cook for about 3-5 minutes. We’re creating a lovely base for the soup at this point.

Wash, drain and trim the callaloo (cut into smaller pieces).. feel free to use any tender stems if you wish. Tough stems will not cook down and will give the soup a woody texture. Now add all the chopped callaloo to the pot and give it a good stir. It will wilt down as it cooks.

Add the cubed potatoes and all the other ingredients to the pot. Bring that up to a boil and reduce with the cover slightly ajar to a rolling boil for about 20-25 minutes.

I don’t like using beans straight out of the can, so I usually place the beans in a strainer and let cool water run over them to remove the grit and excess sodium in packed in.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The vegetables will still have their shape so it’s now up to you (if you want to thicken it up a bit as I did), to use a stick blender and give it a couple quick buzz. DO NOT over do it. If you don’t have a stick (immersion) blender, you can take about a cup or 2 (not all) out and place it in your traditional blender and give it a couple pulses. Then return it back to the pot and give everything a good mix. If you don’t have either you can use a whisk or swizzle stick to break things down a little so it thicken up a bit.

 

This recipe is enough for 4-6 people as a starter and 3-4 as a full meal with some coconut bake or your favourite bread… please serve hot.

Oye! before you go… Remember you can watch the cooking videos on the recipe channel and we’d love to interact with you on our Facebook fan page. There’s a few thousand of us already causing commesse on there… so do check it out.

Seafood

Caribbean Spinach With Shrimp Recipe.

5 Comments on Caribbean Spinach With Shrimp Recipe.

Today we’ll be using two of my favorite ingredients in a combination similar to how our mom would do bhaji (dasheen bush) and salted fish (salt cod) when we were kids. With a little heat from scotch bonnet peppers and with a wicked garlic/onion base, it will be outstanding. And very quick to put together.

You’ll need…

1 med onion
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch spinach
2 cloves garlic
pinch salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup pre-cooked shrimp.

Note: You can leave out the scotch bonnet pepper if you’re concerned about the heat (it’s minimal) and do try to get tiny pre-cooked shrimp as they tend to be “sweeter” as we say in the Caribbean.

This is a very quick recipe as spinach cooks really fast and the shrimp is already pre-cooked.

Heat the oil on a medium flame and add the diced onion and garlic. Turn the heat down to low and let it cook (soften) for about 3-4 minutes.

Wash and drain the spinach, turn up the heat to medium high and add the washed spinach. Top with the black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper  and salt. Add the shrimp (I would recommend giving them a rinse in cool water and drain before adding to the pot) and give it a good stir. Do not cover the pan (you don’t want to create any additional moisture). It will quickly start to wilt and darken in colour.

Here is where you’ll personalize it a bit. When it’s cooked to your liking (about 3-4 minutes for me) turn off the stove. Remember to taste for salt and adjust accordingly.

Note: The spinach will naturally release liquid, so you may have to turn up the heat on your stove to burn that off quickly and not over-cook the spinach.

There’s enough here for 3-4 people as a side dish, so feel free to add more spinach if you’re cooking for a bigger party. Simply adjust the salt! If you can’t source spinach, Jamaican callaloo (or chorai bhaji) would be a good substitute.. just cook longer to soften.

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.

Seafood

Zesty Caribbean Pan Fried Sardines Recipe.

4 Comments on Zesty Caribbean Pan Fried Sardines Recipe.

I remember our mom having this ready for our dad when he came home from work after a long day with dhal (yellow split peas) and rice.. always had some sliced cucumber and water cress on the side. My king would be in dinner ecstasy! Fry dry as it was known in our home, wasn’t something me and my siblings  looked forward too as our dad, as we hated the tiny little bones of the sardines. Something if fried correctly will have a slight crunch and can be eaten as well.

You’ll Need…

1lb sardines
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic
1 shallot
2 sprig thyme
2 scallions
1 tablespoon parsley
3 leaves shado beni
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
pinch black pepper
1 lemon (juice) for the marinade
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
* about 2 cups of veg oil for frying

Notes: If you can’t source shado beni, use double the amount of cilantro. Remember to not use any of the seeds from the scotch bonnet pepper if you’re concerned about the raw heat. And do wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling these lethal peppers.

* Scale and gut the sardines (if it wasn’t already done for you at the fish market), then wash with the juice of a lime or lemon and cool water. Drain and get ready to marinate.

Place all the ingredients mentioned above (except the flour, curry powder and fish) into a blender or food processor and blend into a paste. Be prepared for a very refreshing (herbal) scent.. you’ll love it!

Pour the marinade onto the cleaned sardines and mix well. Try to get some into the belly cavity of the fish. Cover and place in the fridge to marinate for 2 hours. If you don’t have a blender, chop the ingredients very finely.

As the vegetable (any oil which can withstand high heat) oil heats on a medium flame, it’s time to make the seasoned flour to roll the marinated sardines in. Basically all you have to do is place the flour (all purpose) on a plate and mix in the curry  powder (madras blend). Then coat each sardine in the seasoned flour. Try to keep some of the marinade on the fish as you dust them in the flour. Be sure to shake off excess flour.

Place in the hot oil and cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes… you’re looking for it to go golden in color and crispy. After about 7-8 minutes (I know it sounds like a long time to cook tiny fish.. but we want these crispy) remove, drain on paper towels and do try to serve as hot as you can.

There will be enough here for 3-4 people as a side dish and these crispy fried sardines can also double as a snack. Serve warm, with pepper sauce as a dip.. a garlic sauce would also go well.

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.

Desserts

Caribbean Coconut Mango Cookies Recipe.

13 Comments on Caribbean Coconut Mango Cookies Recipe.

If you’re looking to add a little Caribbean flavor to your baking/dessert repertoire, I’ve got a simple and delicious coconut mango cookie recipe to share with you. If I recall correctly the range of baking (desserts) in our kitchen when we were kids in the Caribbean, were cakes and in some cases pastries. Our mom never owned a cook book, so what she prepared was always something which were pass down to her from her mom and elders around her, as she was growing up. Baked desserts were limited, but she did make up for that with ‘real’ food. Dad made a killer currants roll, but the mess that man would make in the kitchen would resemble the aftermath of a hurricane.

This recipe will mimic that of a short bread cookie, but with the coconut and chopped dried mango, you’ll get a unique undertone of the Caribbean.

 

You’ll Need…

1 cup butter (soft)
2/3 cup super fine sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
pinch salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup dry shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup dried mango
2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 375 F and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper as we get the dough ready.

Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk until you have a smooth consistency and the butter mixture goes pale. Then beat in the egg yolk and vanilla extract.

Sift in the flour into the bowl and add the pinch of salt. Add in the chopped mango (I used dehydrated mango which I chopped into pieces) as well as the shredded coconut into the bowl and give this a good mix until everything is combined thoroughly. It will be a stiff dough and somewhat crumbly.

Scoop out tablespoon heaps and place (press down gently) on the lined cookie sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until you get some golden brown happening. Your home will have a wonderful scent and you will be tempted to dive in. Hold your horses.. let then cool for about 10 minutes on the cookie sheet then transfer onto a cooling rack. The texture will be a bit crumbly, so it’s important that they cool well.

There you go… a simple yet outstanding way to enjoy coconut and mango in cookies. You can certainly freeze this dough if you want to make it in advance and thaw, then bake when you’re ready. Makes about 30 cookies.. depends on how big you make them.

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.

Desserts

How To Make Currants Roll And Cookbook Giveaway.

346 Comments on How To Make Currants Roll And Cookbook Giveaway.

Ask any Trinbagonian what’s their favorite dessert/snack and I can guarantee it would be almost impossible to find someone who would not say currants roll. A lovely flaky dough filled with cinnamon, brown sugar and currants.. layers and layers of island delight. There are some who like it somewhat wet or moist and compact and then there are those of us who look for that balance of perfect pasty exterior and a filling you’re only too excited to bite into. Before I drool on my keyboard, lets get to the recipe…

You’ll Need…

3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter  (cold, in cubes)
1/2 cup veg shortening (cold, in cubes)
¼ teaspoon  salt
1 cup or more ice cold water

Filling mixture:

1 1/2 cups currants
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon  cinnamon

 

1/2 cup melted butter
1 egg + 1 tablespoon milk

* Sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Notes. The key to flaky pasty crust is to use cold ingredients (water/butter) and don’t overwork with your hands as the natural heat can warm things up quickly.

Let’s start off by making the dough for the pastry, since we’ve got to give it time to chill in the fridge for at least 1/2 an hour (2hrs is best). Cut the chilled butter and shortening (place in the freezer for about 25 minutes if you want), then sift the flour into a food processor, add the salt  and cubed butter and vegetable shortening. Remember it’s important to use ice cold water.  Before adding any water, give the mixture a few pulses in the food processor.. until you have the texture of little peas. Now start adding the water, about 3/4 cup to start and work it until you have a dough which will start to take shape. Add more water was needed. (it will look crumbly)

Empty the now semi-formed dough onto a flour-dusted surface and (work quickly) shape into a smooth dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for about 2 hours.

As the dough chills in the fridge you can make the mixture for the filling. Very simple – in a large bowl, place the cinnamon, currants and brown sugar and give everything a good mix. If you want to be a bit creative you can certainly add some raisins and a drop of vanilla.. but remember that the vanilla is not a traditional ingredient.

It’s now time to put things together and get these tasty treats in the oven. Cut the main dough ball into 2 pieces, then roll out the first one on a flour dusted surface. Be sure to dust your hands and rolling pin with flour as well. This dough can be a bit sticky. Roll until you have a thin (less than 1/2 centimeter) rectangle shape. Now brush the surface with 1/2 of the melted butter.

It’s now time to add the lovely stuffing and roll into shape. Pour 1/2 of the currant mixture onto the flattened dough, but leave about 2.5 centimeters as a border without any. Try to make sure it’s spread evenly. Now as if rolling a fat cigar (very tight) roll into a cylindrical shape. Remember the tighter you can roll this, the more lovely layers the finished currants roll will have. Be sure to pinch the ends to create a seal.

Repeat with the next piece of dough and remaining currant mixture. And set onto a parchment line baking sheet.

Beat the egg and milk and brush the surface of each roll to give it a lovely golden color when it’s done in the oven. The final step (optional) is to sprinkle with some granulated sugar before placing into a  350 degree oven for about 50 minutes (middle rack). You’re looking for a lovely golden color.

The scent coming out of your oven will have you impatient (can you say eager anticipation?)and your children will be pacing and finding every excuse in the book to see what’s going on in the kitchen.

Allow to cool before slicing (the traditional way is to slice on an angle) so it has enough time to set and not fall apart especially if you’re using a blunt knife (I used a serrated blade). BTW you can brush with melted butter and sprinkle more sugar immediately after it comes out of the oven for that extra touch.

Yes, it’s that time again. I’ve got a wicked cookbook “Italian Kitchen – Traditional and contemporary recipes for perfect Italian cuisine” to give away to one lucky reader and I’m hoping it’s you. Each recipe comes with a beautiful picture so you know what the dish is supposed to look like, simple step by step instructions and best of all.. they’re very easy to put together.  All you have to do is leave me a comment in the comment section below and your name will be automatically entered..

WINNER WANTED!

There are two bonus ways you can have your name entered in the contest, giving you 3 chances at winning. Along with leaving a comment below, go to the Facebook fan page and/or the Youtube cooking channel and leave a comment  there.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning this cookbook.

– contest is open to everyone globally (even if you won something here before)

– there are 3 ways to enter your name (see above)

– 1 winner will be chosen at random (if you left 3 comments, your name will be entered 3 times)

– contest is open from April 21 – to midnight May 1.

– 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 cookbook out to you. It’s simple, free and fun!

 

Desserts

Grilled Pineapple With Caramel Rum Sauce.

8 Comments on Grilled Pineapple With Caramel Rum Sauce.

Without a doubt, this will become THE go-to dessert recipe in your home as it is in ours. With juicy pineapple dusted with cinnamon and grilled to release it’s natural sugars and juices, then simmered in a wonderful rum / brown sugar sauce.. yum! On it’s own or as a topping for a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, this grilled pineapple will excite your taste buds! Can someone please tell me why our mom never made this for us, when we had pineapple growing in our back yard as a boy on the islands? Mom, we need to have a serious chat!

 

You’ll Need…

1 ripe pineapple
1/2 cup dark rum
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
4 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Notes: You can top this with some toasted coconut flakes if you want to add some additional flavor and texture to this wonderful dessert. Additionally, you can add some raisins in the rum sauce if you’re like me and like rum and raisin ice cream.

I’m sure you can use pineapple in the can (tin) but I much refer to use a fresh pineapple, as long as it’s fully ripe. If your grocery store doesn’t have them fully peel and cored, here’s a quick video I did a while back showing how simple it is…

 

I must mention that if you’re serving this to minors or you don’t deal with alcohol, no worries. All the alcohol  burns off during the simmering process… but you do get a wonderful flavor from it.

Peel, core and trim the pineapple into spears, then sprinkle with the cinnamon and toss around. I used a stove top cast iron grill pan for grilling (you can use your out door grill, indoor grill or heat in a non-stick frying pan). Brush the grill pan with some vegetable oil or cooking spray, then (med/high heat) grill the pineapple spears for 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside as we get the sauce ready. Try not to over-grill or you’ll find the pineapple will go soft and loose it’s shape.

In a fairly deep sauce pan on medium heat, add the brown sugar and butter and cook/stir until it’s melted and starts to go a darker color and develop big bubbles (frothy). Takes about 4-6 minutes. Remember to keep stirring.

Now turn off the heat and gently pour in the rum. Have a whisk handy as it will clump and you’ll think it’s ruined. Fear not, keep stirring. After 2 minutes of stirring, turn the heat back on (the alcohol should have dissipated by now)  and keep stirring until you have a semi-thick consistency. Have the heat on medium. Now add the grilled pineapple pieces to the pan and gently toss the sauce all over them. Cook for a couple minutes (until all the flavors blend and you have the consistency you’ll be happy with).

Your kitchen will have the wonderful scent of the brown sugar, grilled pineapple and the rum will just take this to another level.. wicked for days!  You can store in a sealed container in the fridge for a week or so, just microwave to heat every time you’re ready to use. I average sized pineapple will give you enough for 4 people and about 6-8 people as a topping for ice cream.

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.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Cow Heel (cow foot) Soup Recipe.

18 Comments on Cow Heel (cow foot) Soup Recipe.

Ladies and gents, I must confess that I’m not a fan of cow heel (cow foot or bull foot) soup and if it were up to me, this recipe would not have been found here as I normally don’t cook this. However, a fan on the CaribbeanPot.com Facebook page sent in a request and being the good boy I am.. I got the pot bubbling. Clevlan, this one is for you my brethren.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs cow heel *
1 teaspoon salt
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 carrots (cut in big pieces)
3 potatoes
1 cup yellow split peas
4 sprigs thyme
2 scallions
1 tablespoon veg oil
Okra (about 8-10)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 pimento berries (optional)
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
12-16 cups water
1 cup diced pumpkin

Dumplings
– 1 cup flour (all purpose)
– pinch salt
– water

Notes: Make sure the cow heel is clean and cut into small pieces for easier cooking. Keep the scotch bonnet whole or burst open at the end if you want the kick from the heat it possesses.

Heat the vegetable oil in a deep pot on medium heat, add the diced onion, garlic, pimento berries, thyme, black pepper for 3-5 minutes and then add the cow heel. Stir well, then add the yellow split peas, salt, carrots  and cover with water.. raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 2 hrs or 1/2 hr if using a pressure cooker. Drop the scotch bonnet pepper whole as it simmers.

As it simmers you’ll notice stuff gather at the top of the pot, skim and discard. After 2 hours the peas should be tender to the point where it will melt away and start thickening the soup. The pieces of cow heel will now be tender (and go gelatinous) , so it’s time to start adding the other ingredients. You can certainly add yams, dasheen, eddoes, green bananas etc, but I tried to keep this soup simple.

After adding the okra, potato, chopped scallions and pumpkin, it will take about 30 minutes to finish. So in a small bowl prepare the dumplings.. the flour, pinch of salt and enough water to form a soft but firm (to touch) dough. Let that rest for 15 minutes (cover with plastic wrap). Then the last 10 minutes of cooking, pinch small pieces of dough and roll between your hands to form a small cigar. Add to the pot and let cook for the final 10 minutes.

You will definitely need a large pot as no matter how hard you try.. when making any Caribbean soup, it always turns out to be a huge feast. There will be enough here for at least 8 people as a main dish.  Taste for salt the last 4 minutes and adjust accordingly. Remember you can personalize this soup with the addition of yams, sweet potato, cassava, dasheen and cooking bananas, so get creative. If you want to add additional flavor you can always add a soup mix (Grace or Maggi) to the pot the final 30 minutes of cooking, but this is really not necessary.

At the end fish out the sprigs from the thyme and don’t forget to get the scotch bonnet pepper out. I like the kick from the pepper, so I usually burst it in the soup and enjoy the explosive flavor. But proceed with caution as it will be live with that Caribbean sunshine.

IMPORTANT – Do not add flour dumplings if doing this recipe gluten free as it will not meet with your gluten free dietary needs. 

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Desserts

Peanut Butter Stuffed Prunes.

7 Comments on Peanut Butter Stuffed Prunes.

It’s always the little things in life you tend to cherish and miss. As a boy on the islands I fondly recall these wonderful treats at parties and any sort of social gathering and how much they remind me of happy times. When one thinks about dessert, prunes is definitely not something which comes to mind. After-all, people only eat prunes if they have problems going to the bathroom..right?  WRONG! And I’ll prove it with this simple recipe.

You’ll Need…

Pitted Prunes
Smooth Peanut Butter

Notes. You can certainly use prunes with the seeds, but it’s takes a lot of time to remove them. Other than peanut butter, you can also stuff them with Nutella or a combination of nutella and peanut butter. For a more fancy finish you can place the peanut butter in a piping bag and use that to stuff the prunes.

* Remember if you’re serving this to guests, to mention that there is peanuts in this in the event there are any relating allergies.

The amount of prunes and peanut butter needed depends on how many of these you plan on making. You’ll need about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter for each prune.

Using a pairing knife or scissors cut a slit in each prune, about 1 inch across and deep enough to stuff (be careful). Then open each slit and stuff with about 1/2 teaspoon peanut butter. You’re done!

You can make these in advance and place them (covered) in the fridge for a a day or two. This is without a doubt the fastest recipe I’ve ever shared and those of you familiar with these lovely treats may not even see this as being a recipe.

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.

Seafood

Fried Seasoned Red Snapper.

14 Comments on Fried Seasoned Red Snapper.

The only way our mom would get us to eat fish as kids was when she would pan fry King Fish and serve it to us with ketchup and a little pepper sauce. I guess it’s the same way our daughters learned to appreciate fish, as my mom (grandma) would purposely make fried fish when she visited to get them liking something most North American kids passionately hate. Seasoned to perfection and marinated for a couple hrs before they’re dusted in flour and pan fried, this recipe can be adopted for any fish you like. For me, it MUST be sea fish (I’m no friend of fresh water fish) and I want it hot and even better if the skin is a bit crisp.

 

You’ll Need…

2 lbs Red Snapper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 onion diced fine
1/2 teaspoon pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 cup flour
veg oil for frying

Notes: I used a Madras curry powder, blended in the Caribbean. You can use finely chopped scotch bonnet instead of peppersauce or any hot sauce you like. I used 3 small Red Snappers.. beware of bones when eating/serving. Feel free to use any type of fish you like as this recipe is very forgiving.

Scale, gut and wash the fish, then pat dry and get ready to marinate. But before you do so, (depending on how large your fish are.. 2 cuts may be necessary) give it a shallow cut across the belly so the marinade will do it’s thing.

Pour everything except the flour and oil on the fish and massage it into the fish (belly cavity and cut/s). Cover and allow it to marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hr.

Put about 2-3 cups of vegetable oil to heat on a med flame and get the seasoned fish ready for frying. Set up a sort of station, with a plate with the flour, the pan with the heated oil and a plate lined with paper towels to drain off the excess oil after frying. WARNING! Be sure to open the windows in the your kitchen and turn on the exhaust fan if you have one. The scent of fried fish will linger.

Dust the fish in the flour, don’t worry about shaking off the marinade as it will be delightful when cooked with the fish. Make sure to cover both sides of the fish, then gently place them into the hot oil. The idea is to cook the fish on each side for about 4-6 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish you use and how crisp you like your fried fish). After which it’s just a matter of placing on the paper towels, then serve warm. If you’re reheating these, I would recommend doing so in an oven and not a microwave.

IMPORTANT! If you’re using whole fish as I did , do remember there will be bones (choking hazard). This recipe will also work great with fish fillets (bones removed) so that would be a good option if you plan serving this to kids. You may ask why bother with anything but fillets.. if you’ve ever had a fried whole fish, you’ll know how tasty it can be.

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.