With an abundance of peppers from my garden at the end of every Summer, this method of preserving them for the COLD winter months is one of my go-to tasks. On average I grow at least 5-8 varieties of the hottest peppers in the world every year in my small Canadian garden.. such is my luv for heat! Now I pointed out “Canadian” garden as I know most people associate growing such peppers in tropical countries.
You’ll Need…
Peppers (choice is yours what you use”
IMPORTANT: Oven drying slowly dehydrates food at around 140 – 200 degrees Fahrenheit (60 – 100 degrees Celsius). In the event you don’t have access to a food dehydrator, feel free to use your oven. Line baking trays with parchment paper and space out the cut peppers on them.
WARNING! Before you start, wear gloves… and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handing such hot peppers.
Wash and dry the peppers (remove the stems). Then cut each in half to make the dehydration process faster and most effective. You may remove the seeds if you want to tame the heat a bit, but as with all pepper flakes… I want seeds and everything.
Place on a single layer with a bit of space between each on the trays. I started with cut side down.
Set temp to 145 F
TIP! rotate trays – basically spin them around during the process as I found that the front was dehydrating faster that the back of the tray (poor circulation in my dehydrator maybe).
It can take up to 18 hrs to be fully dry and moisture free. However there will be some which will finish faster, so you can remove those (use gloves or tongs) and set aside.
Basically all you have to do now is place them in your food processor and PULSE until they break down to the size flakes you like. WARNING! Be mindful that these are HOT peppers and the dust etc will want to cause you to choke.
Store in an airtight container in your spice rack. ENJOY!
Two of my favorite dishes combined! Stewed chicken with Spinach, a dish I make with dasheen bush (taro leaves) when I can source it, or more regularly with baby spinach which is readily available at grocery stores here in Ontario, Canada. Basically any of your fav ‘greens’ will work with this dish and if you’re a fan of Green or French beans, you can easily use them instead with delicious success.
You’ll Need…
3-4 lbs chicken thighs (skinless) 3 cloves garlic 2 tablespoon parsley 4 sprigs thyme 2 thick slices ginger 1 medium tomato (diced) 3/4 tablespoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 medium onion 2 scallions 2 tablespoon olive oil (divided) 1 tablespoon golden brown sugar 3/4 lb spinach 2-3 tablespoon cream of coconut 6 wiri wiri peppers 2 pimento peppers (seasoning peppers) 6 grape or cherry tomatoes (cut in half)
Season the cleaned chicken with salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato, seasoning peppers (pimento) and a quick green seasoning – basically the parsley, thyme, ginger, scallions, garlic and a tablespoon olive oil and onion – pureed in a food processor or blender. Stir well and marinate for a couple hours.
In a heavy pot on a high flame, add the remaining olive oil, followed by the brown sugar. This step is critical, so you can follow along with the assistance of the video below. Move the sugar around. It will melt, go frothy and then deep amber in color. Being cautious, start adding the seasoned chicken to the pot and stir. NO the dish will NOT be sweet.
IMPORTANT! if the sugar goes black. Shut everything down. allow to Cool, wash the pot and start over. Black sugar will give you an unpleasant burnt flavor.
Stir well to coat the pieces of chicken. As it comes to a boil, add the wiri wiri peppers (optional – add any pepper you have access to). Turn the heat to medium low, with the lid on – slightly ajar.
After 6 minutes, remove the lid and burn off all that liquid (turn up the heat). In the meantime add the water to the bowl where we marinated the chicken, to pick up any remaining marinade.
5-8 minutes later (lid off), you’ll start seeing the oil we started off with at the bottom of the pot. Add the water and coconut cream (milk) to the pot and bring back to a boil. (wash and drain the spinach in the meantime).
As it comes to a boil, turn the heat to medium, add the spainch and stir well.
7 minutes after adding the spinach, the chicken will be fully cooked. Time to personalize things to your own liking. Taste for salt and adjust and get the gravy to the consistency you like. Then turn off the heat and toss in the grape tomatoes.
Hot steam rice topped with this amazing stewed chicken with spinach is my idea of comfort! Or a side to hot Sada Roti and a thick slice of avocado (zabouca). Maybe some Mango Kuchela? BTW when I mentioned above “2 dishes I like”, usually we cook the stewed chicken as a stand alone dish, as well as the spinach or bhagi.
Here’s another classic dish we make with Pigeon Peas, especially when they’re in full production from early January in the Caribbean (harvest/production last for about 3 months if memory serves me right). In my case I’m based in Canada where the growing season is not long enough for us to have it in our garden. However, we do get quality stuff in the freezer section of major grocery stores.
You’ll Need..
3-4 lbs chicken 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 scotch bonnet pepper 1/2 medium tomato (chopped) 3 cups pigeon peas 2 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 medium onion (diced) 1 teaspoon of Anchar Masala 7-9 cloves garlic (rough chop) 2 1/3 cups water (divided) 2 medium potatoes (sliced thin) 2 tablespoon shado beniculantro (or cilantro)
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. I used pigeon peas from frozen, but the recipe works with fresh pigeon peas just as well. If you can only access canned pigeon peas, there’s no need to pre cook them. Drain, rinse and add when I do in the cooking process.
Thaw, rinse and place the peas in a deep pot covered with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 45 mins to 1 hour. This will help to precook the peas and get rid of a ‘weird’ taste you get if you don’t pre boil them. After 1/2 hr of cooking, drain the water and repeat for another 30 minutes with new water. Then drain and set aside for later.
In a large bowl ad the cut chicken (serving size pieces), add the salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning, scotch bonnet and tomato. Stir well and allow it to marinate for about 1-2 hours.
Heat the oil on a medium flame in a deep pot, then add the onion and garlic and cook on LOW for 2-3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, stir and cook for 2 minutes, then add the curry powder. Keep the heat on low.
3 minutes after adding the curry powder, turn the heat to medium and add the 1/3 cup water, followed by the Anchar masala and stir well. The goal is to cook out the rawness of the curry and allow the spices to bloom. Additionally with the heat on medium we’ll burn off all the liquid and try to get back to the oil we started off with.
Turn the heat to high and start adding the seasoned chicken to the pot. Stir well to coat the chicken pieces and deglaze the bottom of the pot with the chicken pieces. Side note – put the water in the same bowl we marinated the chicken in to pick up any remaining marinade.
Bring to a boil and it will start releasing it’s own natural juices after about 5 minutes. The goal again here is to burn off that liquid to intensify the overall flavor.
Once the liquid is gone, it’s time to add the pre-cooked pigeon peas, sliced potato and water (stir well). Bring to a boil.
After it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to between a simmer and a rolling boil (medium – low heat). Cook with the lid on, slightly ajar.
After 20 minutes its time personalize things. Adjust the salt and get the gravy to consistency you like. Finally top with the chopped shado beni (culantro) or cilantro if you cannot source shado beni. To thicken the gravy, you can crush some of the potato if you like. I usually use the back of my spoon to crush some of the pigeon peas to thicken things up.
Pigeon Peas (Cajanus cajan) whose cultivation can be traced back more than 3,500 years, is known by a variety of names: Congo pea, Angola pea and red gram.LA Times.
This Curry Chicken with Pigeon Peas is a dish which screams for hot roti, but just as enjoyable with steamed or boiled rice.
Jamaican Callaloo (aka spinach, Chorai Bhagi) is a regular in my garden every year, so it’s only normal to see many recipes featuring this ‘greens’ we adore in the Caribbean. In this version we’ll put another loved Caribbean ingredient to use to add additional flavor and give the dish a true comforting appeal. Salted Pigtails! Feel free to use smoked turkey if you don’t mess with pork.
You’ll Need…
Jamaican Callaloo (about 3 lbs) 1 1/2 lbs salted pigtails (prepared) 1/2 large onion (diced) 4 cloves garlic (sliced) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/2 cup coconut cream tomato (optional) 1/2 lemon juice (optional) 1/4 cup water
Important: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary requirements.
Trim and wash the callaloo – basically you keep all the leaves (which are not tarnished) and the tender stems. For the stems you’ll want to remove the sort of skin on them so they cook faster and be much more tender. Discard the blemished leaves, flowers and tough stems.
Roll the leaves and chop into 1 cm ribbons. If you decide to use the tender stems, chop those into 1 cm pieces.
For the salted pigtails you will need to pre-cook first. Cut into 1 – 2 inch pieces (get your butcher to do this as they can be tough), wash with lemon juice and water. Then place in a pot covered with water and boil on a simmer for 45-50 mins on until they are tender and most of that salt (it’s cured in) is removed. Drain, rinse with cool water and set aside.
In a wide pan on a medium flame, add the olive oil and scotch bonnet pepper followed by the onion and garlic, then turn the heat down to a gentle simmer. Add the black pepper and prepared salted pig tails. Continue cooking on low heat for 5 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium, then start adding the prepared callaloo followed by the coconut cream. It will pile up, but it will wilt with the lid on the pan. Toss in the water to assist it in steaming.
After 8 minutes remove the lid and stir. Continue cooking with the lid off now for 20-25 minutes or until all the liquid is gone.
Top with the tomato (optional) and squeeze on some lemon juice to brighten the flavor and in my case.. it prevents an itch at the back of my throat I usually get with greens.
I didn’t add any salt as the remaining salt in the pig tails was enough for my liking. But do taste and adjust.
While I’ve been pro #TeamDryPelau most of my known life, the past few years I’ve slowly migrated over to #TeamWetPelau. The wet and dry referring the finished texture of this iconic Caribbean one-pot dish. There is no other dish I enjoy more that Pelau as it’s a meal which brings IMMEDIATE comfort to me. When I watch the big game, when my daughters were born (I celebrated), when I miss the sunny shores of the Caribbean.. even when I was in a state of panic (and uncertainty) when I applied for Citizenship to Canada and I knew my application was weak.. Pelau comforted and calmed me.
You’ll Need…
4-5 lbs Chicken thighs (skin and fat removed) 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 1 scallion (chopped) 3 cloves garlic (smashed) 3/4 teaspoon grated ginger 1 medium tomato (diced) 1 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped – no seeds) 1 medium onion (diced) 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 tablespoon olive oil (any oil will work) 1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar 1 large carrot (diced) 2- 3 cups water 1 1/2 cup pigeon peas (from a can) 4 cups rice (long grain brown parboiled) 3 cups coconut milk 2 cups baby spinach 1 chicken stock cube (optional)
edit: I forgot to mention the ketchup in the ingredient list – 1 Tablespoon
Important. If doing this dish gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling Scotch Bonnet peppers. You will see me talk about washing chicken below… while I do it, I will not recommend as I want you to be comfortable when it comes to the way you normally handle/prepare your meats, especially Chicken.
Remove the skin and any fat from the chicken pieces, then wash with cool water and lemon juice (or lime or vinegar), drain and get ready to season. Traditionally meats are washed in the Caribbean, so if you don’t typically wash your meats – so be it. Really up to you.
Season the chicken in a large bowl with the salt, black pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, grated ginger, garlic, scallion, scotch bonnet pepper (remove the seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat), ketchup, Caribbean green seasoning, onion and tomato. Give this a good mix and set it to marinate overnight or a couple hours in the fridge.
Heat the oil on a high flame in a deep heavy pot, followed by the brown sugar. Stir to move around (this step is most critical), the sugar will melt, go frothy and then deep amber in color. This is when you’d add the seasoned chicken to the pot .. including the marinade. If the sugar goes BLACK.. STOP. Cool the pot, wash and start over. That burnt sugar will cause the dish to go bitter.
Be careful when adding the seasoned chicken as it may splat. Stir well to coat the chicken pieces, turn the heat down to medium, cover the pot and bring to a boil.
It will sprout it’s own juice. Simmer for 4-5 minutes. Now remove the lid of the pot and crank up the heat to burn off that liquid. It will take 5 minutes or so and in doing so, we’ll develop a lovely color and flavor.
In the same bowl you marinated the chicken, add 2 cups of water, pigeon peas (rinse with cool water first to remove the brine in was packaged in) and diced carrot. As soon as the liquid in the pot is gone, add this mix and stir. Heat still on high.
Add your washed rice to the pot, stir, then top with the coconut milk and bring back to a boil. Now toss in the spinach and stir well. Turn the heat down to a simmer, place the lid on the pot with a slight space for steam to escape and cook until the rice is tender.
Toss in the chicken stock cube at this point if you wish you can toss another scotch bonnet (WHOLE) on the top and remember to NOT break this pepper or the dish may be too spicy for you. As it cooks if you find that the liquid is drying up too fast, add the additional cup of water we have mentioned in the ingredient list above.
About 23-26 minutes later you’re done. Taste for salt (adjust) and remove the scotch bonnet pepper (save for the people who like it spicy.. they will thank you).
Allow to sit covered for 5 minutes before serving. With the extra liquid, the pelau will take on a creamy texture (almost like a Caribbean risotto) and the flavors of the coconut milk, Caribbean Green Seasoning and Scotch Bonnet will give your tastebuds a work-out. Serve with a side salad with tons of cucumber, coleslaw, slices of Avocado or Watercress. I enjoy my Chicken Pelau best with some Kuchela on the side.
If you’re looking for the ULTIMATE Curry Chicken dish cooked in under 30 minutes, you’re in the right place. This classic masala chicken is not only packed with a definitive punch of flavor, it’s super easy and quick to put together. Using skinless, boneless chicken thighs is the key for maximum flavor and speed of cooking.
You’ll Need…
4-5 lbs chicken (bones, fat and skin removed) 2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 3/4 tablespoon salt 3/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced) 1 medium tomato (diced) 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 3 tablespoon olive oil 8-12 cloves garlic (divided) 1 medium onion (diced) 1 shallot (sliced) 2 tablespoon curry powder 1/3 cup water (cooking the curry at the start) 1 tablespoon ground roast geera (cumin) 1 tablespoon Anchar Masala 2 tablespoon chopped parsley (cilantro or shado bein will be better)
Note: I used boneless chicken thighs as I find that I get the most flavor from this cut of chicken (with bones will give you even more flavor IMHO) as most people hate dealing with bones. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use, as some may have flour as a filler/thickener.
I somehow lost the first set of images of me cutting and seasoning the chicken so if you want to see that part, watch the video below.
Cut the chicken into serving size pieces (I go traditional and wash my chicken with lemon or lime juice and cool water – but it’s up to you to do this step) then season with the salt, black pepper, ketchup, Caribbean Green Seasoning, scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds if you’re concerned about the raw heat) and tomato. The ketchup and tomato will add a lovely balance with the acidity and help with a thick gravy at the end. Mix well and allow to marinate for a couple hours.
Get a heavy pot on a high heat, add the oil, then add the onion, shallot and 4 cloves of garlic (smashed) and cook for about 40 seconds to one minute on that high heat.
Add the curry powder and stir well to wet-toast and allow the spices which makes up the curry powder to bloom.
It will go darker and clump, then add the 1/3 cup of water and stir. Add the roasted geera (cumin) and Anchar Masala (check your local Caribbean grocery store) and stir well. With the heat still on high, that water will burn off (yes we MUST burn off that liquid) to the point you’re seeing the oil we started with at the bottom of the pot. Burning off that liquid will ensure we don’t get a ‘raw’ curry taste later on. Start adding the seasoned chicken to the pot and stir well to deglaze and coat.
After 5 minutes, you’ll see juices naturally spout – add the remaining garlic, turn the heat down to fully cook the chicken and place a lid on the pot. If you find that the liquid is burning off quickly, add about 1/2 cup of water to the pot.
After about 20-25 minutes later, taste for salt turn off the stove and top with parsley. As mentioned above, Shado Beni (culantro) or cilantro will be better than the parsley, but all I had was parsley this day.
For more gravy you may need to add a bit of water during the cooking process (watch the video below). If you use chicken pieces with bones, it may take more than 20-25 minutes to fully cook through.
If you’re always looking for ways to make use of leftover turkey, you’ll want to peep this recipe. This Turkey Fried Rice is now a tradition (along with Turkey Soup) in my home and to be honest with you, I don’t mind. It’s quick, easy to prepare, packed with flavor and very comforting overall.
Tip. Day old rice (chilled), works best for fried rice. I don’t like eggs (made for breakfast IMHO) in fried rice, but you can add it and anything else you like in your fried rice. You can add a teaspoon of dark soy sauce if you want the finished rice darker.
Prep the ingredients (try to have them the same size so they cook evenly) as this recipe will go fast – in under 6 minutes you’ll have a wonderful fried rice.
In a wok or non stick pan on a med/high flame, add the Pepper Oil (or any oil you have) and add the celery, onion and bell peppers, give it a stir.
Add the turkey and grate in the ginger and garlic, the carrot and mix everything well. Heat still on medium high. Go in with he Sesame oil (add more if you like the flavor… one of those things I don’t like much) and soy sauce> Stir well to combine and coat.
Add the salt (the rice was cooked in salted water) and oyster sauce, then add the rice. Remember, chilled rice will give you a more grainy texture when the dish is finished.
As soon as the rice heats through and everything is combined, you’re done! Note – if you add dark soy sauce as suggested above, remember to adjust the salt accordingly as the soy will bring that sodium element.
Top with the celery tops and scallions. Turn off the stove. Note the pepper oil will give it a gentle kick. A classic one pot fried rice, using stuff you may want to get rid off in your fridge.
A classic dish during pigeon peas season (usually from late December to early April) in the Caribbean. Freshly shelled pigeon peas are pre cooked, then added to traditional stewed chicken for an iconic dish to enjoy with rice, dumplings, roti or a side to ground provisions. Almost the same dish is made with a curry base – I’ll share that one another time.
You’ll Need…
3 cups green pigeon peas 3-4 lbs chicken (legs and thighs) 3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce 2-3 drops Angostura Bitters 1 tablespoon grated ginger 1 medium tomato (diced) 1 medium onion (diced) 2 1/2 cups water 2 cups pumpkin (cubed) 1 scotch bonnet pepper 2 tablespoon parsley- optional (chopped)
Important! I used a whole scotch bonnet pepper, adjust to your own liking/tolerance and do wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers. If you cannot source fresh pigeon peas, you may use frozen. Should you only have access to canned (tin) pigeon peas, there’s no need to precook it. Just rinse well and add to the chicken when I did.
Rinse the peas in cool water, then place in a deep sauce pan and cover with water. On a med/high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce to a rolling boil.
While the peas boil, we’ll season the chicken. The chicken was cut into serving size pieces (and washed with lemon juice and cool water) and placed in a large bowl where we’ll now season it. Add the onion, tomato, black pepper, salt, Worcestershire Sauce, bitters, Caribbean Green Seasoning, tomato ketchup, ginger and scotch bonnet pepper. Mix well to coat the chicken with the marinade. Typically I’d say marinate for at least 2 hours, but today we’ll go as long as it takes the peas to cook.
After 35-40 minutes of boiling , turn off the stove, drain the peas and set aside.
Now in a large heavy pot, add the oil and go on a high flame. Add the sugar to the pot and move it around. The sugar will melt, then go frothy and finally go dark. As soon as you see it deep amber(NOT BLACK), start adding the seasoned chicken to the pot. Stir well to coat. Bring to a boil. If the sugar goes BLACK.. STOP. Allow the pot to cool, wash, dry and start over or you’ll end up with bitter tasting chicken.
Reduce the heat to med/low, cover the pot and let it go. In the same bowl you marinated the chicken, add the water and move it around to pick up any remaining marinade. Set aside.
Ten minutes later (stir a couple times at least), remove the lid off the pot (there will be some juices), crank up the heat to burn that of that liquid and to give the chicken a deeper color and flavor base.
It will take about 8-10 minutes to get rid of that liquid. Now add the cooked pigeon peas, diced pumpkin and thyme. Mix well. Then add the water from the bowl into the pot. And bring back to a boil.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, lid slightly ajar and cook until everything is tender and you have a lovely gravy.
After 25 minutes, it time to personalize things. Taste for salt and adjust, crush some of the pumpkin pieces along with some peas to thicken the gravy and be sure to cook down until you achieve a consistency of gravy you’re happy with. Top with some freshly chopped parsley for a punch of color when you turn off the stove.
One of my favorite memories of Barbados… tired, hungry and just exhausted from a long day of traveling to the island (gotta love slow customs and immigration). Luckily we opted for dinner at a local street vendor who had fresh-off-the-coal-fire – roasted breadfruit, stuffed with stewed red herrings. This son of the Caribbean was in heaven. Here’s my take on that delicious stewed smoked herrings.
You’ll Need…
1 lb red herring fillets (called smoke herring on some islands) 2 medium onions (sliced) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3-5 sprigs thyme 3 cloves garlic (smashed) 3 scallions (chopped) 10 cherry tomatoes (or 1 large diced) 1 1/2 tablespoon tomato puree 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped fine) 1 scotch bonnet (sliced) 3/4 cup water 1/2 lime (juice)
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. Use as much Scotch Bonnet (any spicy pepper you like) as you can handle and remember to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers.
I used Smoked Herring fillets as it meant less work for me. Typically you’d have to remove the skin, large bones etc. TIP! wear gloves or the scent will remain on you hand for hours. Burn that scented candle in your house (smile).
Pour boiling water over the fillets to remove the excess salt and smoke and to rehydrate the herrings. Yes there will be tiny bones, try to remove as much as you can, but if some of them are too small to remove, doh (don’t) sweat.
Once cooled, drain, pour more warm water and rinse. Drain dry and squeeze. Now break up the fillets into small pieces and set aside.
In a saucepan on a medium flame, add the olive followed by the onions. Reduce the heat to low, so we can gently sweat the onion (about 3 minutes). Add the black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, garlic and thyme. Cook for another 2 minutes (stir well).
Add the bell pepper and cook another 2 minutes. Then create a space in the center of the pan and add the tomato paste, so it’s in direct contact with the surface (helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the tomato) stir. Raise the heat to medium/low and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the prepared herring, followed by the scallions and tomato. Stir well, crank the heat to med/high and add the water. Bring to a boil. Lid On.
As it comes to a boil, stir, turn the heat down and simmer (lid open) for 3-5 minutes.
Finally (turn the stove off) add the lime juice and parsley, one final stir and you’re ready to enjoy.
This recipe is loosely based on a dish my great-grandmother would make for my dad. While I never had the chance to meet her, nor ‘taste her hand”, I feel I know her just from the stories my dad would tell us. From a baby to his teen years dad lived with my great grandparents in Tabaquite, Trinidad and Tobago. So his childhood (and the stories he tells us) are based on that carefree time in his life, living on a cocoa and coffee estate.
You’ll Need…
1/2 large cabbage (chopped) 1/2 – 3/4 lb salted pork (diced) 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium onion (diced) 3 cloves garlic (smashed) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin) 3 sprigs thyme 1/4 bell pepper (diced)
Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Additionally you can use smoked turkey, bacon, pancetta etc if you cannot source salted pork. And remember to wash your hands with soap and water after handling hot peppers, such at the Scotch Bonnet.
Soak the pork for a few hours in cool water to remove the excess salt (try to drain and repeat if you remember), then dice into 1 cm cube pieces.
In a wide pot on a medium high heat, add the olive oil followed by the cubed salted pork and stir well. Cook on medium. Five minutes later (should have rendered and gained some color) add the onion, thyme, garlic and Scotch Bonnet pepper. Do not include any seeds of the pepper as that’s where most of the heat will be.
Note: If you wanted to add 1/2 teaspoon curry powder here, it will add another delicious layer of flavor. Dad mentioned that my great-grandfather didn’t like curry so it was never added. 3-4 Minutes later add the black pepper and the washed/chopped cabbage.
Stir well. It will wilt down so don’t fret when you see it piling up in the pot. Place the lid on the pan, to allow for some steam.
I allowed it to cook for 4 minutes with the lid on, then I added the diced bell pepper and stirred. Now with the lid off, it took 2 minutes to get to the texture I like (slight crunch).
Taste for salt (the remaining salt in the pork should be enough) and cook to your liking.
Serve warm! Treat it a side dish… for me it’s either plain rice or hot roti.
While this dish is not part of my childhood growing up on the islands, I did have something similar in the French Speaking Caribbean (don’t recall which island at the moment) and it’s something I try to make whenever I have fresh off the vine tomatoes from my garden. The sauce is something you need good bread for and to be honest, you can top pasta, rice or ground provisions with this. My fave? Cassava dumplings!
You’ll Need…
4-5 tomatoes (I used Roma) 3/4 lb shrimp (I used wild caught) 1/4 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning 2 tablespoon parsley (chopped) 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon brown sugar 5 cloves garlic (diced) 1/2 medium onion (diced) 4 peppers (birds eye) divided 3/4 teaspoon Paprika (hot) 1/4 cup water 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
Important! If doing this dish gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Clean and devein the shrimp. Season with the Caribbean Green Seasoning and set aside as we prep the tomatoes.
Blanch the tomato in boiling hot water. Give the tomatoes a cut X on the bottom and into boiling water for about 1 minute. Cool, then peel (use the little cuts we made to pull back on the skin- toss out the skin and stem/core) and dice finely.
Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat, then add the seasoned shrimp to the pot. Stir well and cook for 1.5 to 2 minutes. Then remove and set aside.
In the same pot, with the heat on low add the onion, garlic, 2 peppers (chopped, with the seeds – remove the seeds if you want to cut back on the heat level) and parsley. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the smoked paprika and stir well. Add the salt and black pepper and continue cooking on low.
4 minutes later add the diced tomato, water, brown sugar and float 2 more of the peppers. Do NOT cut or break these 2 peppers.
Bring to a boil (medium heat) and cook for 5-6 minutes. Now tuck in the shrimp, stir well and take off the heat. Allow the residual heat to fully bring everything together.
The goal is to have a rich spicy tomato sauce , with plump shrimp. So please don’t overcook the shrimp.
Here’s another one of those insanely good comforting dishes we enjoy across the Caribbean. Each island and household will have it’s own take on this classic Caribbean recipe and that’s what gives us that uniqueness as you work your way up and down the island chain. This is a massive one pot dish meant to be enjoyed as a family or.. freeze the rest for those cold winter nights you want a piece of Caribbean warmth.
You’ll Need…
3-5 lbs smoked pigtails 1 large onion (diced) 3 scallions (chopped) 1 and 1/2 scotch bonnet (divided) 5 large cloves garlic (smashed) 6 sprigs thyme 5 leaves of Shado Beni (Chadon beni or Culantro) chopped 3/4 tablespoon salt 1 stick cinnamon 1/3 teaspoon black pepper 2 cups diced pumpkin 12-15 okra (cut 1 cm wheels) 2 stalks celery (diced) 1 1/2 cup coconut milk 8-10 cups of water (divided) 1/4 cup roocoo 1/2 lb spinach 3 cups long grain parboiled brown rice
Notes: If you can’t source the smoked pigtails (or maybe you don’t mess with pork) you can always use smoked turkey. Additionally you can try European supermarkets for the smoked pigtails (in my case I got mine at a Polish market) if you’re finding it difficult to source. If you’re doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.
Using a very large chefs knife or clever, cut the pigtails into 1 1/2 inch pieces. Then into a pot covered with cool water on a medium flame. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Enough time to remove some of the smoke and salt it’s cured in and to start getting them tender.
Drain and set aside.
In a deep heavy pot (it’s a one pot dish) on a medium flame, add the olive oil, then add the onion, scallions, thyme, Scotch Bonnet pepper (no seeds), garlic and shando beni. Turn the heat down to low and cook for 3-5 minutes.
Add salt, black pepper and the cinnamon stick. Stir well and add the pre-cooked smoked pigtails.
3 minutes later we’ll add the pumpkin, okra and celery. Stir well to coat everything with all those flavors. Add the coconut milk, turn the heat to medium/high and bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, add 3 cups water and Roocoo and mix well. (for the roocoo I basically soaked Annatto seeds in hot water)
After it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Since I’m not a huge fan of cinnamon, this is where I removed the cinnamon stick (it’s done it’s work). Wash the rice and spinach and get ready to add them both to the pot. Typically we’d use dasheen bush (dasheen or taro leaves), but baby spinach is an excellent replacement.
Add the washed rice and go in with another 5 cups of water (you may need to adjust later). Stir well and put the heat up so we can bring this to a boil.
Float the Scotch Bonnet pepper (Do NOT BREAK) as we want the flavors off the oil on the skin of the pepper. This step is optional as we already added a piece of pepper at the start.
20-25 minutes later the rice should be fully cooked, taste for salt and adjust. Remove the scotch bonnet pepper, turn off the heat and place the lid back on and leave on the same burner where you cooked it. 10 minutes later the cook up rice should be done. Now if you like your rice more grainy, you will need to adjust the cooking time of the rice or use less liquid. Speaking about liquid, you may need to add more water (In the ingredient list I said 8-10 cups as depending on the rice you use, it may need more water). Feel free to adjust.
I guarantee you that if this is the first time you’re having this dish, it won’t be the last. You can always use some stock in place of some of the water we used, for additional flavor or depth to this dish.
