Gluten Free

This is NOT my dad’s roast (grilled) corn! If you grew up on the islands, you’ll know that fire roasted corn is a big deal every corn season. However I was never a fan of the ‘roast’ corn our dad was obsessed with, as I found the younger (not as mature as the ones used for fire roasting) corn, boiled in salted water was my fave. Since moving to North America where we have access to ‘sweet’ corn early in the summer, that all changed. As I was now able to get the same sort of tender and sweet kernels I enjoyed as a kid (though the corn is fully mature) even after I roast them off. But you know I would never have my girls settle for basic grilled corn… pay attention as I’m about to make you a superstar when it comes to grilling corn.

You’ll Need…

5 sweet corn
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 scallions (chopped fine)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (hot)
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 cup feta cheese

* optional 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin | Bamboo Skewers

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe vegan/vegetarian you can skip the cheese addition at the end or use a cheese substitute you normally use.

Remove the husk and hair (silk) off the corn, trim off the edges and cut in half. Then get ready to make the marinade. Yes, while the kernels probably won’t absorb the marinade, once it gets in contact the husk (core) it will add some magic to the corn when grilled off.

Add all the ingredients except the lime juice and cheese in a bowl and whisk to combine. Then pour over the corn pieces and mix well. The goal is to get the corn husk (core) to absorb the marinade for a couple hours or longer , so when they grill on the open fire the kernels will take on the lovely flavors we started with.

For presentation purposes I then went in the core of each corn with a bamboo skewer just before grilling (totally optional).

Do remember to stir them around during the marination process. Basically all you have to do now is grill them off untill they’re cooked, a bit charred and definitely sweet. I went for an indirect way of roasting the corn, so I circled the main heat source (coals fire).

Keep rotating them so they grill evenly. After about 8 minutes of indirect heat (lid closed), I then moved the corn directly over the coals, so they would develop some color and really heighten the sweetness. Please keep in mind that you’ll have to pay close attention to them at this point as the natural sugars from the corn and coconut milk will want to caramelize and burn quickly, over direct heat.

In total I grilled these corn for about 10-12 minutes. Just before I moved them off the flame I squeezed the lime juice directly over then and while on the serving platter I crumbled on the Feta cheese (while the corn is still hot/warm). Please keep in mind (if you’re based in the Caribbean where we have a much tougher corn) that I used ‘sweet’ corn for this recipe, so they cooked relatively fast.

I do hope you all are enjoying the recipes so far, as we work our way though our annual #JulyMonthOfGrilling

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The Ultimate Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings.

May 27, 2025July 3, 20176 Comments

As we kick off another edition of our annual “July Month of Grilling”, I thought I’d hit you with a recipe we first did in the oven during the early days of this website. However this time we’ll try to replicate that authentic pimento wood flavor as you’d normally get at jerk joints in Jamaica. Yes, it’s time for the Ultimate Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings. The marinade and technique can also be used on larger pieces of chicken with great success. But for now let’s rock some of the best chicken wings you’ll ever make/serve.

You’ll Need…

5 lbs chicken wings
2 limes
3-5 scallions
1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1-2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1 med onion
3 cloves garlic
2 thick slices ginger
1 teaspoon allspice (+ add 8 berries)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
10 sprigs thyme

3/4 lb wood chips + tin foil + allspice berries (for the smoke pouch)

Important! If making this jerk marinade gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure it meets with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce.. use a gluten free version please.

Give the garlic, onion, scallions and scotch bonnet peppers a rough chop, then place in your blender or food processor. Remember to wear gloves when handling the scotch bonnet peppers and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Additionally, you can leave out the seeds if you want to control the heat a bit. Add the juice of the limes along with everything else (except the chicken wings and stuff for the smoke pouch) into the food processor.

Instead of the sugar you can use honey, maple syrup or any of your fav sweetener. I like to pulse the food processor so I get a sort of chunky marinade at the end. However you can go as smooth as you like. This marinade will keep in the fridge for at least a week (in the event you want to make it in advance). I used a combination of allspice berries and powder (aka pimento).

Pour the marinade over the chicken wings (you can use a large zipper bag). Give it a good mix and place the fridge overnight. Feel free to mix it around if you remember during the night.

I like using my hands to work the marinade on the wings, but I’d recommend using gloves if you do. To help us achieve that lovely pimento smoke you expect to taste in good Jamaican Jerk, we’ll need to create a smoke pouch. I don’t have access to pimento wood, so I usually use a combination of (hard) fruit wood and pimento berries (see the video below). Soak the wood chips of your choice with the berries for a few hours in a bowl with water.

Remove the wings from the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re ready to grill. Using tin foil create a pouch with the wood and pimento berries. Seal and poke with a fork so you’ll have some holes for the smoke to escape and perfume the grill. I used a propane grill, but you can use a charcoal grill with better results.

I placed the smoke pouch directly over my flame, covered my grill and ensured I saw smoke before I got the wings on. After I saw smoke I turned my heat down to low. I have two levels on my grill so the wings went on the top rack and the smoke pouch directly below them. While they were directly above the heat source, they did’t get raw heat as the heat was low and the smoke pouch shielded them a bit. You’re free to grill these with indirect heat.

With the lid closed I kept the wings on the top level for about 35 minutes. Remember to move them around so they cook evenly. I then moved the pouch to the side and moved the wings to the lower level of my grill. To help them develop some color and fully cook over the direct heat. My heat was at about 325 F.

Here is where you MUST keep a close eye on the wings or they will burn. Slightly charred edges is perfect.. but NOT burnt. The sugars in the marinade will encourage it to burn fast. I kept them on the lower level for 10-15 minutes. It will depend on the size of the wings you use.

While I didn’t mention it in the video below, I’d recommend drizzling on some fresh lime or lemon juice just before you remove these jerk wings from the grill. It will help to brighten them up a bit with that kick of citrus. Feel free to add some water, beer or apple juice to the bag you marinated the wings in and use that to baste the wings as they grill. IMPORTANT! Remember the raw chicken was in that marinade, so stop using it to baste-on after about 25 minutes. You really need to cook out any rawness.

That smoke punch will make a huge difference and YES I really want you to marinate the wings overnight for maximum flavor.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Tasty Island Style Roasted Chicken Drumsticks.

May 27, 2025June 21, 20171 Comment

Here’s a quick and simple chicken dish I usually make during the cooler months when I can use the oven without overheating the entire house. During the summer months these marinated chicken pieces also make its way onto my outdoor grill. The key with this recipe is the spiced rub we marinate the chicken with for maximum Caribbean appeal. If you decide to rock these on your outdoor grill, I’d recommend cooking them on an indirect heat or you’ll risk burning the spices and you won’t like the outcome.

You’ll Need…

4-6 lbs chicken drumsticks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
zest 1 orange
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried chives
1 teaspoon dried pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried thyme

Optional.. 1 teaspoon smoked (spicy) paprika

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

Grate the orange zest into a small bowl. Tip: If the oranges you have access to is coated with wax (looks bright and shiny) , avoid using them for zesting – try to get an organic orange without any wax coating. Mix in all the other ingredients (except the chicken pieces) to form a moist rub.

Now go ahead and rub the chicken pieces with the rub (wear a gloves if you have sensitive skin.. the pepper flakes can cause issues), cover and place in the fridge to marinate for about 4 hours.

As your oven pre-heat to 400 F remove the seasoned chicken from the fridge and allow it to come back to room temperature. I used a wire rack on a baking sheet to roast these off. This will allow for the hot air to circulate around the chicken pieces and cook evenly. Try to place then on a single layer and with a bit of space between each. You may want to line your baking sheet with tin foil for easier clean up after (the sheet is to catch any drippings) and you can use some cooking spray or brush on some vegetable oil on your wire rack. If you don’t have a wire rack, use a tinfoil-lined baking tray brushed with some vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

At 400 F and on the middle rack of the oven, the chicken will take between 1 hour and 1 hr and 15 minutes. Depending on the size of your drumsticks.

While these are excellent done in the oven and outdoor grill, if you have a smoker.. that’s where you’ll really have some fun with this recipe. BTW this rub works great on ribs and other cuts of pork as well… and you’re not confined to only using the drumsticks of the chicken. If using thighs or breasts, do adjust the cooking time accordingly.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Haitian Influenced Epis Chicken.

May 27, 2025June 14, 20171 Comment

After making a fresh batch of Epis (zepis) I decided to put it to use on some boneless chicken breast I had thawing in the sink for dinner. If you’ve ever struggled with dry and bland chicken breast (say chicken chest in the Caribbean) you’ll definitely want to give this recipe a try. Moist, tender and packed with flavors of that Haitian Epis. I’m not sure if there’s an actual Epis Chicken recipe in Haiti, but I was thoroughly impressed with this one.

You’ll Need…

3 skinless/boneless chicken breast
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (add more to your liking)
1 tablespoon Haitian Epis
2 tablespoon coconut oil

Important! If making 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.

Season the cleaned chicken breasts with the salt, black pepper and Epis. Mix well and allow to marinate for 2 hours.

In a wide pan (one with a lid) heat the coconut oil (or use your fav oil) on a medium flame, then add the seasoned chicken breasts to the pot. Yes, it’s ok if the marinade goes in too. Immediately turn the heat down to low and cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip.

Now place the lid on the pot and cook on LOW for about 10-12 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your chicken breast, they should be near cooked. Remove the lid and cook on medium/high for another 5-8 minutes to burn off any excess liquid which would form naturally and to give the chicken a golden color.

Do remember to flip to brown and cook evenly. I then removed them from the pan and allowed it to rest for about 4 minutes before I sliced though. In the meantime I made a quick pan gravy in the same pan I pan roasted the chicken.

By seasoning and slow cooking you’re guaranteed to get tasty and moist chicken, without any fuss.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

How To Make Haitian Griot.

May 27, 2025May 25, 2017Leave a Comment

While this is my take on the iconic Haitian Griot, it’s heavily influenced by the way my friend’s mom would make it when I’d find excuses to stay to play Super Mario at their apartment. Pieces of pork (usually a cheap cut with marbling of fat) seasoned with herbs, braised until tender and finally fried until golden and crisp. Back in those days playing Nintendo and patiently waiting for his mom to ask if I’d stay for dinner, my mind was never far from the Pikliz (Picklese) which automatically made it’s way on the table.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs pork (cheap cut)
1 lime or lemon (to wash the pork)
3/4 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
5 sprigs thyme
5 cloves
1 tablespoon Epis
1 cup sour orange juice
2 cloves garlic (diced)
2 medium onions (diced)
1 scallion (chopped)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (chopped)

* If you cannot source the sour-orange juice, you can use the juice of 1 lime and an orange combined.

Cut the pieces of pork into 1 inch pieces and wash with the lime or lemon juice along with some cool water. Drain well and season with all the ingredients mentioned above. Stir well, then place in a pot with a lid and on a medium flame.

You’ll notice that I included Epis zepizs into my recipe, which for some is not traditional (varies), but since I had some in the fridge I opted for that extra layer of flavor. Place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer (lid on) and cook for about 40 minutes or until the pieces of pork are tender. I used a boneless piece of pork, but can opt for pork with bones.

After about 40 minutes remove off the flame, drain and allow to air dry for a bit.

Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil in a pan (I may have not mentioned that in the ingredient list) on a med/high heat, then add the pieces of pork. It’s important that the pork is dry or the hot oil could potentially jump back at you and you’ll get burned. Fry for about 3-5 minutes – basically until golden with crisp edges.

Drain on paper towels and serve warm. If you wanted you can sprinkle on some salt while it’s still hot.. personally the salt we seasoned it with from the start was enough for me. I cut the scotch bonnet pepper to get the full blast of the Caribbean Sunshine, but you can float it whole (don’t break) for a gentle kick. Remember to remove the pepper before draining/frying and to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such lethal peppers.

My favorite way to enjoy Griot is on sandwiches, topped with Picklese!

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Gluten Free Vegetarian

The Ultimate Hummus Recipe.

May 4, 2017April 25, 20173 Comments

It’s funny how I kept telling people that I’m not a fan of Hummus and just didn’t understand the sort of current ‘Hummus Hype“.. until I started making my own. While Hummus may seem exotic, it’s probably one of the simplest recipes to put together. There’s no cooking involved, can be done in under 5 minutes and you can play around with flavors you like. In my case I like my Hummus to have a slight kick, with a subtle smoky undertone. Any excuse to put “Caribbean Sunshine” (scotch bonnet peppers) to use.

You’ll Need…

2 cups chickpeas (can)
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon Tahini
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon olive oil
juice 1 1/2 lemons
1 scotch bonnet pepper (optional)
2 tablespoon water

For presentation:
– chopped parsley
– few whole chickpeas
– paprika
– drizzle olive oil

Important! If doing this hummus vegan or gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure the recipe meets with your specific vegan and/or gluten free dietary needs.

Drain and rinse the chickpeas (from a can) with cool water, then place in your food processor.

Char the scotch bonnet pepper (use any spicy pepper you like or have available) over an open flame. In my case I used a long tongs to hold the pepper in place directly over a burner on my stove. Should take less than a minute to char. set aside to cool. Remember if you’re using a metal tongs to be mindful that direct contact with the heat will make it go hot to touch.

Smash the garlic and add it along with everything else to the food processor. When the scotch bonnet is cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and give it a rough chop before placing as much as you can handle into the food processor. Keep the seeds if you want it REALLY spicy. It’s VERY important that you wash your hands with soap and water immediately handing hot peppers.

Pulse to start, then puree until smooth. You may need to push down the sides as you go along. Add a bit more water, oil or lemon juice if you find it’s overly thick. If you’re watching the video below, please note the ingredient list above was adjusted accordingly.

Pour into your serving bowl and garnish with some chopped parsley, paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. You can store this hummus in the fridge for a week or so (airtight container).

Did you know? The last group of immigrants (1904) to venture to colonial Trinidad originated in the region previously known as Greater Syria, which comprises of present day Iraq, Syria, Palestine and Lebanon. Many of the Lebanese hailed from the villages of Buhandoun and Amyoun while the Syrians came from villages in the ‘Valley of the Christians.’ These Arabs emigrated to the Caribbean from as early as 1904 in an attempt to escape religious persecution and economic hardship in their native countries.

Trinidad’s thriving economy, political stability and pristine environment proved to be the ideal location where these displaced Arabs could establish new lives.

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