This is one of those meals I like to refer to as being ‘country food’ from it’s rustic feel and simplicity. One of my favorite “bush cook” meals as a kid on the islands was corn meals dumplings with dasheen bush bhaji cooked in coconut milk, on the side. A meal which was guaranteed to give you the sleepies after devouring a huge plate. These corn meal dumplings are also excellent in those heavy soups we enjoy on the islands and if all fails, just top with a bit of butter and you’re good to go.
You’ll Need…
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon sugar (granulated)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of cinnamon
lukewarm water
* The cinnamon and sugar is optional, but I assure you that it’s a great way to add some flavor to what would normally be a bland dumpling.
This is so simple you’ll be done in under 20 minutes. Add all the ingredients (except the water) to a bowl and give it a good whisk to mix everything. Then start add a bit of the luke warm water at a time and mix until you have a dough. The dough should be firm but soft. Knead for about 2-3 minutes then get ready to separate into dumplings.
Pinch off a piece (depends on how large you want your finished dumplings – remember they will swell as they boil), then shape like a small cigar. Now flatten out from the center, until you have a shaped dumpling.
All you have to do now is place them into a boiling pot of salted water (about 8 cups of water with 1/2 teaspoon salt) and cook for about 15 minutes . They will get bigger in size and float when they’re fully cooked.Drain and serve warm.
If you don’t have a topping for these, you can certainly toss it in some butter or olive oil and crack in some fresh black pepper. But you can also top these with saltfish buljol, Caribbean style stewed meats or any of the vegetarian type sides I’ve share on here in the past. Today I had some smoked herrings I did specifically for these corn meal dumplings and I can let you know that the ethnic fatigue did set in immediately after this lovely meal.
* If you’re wondering what a “bush cook” is… back in the days when we would go swimming at the river across the road from where I grew up, we’d usually have a pot bubbling away as we swam. I guess it could be compared to cooking in the wild as in North America when you go camping. Pot on 3 rocks over a wood flame.. food had a special taste. But cleaning that pot after was a job!
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With just 3 recipes left in the “party food” theme we have going for November, I thought it was time to do something with bold Caribbean flavors. These jerk chicken wraps are excellent as everyday sandwiches for your family or watch your guests make a dash for the platter when you present these at your holiday gathering. You’ll be astonished at how moist and juicy the jerk chicken will be and with the fresh tropical fruit.. your taste buds will achieve a level of excitement reserved for food your mom makes which you still crave.
You’ll Need…
3 lb chicken breast (boneless)
1 1/2 cups jerk marinade
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 1/2 cups carrots (julienne and blanched)
1 1/2 cups lettuce
1 1/2 cup mango julienne
1 1/2 cup cucumber (ribbons)
1 1/2 cup pineapple chunks
10 inch flour tortillas (about 8-10)
Notes: I used my favorite packaged jerk marinade and suggest you do the same to save time. There’s been many requests since posting the video for this recipe, for the sort of garlic spread I used when putting it together. Directly below this recipe I’ll share that with you and since I don’t have a video for it, I’ll get one posted in the coming weeks.
The first step in making these jerk chicken wraps is to broil the chicken. Wash, drain and pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then pour in the marinade and allow to marinate for at least 1 hr. Set your oven on the broil setting and move the rack so it’s about 6-8 inches away from the main heat source. Line a baking pan with tin foil (easy clean up after) and brush on the oil or you can certainly use cooking spray. Now place the chicken on the tray, pour remaining marinade onto them and broil for 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven, flip over and broil for another 8 minutes. If you’re using thick chicken, broil an additional 4 minutes. Set aside to cool as you prepare the other ingredients.
As the chicken cools, it’s time to prepare the mango, carrots, cucumber and lettuce. With the carrots, you’ll need to bring about 3 cups of water to boil and toss in the julienne carrots into it for 25 seconds. Then place immediately into a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Shred the lettuce (I used iceberg) and make sure the mango is firm and not over-ripe or it will be difficult to julienne .When the chicken is cool, slice into1/4 inch strips and if you have any drippings in the pan you broiled it in, pour it over the sliced chicken and give it a good mix.
It’s all about assembling the jerk chicken wraps now. Open out one of the flour tortillas, then spread about a teaspoon of the garlic spread across a 1 inch strip across the tortilla. Now place (across one end) a bit of the chicken, mango, pineapple, lettuce and cucumber ribbons and roll (try to tuck in everything as you roll) tightly. Then slice on a bios in the middle so you have two pieces of jerk chicken wrap. You’ll need toothpicks to hold these together.
If you’re wondering if we need a dipping sauce for this, the answer is no. The flavors of this will be enough to captivate everyone’s appetite on it’s own. You can make these ahead of time, cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge.
For the garlicky spread you’ll need:
2 (8 ounce) containers plain Greek yogurt
2 cucumbers – peeled, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3 cloves garlic
Directions: In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Process until well-combined. Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor.
* you can add a drop or 2 of honey as well if you want.
Winner Wanted!
Yes, it’s that time again. I’ve got a cool Keith Haring tote bag to give away to one lucky reader and I’m hoping it’s you. Over the past few months we’ve been giving away a lot of cookbooks on the site, so we thought we’d do something a little different tonight. This wicked looking tote bag is very stylish and I’m sure you’ll find use for it on your grocery shopping trips. All you have to do is leave me a comment below and your name will be automatically entered to win. Yea.. it’s that simple.
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. I don’t care what your comment is, but it would be nice if you could tell me what you like about Caribbean cuisine.
Here are the rules pertaining to winning this tote bag
– 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 November 28– to midnight December 10.
– 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 Keith Haring tote bag out to you. It’s simple, free and fun
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 keeping with the “party food” theme for the month of November, I knew I’d have to share this classic spiced nuts recipe with you all. Roasted with a wonderful glaze to give you that sweet crunchy taste and texture and spiced up with some lovely elements of the Caribbean. I must warn you though that you won’t be able to stop at just a handful, so be prepared for the bowl disappearing in front of your eyes as your guests zero in.
The scotch bonnet pepper will give this a subtle kick, but if you’re overly concerned, you can tame things down with a touch of paprika and cayenne instead.
You’ll Need…
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup raw pecan halves
1 cup unsalted, dry roasted almonds
1 cup unsalted, dry roasted cashews
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper
1/4 teaspoon curry powder (madras)
For the syrup:
1 or 2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
The first thing we need to do is create the simple glaze we’ll be using. In a sauce pan, place the water, sugar and butter. Bring to a boil (med heat), then lower to a simmer, whisk and cook for 1 minute.
Empty the nuts into a large metal bowl and toss in the other ingredients (mix well). Please remember to chop the scotch bonnet pepper as fine as you can and do wash your hands with soap immediately after. Don’t include any of the seeds form the pepper as the heat will then be very intense.
Pour in the glaze we made and toss well. The idea is to coat each nut with the glaze and spices. Pre-heat your oven at 350F and we’ll be using the middle rack. Now line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray on some cooking spray or as I did.. brush on some veg oil. Pour the now coated nuts onto the lined sheet and spread evenly (one layer).
Place in the oven for 10 minutes., then remove and toss well. There will be melted glaze on the lined cookie sheet, the idea is to pick up all of that as you move the nuts around. It will take a couple minutes and you will notice that the nuts may start to clump together and form a coating at the same time.
Place it back in the oven now for an additional 6 minutes on the middle rack. And that’s about it. Your kitchen will have the lovely scent of freshly roasted nuts and the bit of spices we used will only enhance this captivating aroma. Please allow to cool, then transfer to your serving bowl and enjoy. Store in an air-tight container. These are very similar to beer nuts as well as honey roasted peanuts.. but with more flair!
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After posting a pic of this finished spicy fish balls on Facebook, someone commented “must be a male fish!”. Rude talk aside, I thought it was funny. I don’t recall if it was in Guyana or in Barbados I first had something similar, but I do recall how tasty they were, so I knew back then I’d have to come up with a recipe sooner or later. In keeping with this month’s theme of party food with a Caribbean twist for the holiday season.. I give you the most delicious fish balls you’ll ever try. With the use of panko bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese, you’ll see how international this recipe really is.
WARNING! The diced scotch bonnet will give this a wicked kick, so feel free to cut back on it or leave it out if you’re overly concerned about the heat (chicken).
You’ll Need…
1 lb fresh cod fillets 2 cloves garlic (crushed) 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1 tablespoon chopped thyme 2 eggs 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs (any bread crumbs should work) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (diced finely) 2-3 cups veg oil for frying 1/2 cup flour for dusting
Wash and pat the fish dry with some paper towels. If you’re using frozen (pre packaged) cod, give it a good squeeze as there’s usually a lot of water in it. Then cut into chunks and place into a food processor. The entire recipe will be done in the food processor, but if you don’t have one, don’t fret. Simply chop the cod fish very fine and mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Give the fish a few pulses in the food processor and remember to scrape down the side so you get an even consistency. Then add all the other ingredients except the flour and the veg oil for frying.
Please remember to chop the herbs very fine and crush the garlic. The scotch bonnet pepper should also be very fine and do remember to wear gloves when handling them. Additionally, wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handing.
Pulse for a minute or two (remember to stop to scrape down), until you have a well mixed consistency.
Now it’s time to shape this into the small balls for frying. Take about a teaspoon full amount and roll in your hands to form the ball. Then toss in the flour (all purpose flour) to evenly coat the outside. This will help you get that lovely golden brown colour when fried. Be sure to do them all before you start to fry, as they will cook very fast. You can place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet so they don’t stick as they await their turn in the hot oil
Heat your oil on a medium/high heat and fry these for 3-4 minutes. I love using my wok for this as it maintains an even heat and with the high sides, I don’t make a mess on the stove. Drain on paper towels and serve with one of the many sauces I’ve shared over the past few years. Check the recipe index for the tamarind sauce, there’s the honey mustard mango sauce, the shado beni sauce and about 8 other spicy sauces there.
These fish balls are excellent on their own if you don’t feel like making a dipping sauce and if all fails, just get some ranch salad dressing from the grocery store and you’re good to go. These are best served warm in case you’re wondering.
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 move closer to the holiday season I’ve decided to share some tasty Caribbean inspired appetizer recipes with you all. So for the entire month of November you’ll see your taste buds challenged with some twists on traditional Caribbean dishes. But done in such a way that you can easily serve them during your holiday gatherings. We’ll start off with 3 ingredients I simply adore.. pumpkin, coconut and curry. The end result is a wicked coconut curry pumpkin soup which can be served in small bowls or shooter glasses, so you can pass them around to your guests.
Notes: I used the leafy part of the celery to garnish. The coconut oil was used to maintain that wonderful coconut undertone, but you can certainly use vegetable oil as well. Additionally, to keep this fully vegetarian I used vegetable stock, but you can certainly use chicken stock for an additional level of flavor.
Start off by prepping all the ingredients. Peel, wash and cube the pumpkin into 3/4 inch pieces. Dice the onion, garlic and celery and chop the scotch bonnet pepper very finely. Remember to wear gloves and wash you hands with soap immediately after handling such hot peppers. Don’t include any of the pepper seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds as that’s where the true fire is.
Heat the coconut oil in a deep pan on medium heat then add all the fragrance building ingredients (celery, garlic and onion). Allow that to sweat down for 3-4 minutes on low heat. Then add the curry powder and ground coriander. With your heat still on low, stir so the curry gets an opportunity to toast and start coating the bottom of the pot. Grate in the ginger and allow this to cook on low for 4 minutes.
Now that we have a wicked flavor base it’s time to add the diced pumpkin and give it a good stir.
It’s now time to add all the other ingredients (salt, veg broth and coconut milk) and bring to a boil. Then reduce to a gentle simmer and allow to cook until the pumpkin pieces becomes tender and starts to fall apart (about 25 minutes).
The ideal way to serve this pumpkin soup is to have it smooth, so out came my hand blender and with about 1 minutes of working it, I had a silky soup. Try not to overwork it or you’ll end up with a frothy mess. Do remember to taste for salt and adjust accordingly.
As your guests arrive you can pour some of this coconut curry pumpkin soup in little serving bowls or in shooter glasses and serve. This soup is packed with true Caribbean flavor and I assure you that though it’s fully vegetarian, your guests will be craving every drop.
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.
One of the things I like best about having been exposed to traditional Caribbean cooking from day 1, is that it allows me to use basic principles of cooking and apply it to the variety of flavors I grew up enjoying. When you think about grilling on hot coals in the Caribbean, the first thing which comes to mind is “jerk”, but there so much more to grilling in the Caribbean. In this BBQ sauce you’ll obviously see elements of a ‘jerk’ marinade, but I’ve used the basic steps of a tomato based BBQ sauce to merge the two into one of the most delightful bbq sauces I’ve ever tasted.
I no longer have the pleasure of having a cut oil drum filled with coals and meat sizzling away on a metal grate, but I get similar results on the gas grill I use during the summer months.. and during those cold snowy days when I MUST have a good piece of grilled chicken (neighbors must think I’m nuts).
You’ll Need…
5 scallions (green onions)
7 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet peppers (no seeds)
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 large onion diced
2 cups ketchup
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
It does seem like a lot of ingredients, but I assure you you’ll be very pleased once you get a taste of this Caribbean BBQ sauce. Start off by chopping the onion, scallions, scotch bonnet pepper and thyme. Be sure to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water.
Heat the oil in a deep pot and add in the chopped ingredients, grate in the ginger and add the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice). Turn your heat down to low and allow this to cook for about 4 minutes. We’re building a wicked flavor base at this point.
Basically all you have to do now is add all the other ingredients, turn up the heat to medium and bring it up to a boil.
When it comes up to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Allow this to cook for 25-35 minutes, but remember to stir very often. You should have a sort of chunky sauce at this point. You can allow it to cook for a further 10 minutes and end up with a rustic/chunky sauce. I used my stick blender to pulse it into a more smooth consistency. You can also pour it into a conventional blender and give it a few pulses until you achieve the consistency you like.
In the pics above you’ll notice I used this wonderful Caribbean style BBQ sauce on some ribs and they were absolutely fabulous. The scotch bonnet peppers gives it a wicked kick and the balance of spices and fresh herbs takes this to a level on it’s own. It’s rich color alone is enough to get your taste buds going! Not only is this a wonderful BBQ sauce, but it acts as a great dining sauce as well. Store in the fridge in a air tight container for up to 3 months.
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Our mom will verify that no matter where in the world you’re doing your parenting gig, you’ll encounter kids who refuse to eat chicken livers. I still recall the look on my face when we’d come home from school and you’d open the pot to see what mom prepared for dinner and with horror you would see chicken livers staring back at you. However, that changed the first time I actually tasted them and I’ve never looked back. Our mom is a boss in the kitchen so it still baffles me that I didn’t trust her skills… why did I avoid chicken livers all those years?
Seasoned and cooked to perfection, these chicken livers will get your kids and stubborn eaters asking for more… trust meh!
You’ll Need….
1lb chicken liver
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 med onion
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon green seasoning
1 tomato
1 scallion
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch curry powder
Chop the liver into 1 inch pieces, wash with some lime or lemon juice and water, then drain and set aside for us to prepare the other ingredients. Dice the scallion, onion, tomato, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to wear gloves when handing scotch bonnet peppers and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after. If you’re concerned about the raw heat of the scotch bonnet pepper, don’t use any of the seeds or white membrane surrounding the seeds.. that where that raw heat is.
With your trimmed, washed and drained chicken livers in a bowl, it’s time to add the salt, black pepper, green seasoning, ketchup, curry powder and scotch bonnet pepper slices. Give it a good stir and set aside (fridge) to marinate for about 30 minutes.
Time to cook… heat the oil on a medium flame, then add the diced onion and reduce the heat to low, so we can slowly cook the onion. After 3 minutes the onions should be soft, translucent and the edges should start going golden. Add the finely diced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
It’s now time to add the seasoned chicken livers. Turn up the heat to medium and give it a good stir (don’t cover the pan).
Chicken livers cooks very quickly and here’s where you’ll have to decide how “cooked” you like it as it will affect the final texture of it all. I like my liver firm, but not leathery., so you can follow my direction.
Add the diced tomato and continue to stir to make sure each piece of liver gets in contact with the bottom of the pan/pot.
You’ll notice that two major things will happen. The liver will start to go a dull color and it will spring it’s own juices (why we need to leave the lid open, so we can burn that off). Cook for about 3-5 minutes, then add the chopped scallion and then turn up the heat to burn off any liquid.
It should take 4 minutes to now burn off the liquid. I like leaving a little gravy, but our mom was strict.. she wanted to see oil (fuss it was dry).
Taste for salt and adjust accordingly.. turn off the heat and serve. I love these chicken livers in a sandwich, so that’s exactly what I did after these were hot off the stove. But these are an excellent side dish as part of your family dinner.
I guarantee you (strong words), that this will be the absolute best way you’ve ever had chicken livers and I’m even bold enough to say that your picky eaters will also find this very appetizing (providing you can convince them to give it a test drive). Here’s the video of me preparing this wonderful chicken liver dish:
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.
Seems the masses are getting impatient. After posting the fried bake recipe last week, I’m getting ‘friendly’ reminders from readers about part two in this three part Bake and Shark series. NO! I didn’t forget about you guys and the other parts to this classic fish sandwich. As website, videos and facebook fan page gets more popular, it’s taking up much more of my time. This is quickly demanding full time hours and I’m really hoping a sponsor would come on board soon so I can have the funds to really focus on overall growth (Still have my day job to put ‘food’ on the table).
Bake and shark is one of those classic street foods (sandwiches) in Trinidad and Tobago and if you’ve ever had the pleasure of spending a day on the beach at Maracas bay, I’m sure you may have patronized “Richards” or one of the other vendors who made this sandwich so popular.
You’ll Need…
2 lb shark
1 lime or lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon green seasoning
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 cup all purpose flour
veg oil for frying (about 2-3 cups)
Notes: Save a few drops of the lime or lemon juice for seasoning the shark as well.
The first step is to prep the shark (cut into thin pieces). You can watch the following video: How To Fillet And Skin Shark For Frying or follow along with the aid of these pics.
The idea is to remove the skin, then remove the meat off the center bone and finally.. slice thinly.
Next up we need to wash the shark pieces with a bit of cool water and the juice of the lime or lemon. Rinse with cool water and squeeze dry. Shark ‘meat’ is known to hold extra liquid, so do remember to squeeze dry. Then place in a bowl and season with the salt, black pepper, crushed garlic, green seasoning and scotch bonnet pepper chopped finely.
Give it a good stir and allow to marinate for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Personally I like frying fish outdoors as the smell can be very strong inside the house. So we used the burner on my propane grill for this step. But before we get started you’ll need to create a sort of frying station as we’ve done in the past. Plate with flour, seasoned shark, pot with vegetable oil and a wire basket (or bowl) lined with paper towels to dry off the extra grease from frying.
Heat your oil on a med/high heat.. then take each piece of seasoned shark and dust all sides in the flour, then place into the now hot oil. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side and remember to flip. If you over-cook the shark, it may go a bit tough. Remove from the hot oil, drain and get ready to assemble your bake and shark sandwiches.
The final part in the series is to show you how to make the creamy coleslaw to go as a topping for these delicious bake and shark sandwiches. So here is that video:
If you’ve ever purchased bake and shark in Trinidad and Tobago you’ll know that the condiments are just as important as the sandwiches themselves. So be a bit creative.. top with fresh tomato, red onions, slices of pineapple, fresh lettuce.. and how could one forget the variety of sauces.
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.
Ever since Andrew Zimmerman raved about the Bake and Shark sandwiches he gobbled down on Maracas beach in Trinidad a few years back, requests for this recipe were overwhelming at times. This prompted me to post a recipe where I cheated a bit and used pizza dough I found at a local grocery store: Rustic Fry Bake Recipe. I’m not a huge fan of kneading dough, which explains why I used pre-made dough. Today we’ll start off a three part series, where I’ll show you (with the help of my mom…and dad) how to make fried bakes from scratch, the fried shark for the sandwich filling and finally… the creamy coleslaw as the topping.
If you’re like me and intimidated by making dough.. “moms” will show us how simple it is and how easily we can be BEST at making fried bakes. BTW, these may also be known as fry roti, floats and fried dumplings.. very close to johnny cakes as well.
You’ll Need…
3 cups all-purpose flour *
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon yeast (instant)
1 cup water * (warm)
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
1 tablespoon margarine or butter
veg oil for frying
Notes: You can certainly use a combo of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour if you’d like… to make it a bit healthier? You may need a bit more water as the flour you’re using may be a bit different than the one I used..adjust accordingly. I ended up using 1 1/4 cups water.
In a large bowl place the flour, yeast, salt, margarine, shortening and baking powder. Use your hands to mix everything together.. break up the margarine and shortening. The flour will take on the consistency of peas. Now start adding the water and form into a smooth dough. Please make sure the water is luke warn to help the yeast activate. It will take about 5 minutes of kneading to form a smooth dough. You can always use your standing mixer or food processor if you wish.
Now cover the bowl with a piece of plastic wrap to make it air tight and place it in a warm corner of your kitchen. Allow it to ‘rest’ for about 45 minutes. (we dusted the top of the dough with some flour)
After 45 minutes, it’s time to work the dough into smaller dough balls. All you have to do is break the main dough ball into 5 equal sized smaller balls (like the size of a tennis ball). Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet (after you smooth them out) and cover with a kitchen towel to ‘rest’ further. All it takes is 15 minutes this time.
It’s now time to shape them into bake-like form and fry them. Set up a sort of station… the frying pan with the vegetable oil and a draining basket lined with paper towels.
Rub a little veg oil on your kitchen counter surface (we won’t be using a rolling pin) and place one of the dough balls.. rub some veg oil on your fingers and start to stretch the dough while pressing to form a 6 inch (diameter) circle. Work from the center out.
Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil (any oil you like) on med/high and gently add the now formed bakes into the pot. Remember to place it away from your body, when adding it to the hot oil.
As soon as it hits the oil, be prepared to flip them over (my dad used a fork), this way you’ll have evenly fried and shaped fry bales. Allow them to cook for about 3 minutes, flipping them a couple times so each side cooks evenly. You can also spoon the hot oil on the exposed surface if you like.. not really necessary though. You’re looking for a crispy surface and a golden colour.
It’s then time to fish them out of the hot oil and place on the paper towels to drain off the extra oil. Repeat the steps until they are all fried.
See how easy this was? All you have to do now is slice them open and stuff with the fried shark, saltfish buljol or any of your favourite Caribbean dishes. I also like ripping these and eating with curry dishes..especially vegetarian ones.
Stay tuned for the other 2 parts in this bake and shark 3 part series.
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.
Note From Chris… Friends it’s with great pleasure I introduce you to Jessica Samantha Hylton, an island girl who among other things, publishes Jessiker Bakes. I convinced her to share her recipe for carrot pineapple muffins with us. Please show her some love and appreciation by going over to visit her website for most delectable recipes. You can learn more about Jessica in the short bio at the end of the recipe.. you’ll also find a link to her website there as well.
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I wanted to do these cupcakes because they’re reminiscent not only to what’s going on over at my blog right now but also in my life metaphorically. It’s health month over at my blog Jessiker Bakes where I’m trying to show the balance between recipes that are tasty but are still healthy.
Similarly, there’s the balance of not only keeping my own lifestyle healthy but also balancing law school and my general life. I’ve just started this Monday and I can already see how hectic it’s going to be.
Making these cupcakes only took about 30 minutes and they’re so healthy you can have one for breakfast with yogurt or fruit so I know they will help me through this week at least! I hope they are also equally encouraging to you in real life and metaphorically if you’re also trying to find some balance in this crazy world!
About the actual muffins? They’re moist and simple; the only length to this baking process is the grating of the carrots and chopping of the pineapples. They’re also very delicious – I’m a pineapple fanatic! – and can also just simply be used by you as a guilt free way to end a long work or school day with a delicious treat topped with a little fat free cream cheese frosting I’m going to be sharing with you also. I hope you make them and enjoy them!
Carrot Pineapple Muffins[from Bella Eats / makes 12 whole grain, no added fat, naturally-sweetened muffins / adapted from Sweet and Natural Baking, by Mani Niall]
Ingredients
2-1/2 cups white/whole wheat pastry flour
3 tbsp oat bran *
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup light agave nectar
1/2 cup skim milk
1-1/3 cups grated carrots
3/4 cup diced pineapple
12 chunks of fresh or canned pineapple, about 1 x 1 x 1/2 inch in size
*Jessica says: note you can make this by simply grinding oats, whether traditional or quick oats.
Method:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350*. Lightly spray a standard 12-cup muffin pan with vegetable oil spray.
Step 2: Sift together the flour, bran, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt into a medium bowl.
Step 3: In another medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer set at high speed, beat the egg whites with all the agave nectar until soft peaks form.
Step 4: Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the milk.
Step 5: Mix flour slowly into egg whites until combined.
Step 6: Stir in the carrots and the diced pineapple.
Step 7: Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling about 3/4 of the way full. Top each muffin with a pineapple chunk.
Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean and the tops spring back when pressed with a finger, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes, run a knife around the inside of the cups to release the muffins, and remove from the cups. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature.
TIP: To freeze, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Place the muffins in a Ziplock bag in the freezer. They should keep for up to 3 months.
Fat Free Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz tub of Sugar Free Cool Whip
8oz Philadelphia Fat Free Cream Cheese
1/2 cup to 3/4 cup Splenda (based on your taste)
1 tsp vanilla
Combine all ingredients until mixed for at least 2 minutes. Use immediately or set in fridge in a closed container.
About Jessica Samantha Hylton
Jessica Samantha Hylton is a 21-year-old blogger and law student at the Norman Manley Law School of Jamaica who also founded and owns her own baking company, Jessiker Bakes. Born in Jamaica but has lived in the British Virgin Islands for almost half her life, she has an avid love for traveling and seeing new places. When she isn’t baking or reading for her degree, Jessica volunteers at Campion College as the synchronized swimming coach where she has been doing so for the past 2 years. Her favourite hobbies include baking, synchronized swimming, reading, listening to music, blogging, learning new programming codes and a new found love for kick-boxing.
Jessica’s blog can be found at Jessiker Bakess <<< click to visit.
Green beans of all kinds are a favorite of mine, so finding ways to add extra flavor and texture to them is something I’m constantly experimenting with. Like the Stew Chicken With String Beans I shared with you a while back, this stewed beef with string beans is almost identical. However by using beef instead of chicken, you’ll notice a subtle difference in the overall taste of the completed dish.
This dish was usually made by our mom when she had some leftover Caribbean style stewed meats from the night before (beef, pork or chicken) and even as a child, it was a hit with me. As a matter of fact.. it was a hit with all of her four children. Our dad was never and still isn’t a picky eater, so he’ll do damage to anything placed in front of him (with the exception of pork).
You’ll Need…
1 lb beef – cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 cloves of garlic – thinly sliced or crushed
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion – chopped
1 medium tomato – chopped
1 tablespoon green seasoning
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
1 scallion
1 lime or lemon or 3 tablespoons of vinegar
1.5 lbs string beans (trimmed)
Trim the beef into 1 inch cubes, then wash with cool water and juice of the lime, lemon or vinegar, Drain dry and set aside as we prep the ingredients we’ll be using to marinate it with. Chop the tomato, onion, scallion and garlic. Remember to wear gloves when chopping the scotch bonnet pepper, don’t include any seeds as that’s where the raw heat is and do wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.
In a large blow, place the washed beef pieces and season with the salt, black pepper, grate in the ginger, green seasoning, worcestershire sauce, ketchup and all the ingredients we chopped. Give it a good stir and allow that to marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes.. 2 hours would be best though. (all you should have left is the veg oil, brown sugar, beans and water from the ingredient list).
Remove from the fridge and allow it to come back to room temp (about 10 minutes) and get ready to ‘stew’. If you’ve never seen this done you may find it a bit strange, since we’re making a sort of caramel and you’ll think it will be sweet. NOPE! Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (one with a lid) , then stir in the brown sugar. It’s important that you have a long handle (dry) spoon and have the seasoned beef close at hand. This step can be a bit tricky, so be prepared. The long handle spoon is to prevent getting hit with splatters of that hot oil/caramel as you add the seasoned pieces of beef to the pot. Your heat should be med/high and you’ll start to see it smoke and the sugar will start to melt. Keep stirring until you see it go frothy and start to change colour. When it reaches a dark brown colour, it’s time to add the seasoned beef to the pot. Add small batches at a time and keep stirring. Try to avoid the sugar/caramel going black or you’ll end up with bitter tasting beef. Watch the video below to see exactly how I did it.
If you’re wondering.. yes, the marinade all went into the pot. The goal here is to create a lovely flavor base and rich colour. Give it a good stir once you have all the pieces of beef in the pot, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a rolling boil (it will spring it’s own natural juices). Cover the pot and let that go for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, take off the lid and crank up the heat to burn off all that liquid. In the same bowl you marinated the beef, add the 2 cups of water and swish it around to pick up any remaining marinade.
With all the liquid gone from the pot, add the water from the bowl to the pot and bring to a boil. In case you’re wondering why we burnt off the liquid only to add more, here’s why… t his step infuses the meat with the rich flavor and created a lovely depth of colour which we needed as a base for this stewed beef with string beans. As it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, place the lid on the pot and allow that to cook for about 50-60 minutes. The idea is to have this beef very tender.
As this simmers away, it time to trim and wash the string beans. If you don’t have string beans, you can certainly use bodi (yard beans) or any type of green beans you may have. Trim off the ends and discard, then break (or cut) into 1 to 1.5 inch pieces. Give it a wash and allow to drain.
After 50 minutes (remember to stir every 5-7 minutes) you should have tender beef pieces and your kitchen should have a wicked Caribbean scent. There should still be a little liquid in the pot, so start adding the trimmed beans in and give it a good stir. Take the heat up to med and bring to a boil. With the little liquid we have, it will be almost like steaming the beans in the stewed beef.
Here’s where you’ll personalize this dish. I allowed the pot to go for about 12 minutes after adding the beans as I like the beans to maintain a bit of that lovely green colour and have a little ‘bite’ to them. If you like your beans cooked soft, you’ll have to cook it a bit longer. Taste for salt at this point and adjust accordingly. Turn up the heat to burn off any liquid.
This dish is loaded with flavors and uniquely Caribbean! As a side dish it can serve about 5 people and goes well with rice or roti… but Tehya and I usually eat it like a stir fry when we can’t wait for the rice to be done cooking. It’s also great on 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.
Traditionalists can be very picky when it comes to any food labelled as being ‘jerked’, as they feel any jerked meat must be done over pimento wood. Though I agree that there’s the unique taste from the smoke off the pimento wood… but when you can’t source the actual pimento wood you must rely on a bold jerk marinade to help achieve maximum flavor. These jerk pork sliders are guaranteed to excite your taste buds with the brightness of the scotch bonnet pepper and the earthy goodness of the all spice, cinnamon and nutmeg. But it doesn’t end there… take a look at the ingredient list below and you’ll see how we do it in the Caribbean to achieve the perfect jerk pork sliders.
You’ll Need…
1/2 scotch bonnet (seeded and chopped)
1 scallion
2 sprigs thyme
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
Notes: You can use a habanero pepper if you can’t source scotch bonnet peppers or your fav hot pepper (if all fails use some hot sauce for the kick). You can also use ground chicken, beef or turkey if you don’t dine with the swine.
You’ll need a food processor or blender (or chop as fine as you can), but first give the scallion, scotch bonnet pepper and the thyme a rough chop. Then add all your ingredients (except the ground pork) into the blender and work it until you have a smooth consistency. If the stalk of the thyme is not tender, remember to remove the little leaves off the woody stalk and discard. If you blend any woody stalk it will not break down all the way and you can have a potential choking hazard.
Place the ground pork in a deep bowl and pour the marinade over it. Using your hands (or spoon) work everything until it’s well incorporated. Here’s a trick to help shape the jerk pork sliders to fit evenly on your bun. Place a sheet of cling wrap on a flat surface, then make a log with the now seasoned meat on the wrap. Try to shape it about 1/4 inch bigger (circumference) than the size of your bun as it will shrink as it grills. Now roll and shape as you do with the cling wrap until you have a sort of thick sausage. Seal the ends and place in the freezer to set. It may take a couple hours.
In the meantime I prepared a Caribbean salsa to top my jerk pork sliders. Basically avocado, tomato, mango, cilantro, sea salt, black pepper, red onion and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (add a little organic honey if you have as well).
After the roll is firm, slice it with a sharp knife into the thickness you want (wet your knife for easier slicing). All you have to do now is grill on a hot grill as you would normally grill burgers. Since this is pork I like grilling slow, but until it’s fully cooked all the way through.I’m sure you can cook these in a frying pan on the stove top as well.
In my haste to get my dinner on, I totally forgot to toast the buns for that extra “bang”. But all you have to do now is place one of these jerk pork patties on your toasted bun, top with that beautiful Caribbean salsa and enjoy! There’s no need for any other condiments as the salsa will have that rich creaminess from the ripe avocado and the pieces of ripe mango will explode in your mouth with every bite.
These jerk pork sliders will be an absolute hit at your next BBQ as people as drawn to sliders in general, but with the unique punch of the jerk marinade we infused the ground meat with before grilling, will have friends and family begging you for the recipe. Remember when using the scotch bonnet pepper to wear gloves, wash your hands immediately after with soap and don’t include any seeds if you’re concerned about raw heat.
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.
