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jamaican recipes

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Gluten Free Seafood

Grilled Sea Bass Stuffed With Jamaican Callaloo.

6 Comments on Grilled Sea Bass Stuffed With Jamaican Callaloo.

You knew I’d be ending this year’s month of grilling with a truly wicked recipe.. one that’s very dear to me. This grilled stuffed fish is one of those dishes we try to make at least once a year (summer) when my best friends and I meet. One from Dominica, another from Jamaica and myself the Trinbagonian, connect in a sort of mystical way as we dive into our individual red snapper stuffed with Jamaican callaloo (amaranth, spinach or chorai bhagi) along with some cold beverages. The only talking is after we’re good and stuffed and each of us eying the last piece of boiled sweet potato or fried plantain.

You’ll Need…

2 Sea bass * (medium sized)
3 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 onion
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 lime
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper diced finely
1 scallion

Stuffing

3 cups Jamaican callaloo
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs thyme
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper

Notes: I much prefer using red snapper for this dish, but the prices were too high for my wallet (the reality of not living in the Caribbean). If you can’t source Jamaican callaloo, you can use spinach or any of your favorite greens (Swiss Chard, Pak Choi.. collard greens?). IMPORTANT: If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

 

Wash, trim and chop the callaloo into 1/2  inch pieces and allow to drain dry in a colander. Heat the olive oil on a medium flame then add the sliced garlic, onion and thyme. Turn the heat down to low and let that soften up for a couple minutes. Now add the cut callaloo and top with the salt, black pepper, scotch bonnet pepper and coconut milk. Turn the heat up to bring to a boil then reduce the heat to medium and cook with the pot uncovered for about 7-10 minutes.

It will wilt down and go a bit darker in colour.. that’s normal. If there’s any residual liquid in the pot after 7 minutes, turn up the heat and burn it off. Then set aside allow to cool for stuffing the fish.

As it cools, lets make the seasoned oil for adding extra flavor to the fish as it grills.

In a deep bowl mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley,chopped scallion, juice of a lime and finely diced scotch bonnet pepper. Slice the onion in rings and set aside.

Make sure your fish is scaled, washed and dry. Cut a couple slits (not too deep) across the belly of the fish so some of the seasoned oil can get in to do it’s thing. Then spread a (double) sheet of tin foil and brush some of the seasoned oil where the fish will be placed. Now add some of the onion rings and place the fish on top of that. Take 1/2 of the now cooled cooked callaloo and stuff the cavity of the fish. Then pour some of the seasoned oil on top of the fish (spoon it on) and top with a few of the onion rings. Wrap the tin foil to encase the fish and create a package.Repeat with the next fish!

It’s just a matter of grilling as you would normally grill fish. In my case I did it over a charcoal fire (love the flavors you get) but you can also use a propane grill or if you don’t have a grill.. the oven (about 375 F for about 25-30 minutes). I grilled away from direct flame (so indirect heat) and it took about 30 minutes or so (the last 4 minutes I placed the packages over direct heat to ensure I get a flaky fish when it was done cooking).

Do remember to be gentle when flipping them and when it’s done cooking allow to cool for a minute or two or risk getting burned when you open the packages as steam will form.

Serve with some lemon or lime slices and I love having this with boiled sweet potato or steam okras!

I do hope you enjoy this years month of grilling and I look forward to bringing you some more exciting dishes off the grill in July 2014! BTW, do you have any sort of recipe or tradition in place for when you meet with your dearest friends.. friends like mine who took the place of my siblings when I moved to Canada many moons ago?

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Gluten Free Seafood

Fiery Scotch Bonnet Honey Grilled Shrimp.

5 Comments on Fiery Scotch Bonnet Honey Grilled Shrimp.

As we begin July’s month of grilling as we’ve done in the past, I thought I’d start off with a dish which is very easy to prepare and has the wonderful flavors of the Caribbean in every bite. Don’t be intimidated with the amount of scotch bonnet pepper we used as it’s well balanced with the earthy sweetness of the honey. If Tehya can come upstairs with clean bamboo skewers in hand and say “dad this shrimp was on point!”, I’m sure you can handle the little Caribbean sunshine of it all.

 

You’ll need…

1 pound large shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined (16-20)
2 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoon  olive oil
2 Scotch Bonnet pepper, diced
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 scallion chopped finely

* pinch of sea salt (or any salt you have)

Notes: Wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers and do remember to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Do NOT include any of the seeds and white membrane surround the seeds if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat. If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

 

If you’re not sure how to peel and devein shrimp, watch this video…

 

There are really just two steps to preparing this dish (marinate and grill).. So let’s start off by marinating the shrimp. In a strong zipper bag or plastic container, place the cleaned shrimp and all the other ingredients. Give it a good toss and store it in the fridge for one hour.

As the shrimp marinates, I’d recommend soaking the bamboo skewers in water to help prevent them from burning while on the grill. After one hour, it’s just a matter of threading the shrimp onto the skewers and heading out to a relatively hot grill. If you have a grill pan, you can certainly make these indoors on your stove.

When I cleaned my shrimp I left a little bit of the tail/shell on, just for presentation purposes.. the choice is yours.

Lightly grease your grill surface to prevent sticking (I used cooking spray, but you can dampen a paper towel with vegetable oil and brush) then place the skewers on (medium/low flame) on one side for 3-4 minutes.

After which you’ll then flip them over and cook for another couple minutes. Try not to over-cook them and pay attention to any flare-ups which may cause them to burn. The lid of my grill was covered during the grilling process . Remember they will continue cooking with its residual heat after removing off the direct flame, so factor that in so you don’t end up with rubbery shrimp at the end.

Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and enjoy! I got 5 skewers with the one lb of shrimp and that’s pretty much enough for 5 people (1 skewer had only 2 shrimp though). Your guests will be raving after just one bite, so I would definitely double up on the recipe (just the shrimp as there will be enough marinade) to accommodate their immediate addiction.

Don’t forget to check back all of this month for more exciting and taste-bud challenging recipes off the grill!

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Drinks Gluten Free

How To Make Caribbean Style Carrot Punch (juice).

26 Comments on How To Make Caribbean Style Carrot Punch (juice).

Carrot punch or carrot juice as it’s also called in the Caribbean is one of those rich and creamy drinks you’ll find being made throughout the region. Recipes may differ, but the base ingredient of freshly grated (or food processor as in my case) carrots is constant. Chilled with a few cubes of ice on a hot Caribbean day, this drink is both filling and very refreshing.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs carrots
6 cups water
1 can condensed milk (sweetened)
1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

 If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Wash and peel the carrots. I find that peeling the carrots with a peeler causes a lot of wastage, so I scrape the side of it with my knife under cool water. This way only a thin layer is removed. Then you have the option of either cutting each carrot into small pieces and using a food processor or blender to puree everything. Or you can certainly go old-school as our dad would and use a box grater.

In two batches I placed half the carrots and half the water into my food processor and had it go on high for a few minutes, until you have pureed pulp. Empty into a large bowl and do the other batch.

It’s now time for some manual labor. Strain the pulp/liquid into another bowl (use a fine strainer or cheese cloth), then squeeze the remaining pulp to get every drop of juice out. If you use a cheese cloth you’ll find that you can wring out a lot more juice than if it’s just your hands. Give the remaining juice another strain to remove any remaining pulp.

It’s now time to spice things up and sweeten the punch as it’s traditionally done. Whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla, then pour in the sweetened condensed milk. Start off with 1/2 a can and add more as needed. I used the entire can! Whisk well, chill and serve.

There’s enough carrot punch here for about 8 people and if you’re impatient like me and can’t wait for it to chill in the fridge, you can drop in a few cubes of ice and enjoy! You can also add a few shots of rum to the mix, if you want to serve as a sort of cocktail to the grown folks.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Appetizers & Snacks Vegetarian

Jamaican Festivals – The Ultimate Fried Dumplings!

519 Comments on Jamaican Festivals – The Ultimate Fried Dumplings!

My first true encounter with ‘good’ Jamaican festivals was breakfast at our friend Dino’s home in Portmore Jamaica several years ago. Imagine waking up to a full spread of festivals, ackee and saltfish, boiled green bananas and to top it all off, a piping hot cup of rich and creamy Milo! Moms (Dino’s mom) had us set for the day! When the day came for us to continue our trek through Jamaica (Ocho Rios > Montego Bay then Negril) it was painful to know that we won’t be waking up to such a wonderful home-cooked breakfast anymore.

My inquisitive self had to investigate this wonderful Jamaican Festivals recipe in more detail, so with some arm-twisting I got mom to leave me with some hints. Here we go…

 

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

* About 3 cups of veg oil for frying.

 

In a large bowl sift in the flour and baking powder, then add the cornmeal, sugar and salt. Give that a quick whisk to mix the ingredients, before we start adding water.

It’s now time to start adding the liquids, so pour in the vanilla and start adding the water a little at a time as you whisk everything around. As it stars to take the shape of dough, you will need to get your hands in there and start kneading. If you find that the 1/2 cup of water was not enough, do drizzle in some more. The idea is to work it for 5-7 minutes, until you have a well formed dough ball that’s firm dough and slightly sticky. Cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel and allow the dough to rest for about 1/2 hr.

After it’s rested, dust your work surface with four and divide the dough ball into 8 equal (as best you can) parts. Then using your hands form each piece into a cigar shape. Try to make them about 6-8 inches long and not overly thick. They will increase in size as they fry.

It’s now time to fry these until they are golden brown and get ready to enjoy some of the best fried dumplings you’ve ever had. Heat the vegetable oil on med, then gently add the shaped festivals dough into the pan. Allow to cook for about 2-3 minutes before you flip them over. In total you’ll probably need between 5-6 minutes for each to be fully cooked and take on that lovely golden color we’re looking for. Have paper towels ready to drain off the excess oil after they’re cooked.

These Jamaican festivals are just amazing and you’ll love the crunchy exterior and the fluffy interior will have a lovely texture followed by the flavored sweetness of the vanilla and sugar.

Do try to serve warm and if you want to get a  bit creative you can certainly dust them with some icing sugar if you want to make them more like a snack for the kids.

WINNER WANTED!

As I promised on Facebook a few days back, we’ve got a lovely 7 piece Tomodachi knife set to give out to one lucky winner. There was a lot of excitement when I posted that note, so I do expect to see a lot of entries for this giveaway. All you have to do is watch the following video and in the comment section directly below, let me know if the tutorial was helpful (basically what you like about it).

Your name will be automatically entered to win this beautiful knife set which I’m sure you’ll enjoy using. One lucky winner will then be chosen (randomly) and we’ll mail out the prize to you as we normally do.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning this knife set.

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

– 1 winner will be chosen at random

– contest is open from May 30 – to midnight June 30.

– winner will be announced within 1 week of the official close date.

– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with their mailing address

– we will cover all shipping expenses (standard mail)

I hope you take a moment to enter your name as I’d really like to mail this wonderful collection of knives out to you. It’s simple, free and fun!

Seafood

Caribbean Spinach With Shrimp Recipe.

5 Comments on Caribbean Spinach With Shrimp Recipe.

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

You’ll need…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Vegetarian

Vegetarian Curry Okra Recipe.

9 Comments on Vegetarian Curry Okra Recipe.

As a kid I hated the taste and texture of okra (ochro) but I can safely say that it’s now one of my favorite vegetables to use in cooking. Soups and stews is not complete without a few okras in there, but pan frying them is still my choice. Our mom probably gets a good laugh these days when I request fried okra when we visit her and my dad.. back in the day we (my brother and sisters) all refused to partake in anything okra related. Poor woman always had to cook something different for us.

When most people hear the word ‘vegetarian’ attached to a dish they automatically think it’s something bland and just plain ole flavorless. Nothing could be further from the truth with this vegetarian curry okra.

 

You’ll Need

1 lb okra
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch fresh ground black pepper
1 medium onion diced
3 cloves garlic
2 bird pepper aka birds eye (or 1/4 scotch bonnet)
1 pimento pepper (aka seasoning pepper)
2 tablespoon veg oil
1 tablespoon madras curry powder

 

Note: Fried okra is notorious for needing a lot of oil (absorbs it) so I recommend using a non stick pan if you can, to eliminate the use for more oil.

Tip: To make sure the cooked okra is not slimy (as it can be) wash, pat dry then remove the stems and cut into desired thickness. Place the cut okra on a cookie sheet in a single layer and allow to air dry for a couple hours. Place in direct sun for even better results.

Dice the onion, garlic, hot pepper and pimento pepper (optional) . Then heat the vegetable oil on medium heat and toss in the diced onion and garlic. Turn the heat down to low and let that cook for about 3-4 minutes.

Now it’s time to add the curry powder and some fresh ground black pepper. The heat should still be on low as we want to toast the curry powder to release it’s flavors and not burn the curry. Let that go for 3 minutes.. be sure to stir. You should start getting that lovely curry aroma.

Add the diced peppers and stir. Turn up the heat to medium and start adding the cut okra to the pot. The idea is to stir-fry the okra in the curry base and here is where you’ll need to personalize this dish a bit. Depending on how ‘cooked’ you like okra, you will have to adjust your cooking time. Do NOT cover the pan as we don’t want steam/moisture to develop as this is another factor for making okra slimy.

I let it cook for about 15 minutes before it was to my liking. At this point I salted the dish (always try to salt okra near the end of cooking so it does not develop moisture.. a tip I got from Cynthia @ http://www.tasteslikehome.org/)  and gave it a final stir. You’ll notice how the okra maintained most of it’s brilliant green color, with tasty caramelized edges and the curry base with just delightful.

You’ll love sharing this vegetarian curry okra with your family and friends and there’s enough here for 4-5 people as a side dish. I love having this curry okra with sada roti (sada roti recipe), but it’s also works well as an accompaniment to rice or as any typical vegetable side 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.

Desserts

Grilled Pineapple With Caramel Rum Sauce.

8 Comments on Grilled Pineapple With Caramel Rum Sauce.

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

 

You’ll Need…

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Side Dishes Vegetarian

Crispy Golden Cassava (yuca, manioc) Fries.

9 Comments on Crispy Golden Cassava (yuca, manioc) Fries.

I love ground provisions (yam, dasheen, sweet potato, cassava, eddoes, etc) with a passion, so I’m always looking for new ways to include them on my plate. Fresh cut fries (potato) is a huge hit in our home, especially the way I get then super crispy on the outside and warm and creamy on the inside. So the goal of this recipe is to achieve the same result, except we’ll be using cassava.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs cassava
pinch sea salt
3 cups vegetable oil for frying

 

Using a sharp pairing knife of potato peeler, peel the tough exterior off the cassava. Then cut down the middle (length wise) to reveal a sort of core (fibrous) line down the center. Remove that and discard. Now cut as you would normally cut potatoes for fries. Try to keep it a bit thick.

Give the cut cassava a quick wash and set aside. Now bring a pot with water to a boil, then place the cassava pieces so they boil for about 10 minutes. After-which you need to drain them and place on paper towels to dry off all the moisture.

Heat your vegetable oil on a medium/high heat, then gently (make sure they are completely dry) add the now pre-cooked cassava pieces. It should not take more that a few minutes to go a lovely golden brown. Do in batches so you don’t crowd the pan and remember to have some paper towels on hand to drain them after they’ve been fried. Sprinkle with the sea salt as they come out of the hot oil. Serve warm!

We usually have ours with garlic sauce, but ketchup is just as good!  If you’re a fan of ground provisions and fresh cut fries you’ll love this, but keep in mind that for some reason they are more filling than typical potato fries.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

Apple Mango Chicken Salad.

5 Comments on Apple Mango Chicken Salad.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no fan of chicken breast or “white meat”, so this recipe came about out of the necessity to use that part of the chicken after having roasted chicken for dinner. Now we purposely buy chicken breast, as this apple mango chicken salad is simply outstanding and it’s one of the few dishes I make which EVERYONE eats! Cooking for teenagers can be a bit tricky at times.

With most things I prepare I like to bring a bit of the “island” into it, so the addition of the ripe mango and pinch of curry powder, was only natural.

You’ll Need…

1/2 cup cubed mango
3 cups shredded chicken (cooked.. I used oven roasted)
3/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced red onion
3/4 teaspoon prepared mustard
pinch salt
pinch black pepper
1/2 cup diced apple
1 teaspoon lemon juice
pinch curry powder

Notes: Try to get a mango that’s about 90% ripe, so it’s firm and will be easy to dice and handle in general, without falling apart. If you don’t have a red onion, any sweet or mild onion will work. The idea is not to have karate breath after eating this.

Wash, peel and dice the mango.. you’ll need about 1/2 of a large mango. No need to peel the apple as the skin will give it some extra texture, but do pour the lemon juice over the diced apple to prevent it from going discoloured. Dice the celery and onion a bit smaller than the apple and mango.

All you have to do now is basically assemble. With the chicken in a deep bowl (shredded), place the other ingredients and give it a good mix.

There’s enough here to make about 5-8 sandwiches (depending on how generous you are) and I would recommend chilling it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before using. It can keep for about 2 days in the fridge, but you may notice that some liquid may form in the container. Just give it a good stir and you’re good to go. If you’re daring be sure to add some pepper sauce or some finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper for that extra kick!

Don’t forget to get some nice crunchy lettuce and the key to a fabulous sandwich is getting the right bread.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Meat & Poultry

Jerk Pork Sliders

4 Comments on Jerk Pork Sliders

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.

Seafood Vegetarian

Stewed Pumpkin With Shrimp.

8 Comments on Stewed Pumpkin With Shrimp.

Like okra, pumpkin is one of those things I’m only just starting to really appreciate. Pumpkin is heavily used throughout the Caribbean to add extra body to stews and soups, in desserts like cassava pone and how could one forget the classic pumpkin rice. However ever since my mom made pumpkin with shrimp a few years back for me, it’s got to be tops on my list. This pumpkin talkari (word for side dish) recipe is a clone of her’s, but like so many things this woman prepares… I could never match her skills.

You’ll Need…

4 cups pumpkin (peeled and cubed – 1 inch pieces)
1 medium onion
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
3 cloves garlic chopped fine or crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin works best for me as it gives it a nutty flavour)
1/2 teaspoon salt (check at the end of cooking to add more if needed)
3/4 teaspoon golden brown sugar
3/4 cup shrimp
1 teaspoon green seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Notes: I was able to track down the same type of pumpkin we use in the Caribbean (Common Name: “calabaza”, “Caribbean pumpkin”, Cuban squash, West Indian pumpkin) at a local West Indian grocery, so I was quite happy.  Click Caribbean Green Seasoning if you’d like to see a video showing how to make this versatile green seasoning we use in most of our meat and fish dishes in the Caribbean.

Before we get to the prep work and actual cooking, lets briefly marinate the shrimp for a few minutes. You should have cleaned and deveined shrimp (wash with a little lemon or lime juice and cool water), then add the black pepper and green seasoning paste and give it a good stir. Let that marinate as we get ready to cook (no need to marinate too long or the green seasoning will start cooking the shrimp).

Peel, cube and wash your pumpkin.. the skin may be a bit tough as it’s thick and waxy. Use a sharp pairing knife or potato peeler. Chop the onion and scotch bonnet pepper and do remember to wear gloves when handling such potent peppers and don’t include any of the seeds. The seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds is where most of the explosive heat will be, so discard. Crush or chop the garlic in thin slices.

It’s now time to start cooking (if you prepped the pumpkin in advanced, be sure to keep it in a bowl with cool water to prevent it going discolored) , heat the olive oil (you can also use veg oil) on a medium heat, then add the seasoned shrimp. Stir quickly as we want to cook the shrimp half the way through and create a flavor base at the same time. After 2 minutes, remove the shrimp and place it back in the same bowl it was marinated in.

Now add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook for 3 minutes on low heat. Again we’re building the layers of flavor, so the finished pumpkin with shrimp is finger licking.

Add the slices of scotch bonnet pepper and give everything a good stir. Now add the cubed pumpkin (be sure to drain first), top with the salt and give it a good stir. Place the lid on the pot and after 2-3 minutes you’ll start to hear a sort of sizzle. That’s the pumpkin starting to boil as it will release it’s own natural juices. Give the pot a stir, turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for about 25 minutes. Be sure to stir every 4-5 minutes.

After 25 minutes the pumpkin should start to melt away and you’ll notice there will be a lot of liquid in the pot. Remove the lid and turn up the heat to start burning off the liquid as an ideal pumpkin with shrimp will have a sort of dry finish. After most of the liquid is gone (about 4-5 minutes), add back the semi cooked shrimp to the pot, as well as the brown sugar. Continue cooking to burn off any remaining liquid. It took about 4 minutes for it to go to the consistency I wanted.

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Depending on the texture you like, you can use the back of your cooking spoon to crush any remaining chunks of pumpkin, so you have a relatively smooth finish. But if you like it a bit chunky, do nothing.

Personally I like this pumpkin with shrimp with roti, but I learned that is just as delicious with brown rice since I was too lazy to make roti. You can do this fully vegetarian by following the vegetarian version of cooking pumpkin at pumpkin talkari recipe.

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Gluten Free Vegetarian

Grilled Caribbean Vegetarian Kebabs.

7 Comments on Grilled Caribbean Vegetarian Kebabs.

 

As we make our way through our month of grilling, I thought it was time to do some vegetarian kebabs, to satisfy the vegetarian cravings in us. These grilled Caribbean style vegetarian kebabs are sure to excite your taste buds and make a grand impression on your guests. Not only are they eye-pleasing, they also bring out the true vibe of the islands with the wonderful spicy marinade we’ll use to marinate our favorite vegetables before grilling.

In this grilling/bbq journey we’ve been taking the past couple weeks you’ll see how creative, vibrant and exciting our Caribbean cuisine can be once we step out of the traditional mold. Since I was brought up in a home where traditional dishes took priority I have a deep appreciation for such dishes, but the creativity in me is always challenging me to be experimental… I do hope you find the journey as enthralling as I am.

You’ll Need..

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 tables spoon shado beni
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 Lemon
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic
1 scotch bonnet  pepper

8 mushrooms
1 sweet corn
1 large red onion
4 bell (sweet) peppers – different colors

Bamboo skewers – soak in water for at least 20 minutes prior to using.

Notes. The shado beni can be found in Asian, Latin and West Indian grocery stores and may be called culantro or bandanya. If you can’t get the shado beni, a good substitute is fresh chopped cilantro (about 2 tablespoons as it’s milder). With the scotch bonnet pepper remember to wear gloves and don’t include the seeds as that’s where most of the heat can be found. You can use any vegetable you like and if tofu is your thing.. hey add it. Important: Please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free diet.

 

De-seed the scotch bonnet pepper and give it a fine chop.. chop the garlic, shado beni, thyme and parsley as well. In a bowl, pour in the olive oil, squeeze in the lemon juice and add the salt, black pepper. Whisk in the chopped garlic, thyme, shado beni and parsley. You can add some balsamic vinegar in here as well.. added flavor.

Now it’s time to prep the vegetables to be marinated. Peel your corn, remove the silk and give it a wash. Now using a chefs knife, cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Wash and remove the seeds etc from the bell peppers and cut into 1 inch pieces.. try to keep the vegetable pieces the same size so they cook evenly. Peel and dice the red onion and put everything into a large bowl. With the onion, try to keep it 2 layers thick so they’re as thick as the bell peppers.

Pour in the marinade we made earlier and give it a good mix. Place some plastic wrap over the bowl and allow to marinate for a couple hrs in the fridge.

It’s now time to thread your vegetables onto your bamboo skewers (remember to soak them in water for at least 20 mins prior or they will burn on the grill). Get your grill nice and hot (about 375-400F), brush the grates with some veg oil (on a paper towel) or spray with non-stick spay and place the vegetable skewers onto the grill. Cook for a couple minutes on each side, until they have beautiful grill marks and cooked enough so they have a slight crunch. Remember they will continue to cook for a bit after coming off the grill, so try not to over-cook or risk having  soggy vegetables. The grilling will intensify the natural sugars in the vegetables and with that wicked Caribbean marinade we made.. yup.. pure niceness!

Tips: Please use the remaining marinade in the bowl to brush onto the vegetarian kebabs as they grill and if you’re worried about your bamboo skewers burning, you can wrap the exposed ends with tin foil.

These are best served warm when the vegetables still have a little crunch to them and the marinade is still vibrant from being heated with the flame of the grill. I like using the leftover grilled vegetable to add to my eggs for breakfast.. can you say omelet?

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.