chris de la rosa Archives - Page 7 of 50

Pepper Calamari (or Squid, depending on where on the island you order from) is a MUST-HAVE dish whenever I visit my homeland of Trinidad and Tobago. I find that the more expensive the restaurant, it’s called Calamari and the cheaper the cost on a menu, they would call it Pepper Squid. So where’s my fave spot to order from.. read on!

You’ll Need…

1/3 lb calamari rings
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn starch
1 cup butter milk
3 scallions (chopped)
2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced, include seeds)
6 cloves garlic (chopped fine)
2 cups veg oil (for frying)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 red bell pepper (diced fine)
1/4 orange bell pepper (diced fine)
1/4 lemon (juice)

Note! This is a SPICY dish, but if you wanted to cut back on the heat, use less of the Scotch Bonnet pepper and do not include the seeds or the white membrane surrounding the seeds.

I got the calamari rings in the frozen section of my grocers. They were thawed and washed with lemon juice and cool water. Then drained and placed in a deep bowl. I then covered them with the butter milk. Watch the video below for my tip if you don’t have buttermilk. Let that sit in the fridge for 2 hours.

We’ll toss the calamari rings in a sort of dusting or dredge. For that, combine the flour, corn starch and 1/2 the black pepper .

Prep the other ingredients.

Couple hours later, take the rings and toss them in the dredge and set aside. I placed them (once I shook off the extra dredge) on a sheet pan. Now heat the oil on a med/high flame and get ready to quickly fry them.

Fry them in batches and try to NOT over-cook them or they will go chewy. Once you see golden edges, remove and continue frying the rest (3-4 minutes tops). I placed them on a wire rack over a sheet pan. I find that if you place them on paper towels, they can go soggy.

While they’re still hot, sprinkle the salt over them.

Heat 2 tablespoon of the same oil we fried the Calamari with. When the wok (use a frying pan if you don’t have a wok) is still cool (with the oil), add the garlic, peppers and scotch bonnet pepper. This will gently flavor the oil. VENT your kitchen! Toss in the scallions and the remaining black pepper.

Three minutes (med/low heat), add the fried Calamari and toss to coat. Add a couple drops of sesame oil if you want a lovely additional flavor. I’m NOT a fan of sesame oil.

2 minutes later.. You’re DUN! Drizzle on the lemon juice as you serve and do include some lemon wedges on the side in the event your guests want a bit more of that citrus. Feel free to sprinkle on more salt if you wish.

Grab a cold beer and enjoy! Oh Yea.. my fave spot to have these pepper Calamari in Trinidad and Tobago is Town Restaurant in POS. However the last time I was there on the outdoor patio area, I kinda made my way onto the menu. Local mosquitoes were fascinated with my freshly shaved head. I fed a few!

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

The Ultimate Seafood Pelau.

November 3, 2022September 25, 20221 Comment

A traditional Caribbean Pelau is a one-pot rice dish, loaded with rice, pigeon peas, carrots and meat or protein of some sort (chicken, beef, salted pigtails or salted salted beef), simmered in a rich broth of flavored with coconut milk and herbs. While this version is basically the same, since we’re using seafood as the ‘protein’, being mindful of the cooking time is the key to an iconic meal.

You’ll Need…

1 lb shrimp (large)
1 lb Cod (fish)
1 lb mussels
1 lb clams
1 lb lobster tail
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions (chopped)
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
1 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
4 sprigs thyme
1 1/2 cups diced pumpkin
4-6 cloves garlic
1 large carrot (diced)
1 can pigeon peas (rinsed)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon salt (adjust)
2 cups long grain par-boil brown rice
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
3-5 bird’s eye pepper
4-7 cups of water (adjust)
3-4 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/2 lemon (juice)

you’ll need lemon or lime juice and cool water to wash the seafood

Clean and prep the seafood (watch the video below). With the shrimp and lobster, remove and save the shell as we’ll use those for making a rich stock. Tip! Use scissors to cut and peel back the lobster tails.

In a saucepan on medium flame, add the butter, scallions, 1/2 the black pepper and thyme. Give it about 30 seconds, then add the washed lobster and shrimp shell. Turn the heat down to low and let it go for about 4-5 minutes. Now add 3 cups cold water and bring to a boil (turn the heat to high). When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it reduce by 2/3 (so we’re left with just over 1 cup of stock).

As the stock comes together, heat a heavy (large) pot on a high flame. This is the ‘stewing’ part of things. Add the olive oil followed by the brown sugar (watch the video below for mastering this step). The goal here is to melt the sugar, it will then go frothy and finally.. a deep amber in color (DO NOT ALLOW IT TO GO BLACK). When you get that amber color (it will go smokey) add the pigeon peas, pumpkin and carrots. Stir well.

Turn the heat to medium, add the garlic, onion, bird’s eye pepper (optional – or use your fav spicy pepper) and grated ginger. A minute later add the coconut milk and bring to a boil., then reduce to a simmer

As this comes up to the boil, chop the lobster into bite-sized pieces and the Cod into 1 inch pieces. Place all the seafood into a large blow, add the remaining black pepper, 1/3 of the salt and 1/2 Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir well to coat everything.

Back to the main pot. 10 minutes on that simmer, add the washed rice, the remaining salt and the remaining Green Seasoning. Add 2 1/2 cups hot water and bring to a boil. Simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.

Drain/Strain the stock and add it to the pot. That will add a lovely flavor to the dish, so do try to keep this step.

After about 7 minutes, tuck the clams and mussels into the pot making sure they’re in the sort of broth. After 3 minutes add the lobster and shrimp and mix (be gentle). Put the lid on and let it cook a further 4 minutes. Add the Cod to the pot and again being gentle, stir.

3 minutes later, taste and adjust the salt, top with the parsley and hit it a fresh squeeze of lemon juice.

Some key parts of the recipe to keep in mind. Depending on the rice you use, you will need to adjust the cook time and the amount of liquid you add in total. This version of Pelau is meant to be a bit “wet”, but do keep the lid on the pot after you switch off the stove and don’t open/serve for about 5 minutes. Try to NOT overcook the seafood. Typically I don’t like straying from traditional techniques, but adding a bit of white wine (before adding the water) when making the stock, will add a another subtle layer of overall flavor.

Serve warm and with a side salad, thick slices of Zabouca (avocado, pear) and make sure you have some peppersauce to kick things up further.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

Jamaican Fish Tea (soup).

September 28, 2022August 24, 20223 Comments

I know the title of the recipe will rub some people wrong in some way or the other, as every time I place a country’s name in one of my recipes, it’s just the norm. Hateful and sometimes ridiculous comments. Yes, throughout the Caribbean we have fish soup in one form or the other and they are usually very similar. For example, in Trinidad and Tobago (and many of the islands in the southern Caribbean) we have Fish Broff (broth).

You’ll Need…

1 fish head (about 2-3 lbs)
12 cups water
6-8 cups fish stock
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 onion (diced)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (smashed)
6-8 sprigs thyme
3 med potatoes (cubed)
1 large sweet potato (cubed)
1-2 lbs pumpkin (cubed)
8-10 okra (chopped)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
2 small corn (cut into small pieces)
2 small carrots (diced)
1-2 lbs Jamaican yellow yam (diced)
6-8 pimento (allspice) berries
1/2 lime

May I recommend cubing the sweet potato, pumpkin, potato and yellow yam the same size for uniform cooking (time). In a traditional Jamaican Fish tea you’ll find that they use those packaged fish soup mixes (like Grace) and sometimes they may use all-purpose seasoning powder as well. I’m not the biggest fan of using such.

Prep the ingredients and set aside. I usually put the pumpkin, carrots, potatoes and yam in a bowl and cover it will cool water to prevent them from going discolored.

I’m using the head of a King Fish, but you can use your fav fish and if you’re concerned about the bones etc.. use boneless. Keep in mind that the true flavor will come from those bony parts. I washed the fish with the juice of a lemon (not mentioned in the ingredient list above) and cool water.

Put you big soup pot onto a high flame and go in with 12 cups of water. Place the fish into the pot as the water comes up to a boil, along with the thyme (see the video below for a lovely time), celery (leaves too), garlic, onion, salt, scallion and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.

It’s now time to add the body of the soup.. carrots, pumpkin, potato, sweet potato, Jamaican yellow yam and give it good stir. Top with the fish stock!

Float the Scotch Bonnet pepper, and try your best NOT TO BREAK IT or you’ll release the raw heat. Once you see it boiling, skim off any scum at the top (discard) and reduce to a simmer. Do add the pimento berries at this point.

After 14-20 minutes you can remove the thyme and you may also remove the scotch bonnet pepper now (we got the flavor from it) so you don’t risk breaking it. At this point I like removing the fish pieces out of the pot, remove the bones and add back the pieces of fish to the pot. It will take a few minutes and be sure it’s cool enough to handle.

Now add the okra and corn (I used Canadian sweet corn) and cook for (see my tip on fish stock addition in the video below) for 10 minutes and then get ready to personalize.. check and adjust the salt and if you like heat you can always break that Scotch Bonet pepper!

As you turn off the stove, add the lime juice and top with chopped parsley if you want. Serve hot and with a wedge of lime.

Be sure to tell everyone that they may encounter fish bones and should you have excess, be sure to freeze for a later date. See my tip on thawing/reheating in the video below.

I’m sure my Jamaican Fish Tea will be different than yours, but I can GUARANTEE YOU, it doesn’t lack in flavor! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Curry Duck With Pigeon Peas.

May 27, 2025August 20, 2022Leave a Comment

While I’ve shared several Curry Duck Recipes with you over the years, only after receiving a request via Instagram for Curry Duck With Pigeon Peas, did I realize that had not already shared this classic Caribbean curry recipe. And while using freshly harvested Pigeon Peas would make for an even better tasting dish, the frozen version still gives you an EXCELLENT result.

You’ll Need…

6-7 lbs duck (prepared)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning (divided)
1 tablespoon ground masala
2-3 tablespoon Olive oil
1 tomato (diced)
2 scotch bonnet peppers (sliced)
1 medium Onion (sliced)
8 cloves Garlic (smashed)
Cumin (geera) seeds
2 1/2 – 3 tablespoon Curry Powder
5-8 dried curry leaves
1 tablespoon dehydrated Chadon beni (optional)
1 tablespoon Anchar Masala
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
5-8 Wiri Wiri peppers (optional)
2 3/4 cups water (divided- adjust)
2-3 cups frozen pigeon peas + water to boil

Important! This version is very spicy, but you can adjust the amount of Scotch Bonnet and Wiri Wiri you use, to your own preference.

Pre boil the pigeon peas in water for 30 mins, drain and repeat for another 30 minutes. This step will help to tenderize the peas, but more importantly, it will remove that sort of bitter taste you can get if you don’t do this step. Drain and set aside after.

Season the clean duck (remove skin and fat, wash with lemon juice and cool water – drain). Yea, I removed most of the skin as the additional fat in really not good for us. Tip… get your butcher to cut the duck for you, using his band-saw. Duck bones are very brittle and will shatter with a conventional chefs knife or cleaver. Watch the video below for more tips, including why you flame the duck’s skin during the butchering process.

In a large bowl with the clean (cut) duck, add the salt, black pepper, 2 tablespoon of the Caribbean Green seasoning, ground Masala, Scotch Bonnet (use as much as you can handle, I like my curry duck SPICY) and tomato. Mix well and try your BEST to allow it to marinate in the fridge overnight.. or at least 2 hours. The tomato’s acidity will help to balance off overall flavor of the curry, plus help us with a thicker gravy at the end.

In a large pot (iron works best) heat the oil (of your choice) on a medium flame, add the onion and garlic, turn the heat down to low and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Now add the cumin seeds and stir well. We’re trying our best to not burn anything. A minute later add the remaining tablespoon of Caribbean Green Seasoning. Stir.

One minute later add the curry powder of your choice (I used my blend) and cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Watch the video below for more tips.

Now turn the heat up to high, stir and add 3/4 cup of water. This step cooks off the rawness of the curry, giving you a much more rounded finished curry at the end. As it comes to a boil, reduce to medium (heat) and add the curry leaves and chadon beni.

The goal is to cook this until the water burns off and you start seeing the oil we stared with, add the Anchar Masala and stir well.

You’re looking for a thick slurry (see my tip in the video)! With the heat still on high, add the seasoned duck to the pot and stir well to coat the duck with this lovely curry base.

Put the lid on and bring to a boil. It will take a couple minutes.. reduce to a medium/low heat and cook. After ten minutes (stir a few times) crank up the heat to high and burn off all that liquid.

Once you can see the oil on the bottom of the pot we started with (and all the liquid is gone), add the pre-cooked pigeon peas and stir well. Now add 2 cups of water and bring back to a boil, then reduce to a simmer to cook the duck until it’s tender. Lid on , slightly ajar.

Do stir ever so often and pay attention to the liquid (add more water if you find it’s too dry).

1 hour later and the duck (depending on the age of it when it was butchered) should be tender. Now it’s time to personalize things, taste and adjust the salt, cook the gravy to the consistency you like (keep in mind it will thicken as it cools) and make sure the tenderness is to your liking. I like fall-off-the bone, some people do like a little chew.

Turn off the stove, top with the cilantro and wiri wiri peppers and ENJOY!

Served with hot steamed rice or with off the tawa Buss-Up-Shut Roti! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

Ground Provision Frittata.

May 28, 2025July 2, 20221 Comment

Frittata! Definitely not a dish you’d commonly associate with the Caribbean, but wait! I’ll show you how to use the technique to rock something deliciously Caribbean for your next brunch. A dish I try to make a few times during the summer, when we’re those lazy Sundays entices us to the backyard. Yea, this works great on the outdoor grill as well.

You’ll Need…

boiled ground provisions (see note below)
3/4 cups shredded prepared salted Cod (fish)
1 cup sharp cheddar (use your fav cheese)
5 large eggs
3 tablespoon chopped parsley
5-7 sprigs thyme
2-3 scallions (chopped)
3/4 cup sweet bell pepper (diced)
2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup cream
3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided)

Notes. I used leftover (boiled in salted water) green cooking banana, eddoes and sweet potato (about 1 lb in total), from the Stewed Salmon With Ground Provisions recipe I did previous to this one. You may watch that video to see how I prepared the ground provisions.

Preheat your oven to 425 F. On the stovetop, heat a non stick pan (makes for easier removal later when the frittata is out of the oven) on a medium flame and add the butter. As it starts to melt, move the pan around – I explain why in the video below.

Add the bell peppers, scallions and prepared salted Cod. Stir well, turn the heat down to low, add 1/2 of the black pepper and cook gently.

In a bowl or measuring cup as I did, whisk the eggs with the cream and remaining black pepper. Now add 1/2 of the cheese into this egg mixture. Tip! grated nutmeg in the eggs will give another lovely layer of flavor to the completed frittata.

Prep (remember they we’re previously boiled in water) the ground provisions by simply cutting them up into bitesize pieces.. make sure they’re room temperature.

4-5 minutes later (make sure you stir the pan a couple times), add the cubed ground provisions to the pan and stir well so they get coated with the base we made. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium/high and pour in the egg mixture to the pan. Be sure to scrape down the sides, top with the parsley and thyme leaves (no stems) and allow it to set for about 4 minutes.

Top with the remaining cheese and into the oven (make sure your pan is oven proof) on the middle rack for 15 minutes. IMPORTANT! Remember to wear gloves when removing from the oven as the handle will be HOT!

To add a lovely golden color on the top, I turned on the broil setting on my oven (525 F) and gave it a 3 minutes. Here’s where you MUST be diligent as it can burn very easily at this high temperature. So be close to the oven and keep checking the color after 1 minute and remove when it’s to your liking.

Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes before cutting wedges to serve. By using that non-stick pan it will come out easily. Be sure to scrape the sides if you find that it’s sticking to the pan (explained in the video).

How to prepare salted cod << Click to watch the video. You would have noticed that I didn’t add any salt to the dish. The ground provisions were boiled in salted water and the remaining salt from the Salted Cod was enough (to my liking). But you may top with sea salt when it comes out of the oven if you prefer.

If you’d like the outdoor grill version of this recipe, please leave a request in the comments section. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Chicken Tenders.

May 27, 2025June 23, 2022Leave a Comment

This recipe is based loosely on the way mom would make fried chicken for us as children. It’s a recipe I did quite often when my daughters were growing up (to prevent them asking for McDonalds) and something I still do when I get Chicken Tenders on sale at the market.

You’ll Need…

salted crackers (about 1/2 a pack)
2 lbs chicken tenders
vegetable oil (3 cups)
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
3 eggs (whisked)
1 cup all-purpose flour

Feel free to season the whisked eggs with a bit of salt and black pepper if you wish. I use vegetable oil for frying, but you can use whichever oil you like frying with. If you wanted to give these a go in your air fryer, spray them with a bit of cooking spray (oil) first.

Season the chicken tenders with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper. Mix well to coat all the pieces of chicken. No need to marinate for long… maybe just the time you need to prep everything else.

You may use bread crumbs you can purchase at your bakery or grocery store, but I’m doing as our mom would do when we were growing up on the islands.

Place the salted crackers in a large zipper bag (or tea towel) and smash to crumbs with a rolling pin. The beauty of doing it this way is that you won’t have uniform crumbs, but some pieces will be bigger than others, thus giving the finished chicken tenders a uniqueness.

Now prep your breading station. The seasoned chicken, eggs (whisked) in a bowl, flour and the crumbs we made from the crackers.

Grab the tenders, dust it in the flour, then into the whisked eggs (shake off the excess egg), then roll/pat it in the crumbs. Repeat until you’re all done. I set each coated piece of chicken tender on a cookie sheet as I worked my way through them all.

Heat your veg oil on a med high heat in a wide pan, then add the breaded pieces of chicken.. don’t crowd the pan.

Fry, flip and fry again, for about 3-4 minutes on each side. Drain on a wire rack (on a cookie sheet to catch the excess oil). I explain why I don’t use paper towels in the video below.

As you take them out of the hot oil, you may sprinkle on some sea salt if you wish. I didn’t as I’m trying to cut back on the salt in my diet.

Serve warm! I did a Scotch Bonnet Honey Mustard Sauce to dunk these into. WARNING this sauce is SPICY and not rated for children use… unless they’re my daughters! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Loaded Caribbean Corned Beef.

May 28, 2025June 12, 20221 Comment

This version of “fry” Corned-beef aka Bully Beef is inspired by after-school visits to my Jamaican friend’s home and the way his grandma (RIP granny) would make it. Her version was a bit more runny/saucy as I believe she would add a 1/4 cup or so of water.. I talk about this in the video below.

You’ll Need…

1 can corned beef
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 medium tomato (sliced)
1 small habanero pepper (sliced)
1 small carrot (thin strips)
1/2 green bell pepper (diced)
1/2 orange bell pepper (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 clove garlic (smashed)

I used a whole Habanero pepper, including the seeds. Use as much as you can handle, or any spicy pepper you like. Remove the seeds and white membrane of the pepper to control the heat level slightly. Finally, as we’ve discussed in the past, wear gloves and wash you hands with soap and water immediately after handling such spicy peppers.

Prep the vegetables in advance as this is supposed to be a quick side dish to top steaming hot rice, on sandwiches or even toss your fav cooked pasta into the mix. Growing up, we would enjoy the version mom would make, with hot Sada Roti or as mentioned previously, on top of hot long grain rice.

Place the opened tin of corned beef in a dry non-stick pan… I explain why I don’t start with oil in the pan, as well as why I don’t add any salt, in the video below.

On a low heat, break up the corned beef into pieces.. it will be easier as it heats up.

Add the black pepper, carrot, bell peppers, habanero pepper, onion, frozen corn and tomato.

Stir well to make sure everything is mixed together nicely. Cook on a medium heat and at this point add the ketchup and garlic.

After about 6 minutes with the lid on.. BOOM! You’re Done. Toss in the scallions to finish!

Bully beef (also known as corned beef in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and other Commonwealth countries as well as the United States) is a variety of meat made from finely minced corned beef in a small amount of gelatin. The name “bully beef” likely comes from the French bouilli (meaning “boiled”) in Napoleonic times, or possibly from the head of a bull depicted on the popular Hereford brand of canned corned beef. The cans have a distinctive oblong shape. Bully beef and hardtack biscuits were the main field rations of the British Army from the Boer War to World War II.

Please serve hot! Add chopped cabbage to leftover and refry for yet another excellent side dish. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Spicy Geera (cumin) Chicken Liver.

May 27, 2025June 11, 2022Leave a Comment

While I do enjoy Chicken Liver, this appreciation only started in my adult years. While mom had a lovely repertoire of recipes using Chicken livers, nope.. my siblings and I never appreciated any! Well, until today! While this recipe is traditionally done spicy, you can certainly tailor it to your own heat appreciation.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs chicken liver (washed cut into 1 inch pieces)
1 lime or lemon (to wash the liver)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 onion (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoon cilantro (chopped)
2 tablespoon cilantro stems (chopped)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
2 chili peppers (sliced)
1 teaspoon anchar masala
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera)
1 1/2 tablespoon dry roasted geera powder (cumin – divided)
5 sprigs thyme
4 cloves garlic (optional)

Wash the trimmed chicken liver with the lime or lemon juice and rinse with cool water. Drain and season.

In a large bowl place the washed chicken liver, the stalks of the cilantro (watch the video below), 1 tablespoon cumin powder aka Geera (dry roasted ground), Anchar Masala (check your local Caribbean market), black pepper and salt. Give it a good mix and allow it to marinate for 5-10 minutes.

I used a non stick pan to help cut back on the amount of oil (use any oil you like using) used, though we still need 2 tablespoon to start. Toast the cumin seeds (oil is on a low/medium flame), then add the remaining cumin powder and stir well.

After 2-3 minutes, add the onion, scallions, Scotch Bonnet pepper , thyme, chili pepper (watch the video below to hear me explain why I cut the peppers as I did), in goes the parsley and cook for 4 minutes. At this point is where you’d add garlic if you were including it in the dish. Smashed!

Now add the seasoned liver to the pan, turn the heat to medium/high and stir well to coat the pieces of liver with that glorious Geera (cumin) base we made.

Cook for about 7 minutes, then taste and adjust the salt to your liking and you’re basically done at this point. As you turn off the stove, toss in the leaves of the cilantro (chopped) and enjoy! Traditionally Chadon Beni (culantro) would be used instead of the Cilantro

Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers!

Yes, Geera is just another word for Cumin, I apologize for any confusion caused. This is a great side dish or as a snack (say cutters) to adult beverages, especially COLD beer! Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Black-eyed Peas Cook-up Rice.

May 27, 2025June 7, 20224 Comments

Like Pelau, cook-up rice is another iconic comforting one-pot dish to come out of the Caribbean. And YES, as you move up and down the chain of islands, you’ll find variations of this dish. Our mom would do this dish with salted beef or pig’s tail, but you can do I as did and add a combination of your fav meats. I used canned coconut milk (convenience), however if you have access to freshly made coconut milk.. you’ll want to use that!

You’ll Need…

4-5 lbs chicken (cut into serving size pieces)
2 lbs salted pigtail (2 inch pieces)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 medium onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 carrot (cut into rings)
2 cups diced pumpkin
3 scallions (chopped)
5 sprigs thyme | 1 Can Black Eyed Peas
1/2 teaspoon smoked pimenton (smoked paprika)
1-2 tablespoon tomato paste concentrate
2 cups coconut milk
2+1 cups water + 1 chicken stock cube (adjust if necessary)
2 1/2 cups long grain brown par-boiled rice
3-5 pimento peppers (sliced)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
8-12 taro (dasheen) leaves

Pre-boil the salted pig tails to make them a bit more tender and to remove most of the salt. (cover with water, bring to a boil. cook for 35 minutes, drain, rinse and cool)

Place the chicken (I used dark meat – leg and thigh) and the pig’s tail in a large bowl, then add the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt and black pepper. Mix well and set it aside.

Get your big soup pot out as this will yield a lot of food (the remains can be frozen and reheated easily).. I went with a heavy iron pot. On a medium flame, add the olive oil (feel free to use coconut oil if you prefer), then onion, scallion, fresh thyme, garlic and scotch bonnet pepper. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers. Use as much of that scotch bonnet as you can handle.

Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 minutes. Now add the tomato paste (non traditional) and smoked paprika and stir well (I explain why in the video below).

Heat up to medium now, then go in with the seasoned meats… the marinade too! Mix well to coat the pieces of meat with everything.

Five minutes later add the black eye peas (from a can, so I rinsed it first), pumpkin and carrot. Stir well. Then add the coconut milk and 2 cups water + chicken stock cube. Bring to a boil.

Allow it to cook on a rolling boil (reduce the heat) for about 15 minutes.

As this happens, prepare the taro leaves (use spinach if you cannot source dasheen (taro) leaves). Watch the video below to see how this is done.

Add the chopped dasheen leaves to the pot and give it a good mix. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the pimento peppers now, if you can source it and grate in the ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, then it’s time to add the rice.

Wash the rice, then into the pot. Turn the heat up, add the additional cup of water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Adjust the water later if needed (add more).

Watch the video for my tip on getting this dish more creamy and additional ingredients you can add for a more spectacular cook-up rice.

25 minutes after adding the rice and you can now personalize things. Taste and adjust the salt to your liking, continue cooking if you want it more soft or turn off the stove as I did as I knew that the residual heat of this iron pot would finish off things for me.

I closed the pot, and allowed it to sit for 15 minutes before I went in for a feast!

Serve warm with sliced tomato, cucumber and a THICK slice of zabouca (avocado) and one must NOT forget the peppersauce. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

Stewed Cabbage With Salted Cod.

June 12, 2022April 23, 2022Leave a Comment

Here’s another one of those CLASSIC Caribbean recipes enjoyed across the region. A dish where you can let your creativity run crazy, by adding ingredients you like (vegetables) or to simply clear out ends of vegetables you have unused in the fridge. As a side dish to roti, ground provisions or dumplings or served on hot steaming rice.

You’ll Need…

1/2 large cabbage (rough chopped)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cups prepared Salted Cod
1 onion (sliced)
3-4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 red and green Bell peppers (sliced)
1/2 medium carrot (julienne)
4-6 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Prep all the ingredients in advance so you can run through the recipe quickly. For the Salted Cod, you can boil for a few minutes or soak it overnight. Rinse and shred. Watch this video if you want to see step by step How Salted Cod Is Prepared.

In a wide pot medium flame, add the olive oil (use any oil you like).

Now add the prepared salted cod pieces. turn the heat down to low to bring out all that flavor. 2 minutes later add the thyme, garlic and the scotch bonnet pepper (be mindful to wear gloves and/or to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers). Toss in the onion and give everything a good mix.

Go in with the carrots, bell pepper and black pepper and stir well.

Four minutes later, turn the heat up to medium and add the cabbage. It may look like a lot, but it will wilt down as it cook. Mix well to combine all the flavors.

I didn’t use a lid, but you can if you wish to help speed up the cooking time/process. Stir a few times.

Now it’s time to personalize things. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The remaining salt in the Salted Cod meant I didn’t have to adjust anything. The other thing is, cook the cabbage to the consistency and texture you like. For me, five minutes after adding the cabbage it was to my liking.

Top with the parsley and turn off the heat (stir).

As classic as it gets and so simple to put together. While as a lil fella on the islands I never enjoy Cabbage, I always seem to have one sitting in our fridge in my adult years. From soups, to stews and stir-fry’s, it’s a great way to add texture and to stretch a dish. Takes on wicked flavors too! And speaking about flavors, the simple (now very expensive) Salted Cod can enhance any dish IMHO with that lovely flavor we so adore in the Caribbean.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Vegetarian

Garden (vegetable) Fried Rice.

May 28, 2025April 18, 2022Leave a Comment

With an abundance of vegetables in my garden (last summer), it was only natural that I made this incredible vegetable fried rice when I came across some leftover rice in the fridge. I’m a huge fan of rice, that combined with the ability to put what I’ve grown into a dish, Uncle Chris was a very happy fella.

You’ll Need…

3 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 1/2 tablespoon veg oil
1 medium onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cups chopped swiss chard
2 cups chopped kale
2 okra (chopped)
4 yard beans (bodi, bora) (cut into pieces)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 chili peppers (chopped)

feel free to add any of your favorite vegetables.

Wash and prep the vegetables. (watch the video below).

Heat the oil on medium flame in a wok or pot of your choice.

Add the onion, bodi and stems of the chard and kale as those are the more tough vegetables. Grate in the ginger, toss in the chili pepper (bird’s eye) and add the crushed garlic. Stir well.

Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the okra and sesame oil and stir well. Now add the leafy parts of the Chard and Kale. It may seem like a lot, but it will wilt down.

Add the Chinese Cooking Wine, Hoisin, dark Soy Sauce and light Soy Sauce. Mix!

As I’ve mentioned in past Fried Rice recipes, try to make sure the rice is cool or chilled (for a more grainy finish) . Fold in the rice, warm through and you’re done. Yes the rice was cooked in salted water, plus the 2 different soy sauces we used will be enough salt for me. Taste and adjust (add salt) if you wish.

Lunch for Two is DONE! Feel free to add more rice and make it a complete family meal. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

Fried Sardines As It’s Done In The Caribbean.

July 2, 2022April 12, 20221 Comment

Back in 2010 I shared a similar recipe where I used Smelts, as it was the only fish I could source back then to satisfy a craving I had for a childhood fave… fry dry! I’ve since elevated my mom’s recipe to put my touch and lay some claim to it. No disrespect mom!

You’ll Need…

2 lbs sardines (cleaned)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 cups veg oil (for frying)
1 cup all purpose flour
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1 onion (sliced)
4 birds eye pepper
3 scallions (chopped)

Season the oil with 2 cloves of garlic + 3 bird’s eye pepper.
lemon (juice)

Gut (or ask your fish monger to do it for you), clean and wash the sardines (use lemon or lime juice or vinegar along with cool water to wash the fish). Then season the cleaned Sardines with salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning and curry powder. Mix well and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a wide pan on a medium flame, add the garlic and chili as it heats up. This step will flavor the oil a bit.

Dust the seasoned fish in the flour (shake off excess flour) and place the flour-dusted fish in the hot oil. Be careful when adding the dusted fish to the hot oil.

Cook on each side for about 3-5 minutes.. a crust will form and you’ll get a dark golden color. Remove and drain on paper towels. Don’t crowd the pan, so I’d recommend frying then in batches. Vent your kitchen to avoid the entire house smelling like fried fish or cook outdoors if you can.

Once the fish are all fried, it’s time for step two. Heat 3 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan.. while the oil is still cold add the onion, scallion, birds eye chili and garlic.. bring it up to a simmer and allow it to gently fry and flavor the oil. It will take about 4-5 minutes.

Place the fried Sardines in a heat-proof bowl and pour the now seasoned hot oil over the fried sardines and toss to coat. Note – you can get away with using 2 tablespoon of the olive oil if you want to cut back on the use of oil.

If you recall we stared by flour dusting the fish before frying them. That flour crust will soak up the flavored oil and you’ll be amazed how delicious these will be.

Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and enjoy. Remember these will be spicy! Serve warm please.

Serve as a side or as a snack when enjoying adult beverages with your friends. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/