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Gluten Free

Gluten free Caribbean cooking and recipes by Caribbean cookbook author Chris De La Rosa

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Gluten Free Seafood

Curry Potato With Shrimp Recipe.

29 Comments on Curry Potato With Shrimp Recipe.

I’ve always had a weakness for curry potato, especially if there was hot sada roti on the side to sap-up the lovely gravy. And I’ve never been known to back away for a good dose of curry shrimp... must be a bit spicy though and not overcooked. So when our mom first introduced us to this dish many moons ago, I was in my little personal Shangri-La. Curry potato with shrimp gives you the rich creaminess of tender potatoes, spiced up with the lovely aroma of the curry powder and the kick of the scotch bonnet peppers are indeed present and jumps out at you (you can certainly control the heat level). The herbal notes of the green seasoning paste used in marinating the shrimp adds another level of true Caribbean goodness which words alone can’t describe.

 

You’ll Need…

4 medium potatoes
1/2 lb shrimp
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon prepared green seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion
1 1/2 cups water
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoon parsley
1 heaping tablespoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon anchar massala
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

Notes: Use a small to medium sized shrimp for best results (more sweet as we say in the Caribbean). When using and handling scotch bonnet peppers it’s important to wear gloves and do wash your hands with soap and water immediately after use. The seeds and area surrounding it will have the most heat, so remove and discard if you’re overly concerned about the raw heat. I used a Caribbean style Madras curry powder as this is the blend I enjoy using (stuff I grew up eating), but you can use your fav curry powder. If you can’t source anchar massala, you can use about 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (geera) IMPORTANT! Be sure to read the label of the curry powder (and other ingredients) to ensure it’s fully gluten free as some curry powders have added flour as a filler.

Peel and devein your shrimp if you’ve not already done so (something you get them already cleaned in the supermarkets). In the event you’re not sure how to do so, here’s a short video showing how easy it can be.

Wash your shrimp with the juice of a lime or lemon, rinse with cool water and drain. Now add the green seasoning paste to the shrimp and give it a good stir. Allow that to marinate for about 10-15 minutes or so… try not to go too much longer as the green seasoning can start cooking the tender shrimp.

It’s now time to prep the other ingredients. Basically all you have to do is peel and chop the onion and garlic as well as the scotch bonnet pepper. Then peel,wash and cube the potatoes.

Heat a deep saucepan on medium heat and add the vegetable oil, then the garlic and onion. Allow this to cook (reduce your heat to min) for 3 minutes, or until it’s nice and soft and you can get that lovely scent of cooked onion and garlic. Now add the sliced scotch bonnet pepper and curry powder. With your heat still on low, allow the curry powder to toast a bit (2-3 minutes).

Now add about a 1/4 cup of water (not mentioned in the ingredients list) and scrape the stuff off the bottom of the pan. The first step we toasted the curry, this step we’re cooking the curry so we don’t get a raw aftertaste when the dish is done. Bring this to a boil and allow it to gently simmer for 4-5 minutes. Then turn up the heat and burn off all the liquid. The curry paste will go a bit grainy and clump to the cooked onion,garlic and scotch bonnet pepper.

Add the diced potato and give it a good stir, then add the anchar massala and salt and pour in the water. Be sure to scrape off all that goodness from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Then reduce your heat to a simmer and let it cook for about 20 minutes or until the potato gets tender and liquid starts to thicken up (lid closed).

With the potatoes tender, it’s time to add the seasoned shrimp to the pot and give it a good stir. After 1 minute, check for salt (add accordingly) and if you find the sauce or gravy is too thin, using the back of your spoon, crush a few pieces of the potato to thicken the gravy. Keep in kind that as this curry potato with shrimp cools, it will naturally thicken up. So not to overcook the shrimp… turn off the stove, top with the chopped parsley (adds a nice punch of colour) and place  the lid on the pan to allow the residual heat to fully cook the shrimp.

I love using Yukon Gold potatoes or any creamy potato for this dish as the overall texture is simply amazing. Remember if you want to control the heat you can use less scotch bonnet pepper or simply leave it out altogether. This curry potato with shrimp is excellent with rice, roti or bread and  I assure you that even your kids will love this one… if not send me their names and I’ll tell Santa they were bad this year (smile).

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

Jamaican Style Escovitch Fish.

61 Comments on Jamaican Style Escovitch Fish.

This Jamaican style escovitch fish takes be back 21 years, when my friends and I would head down to Toronto to shop for records (remember 45’s and 33’s?) for our aspiring DJ business. That trip usually had us end up in the Jamaican community on Eglinton Ave where there were not only many record stores selling the latest dancehall tracks from Jamaica, but quite a few restaurants where we would get our curry goat, rice and peas and this lovely escovitch fish.

Over the years I’m had the opportunity to sample escovitch fish from many sources (even in Jamaica), but I have to admit that this recipe I’m about to share is as classic as it gets and I’m sure you’ll be quite please with the results.

 

You’ll Need…

1 Red Snapper (about 2 lbs)
1 scallion (green onion/spring onion)
3 sprigs thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 lime
Vegetable oil for frying (about 1 cup)

Sauce….

3/4 cup vinegar
1/4 teaspoon allspice (see note below)
1 large onion
1 carrot
1 cup green pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar

Notes: I used the entire scotch bonnet pepper (including seeds). You can control the heat by using less and by not including the seeds. Typically pimento berries (allspice) are used in the sauce, but all I had available is the ground allspice. By adding the sugar it really balances the escovitch sauce, so though it may sound strange.. give it a try. If you don’t have a lime for washing the fish, you can use the juice of a lemon or a couple tablespoons of vinegar.

Clean and trim your fish even if your fishmonger already scaled it, do pass a knife over it to ensure there are no scales. Then pour the juice of the lime over it, give it a massage, then rinse with cool water and pat dry. Then using a sharp knife cut a couple slits across the belly of the fish (both sides) as you see in the picture below. This will allow for faster cooking and to help the salt, black pepper as well as the escovitch sauce to really infuse the fish.

Using the back of your knife hit the scallion to bruise it a bit to release it’s flavor, then fold it and tuck into the cavity of the fish. Also add the springs of thyme.. we want to perfume the fish from the inside as it cooks. Now rub the salt and black pepper onto the fish (both sides) and get ready to fry.

Make sure to pat your fish dry after you washed it as I mentioned earlier, or you will have a lot of hot oil splattering when you start the frying process. Heat the vegetable oil on a medium flame, then gently add the seasoned fish to the pan. Allow this cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until you have a nice golden colour and crisp outside. You’ll need tongs and a fork or spoon to flip the fish.. do be careful as we’re working with hot oil.

Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to soak up some of the excess oil

Next up it’s time to put the escovitch sauce together. Julienne the carrot, sweet pepper (use different colours if you like) and chop the onion and scotch bonnet pepper (slice thin.

In a saucepan add all the ingredients for the sauce, then place on medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow this to simmer for 3-5 minutes.. basically until the onion and sweet pepper (bell pepper) gets a bit tender. Here’s is where you can personalize this sort of pickle a bit. I like my sauce with a bit of crunch so I cooked it for 3 minutes.. you can cook for longer if you wish.

I know the average person from the Caribbean reading this recipe will shake their head thinking.. “vinegar”?  Vinegar is not something we use  or like in foods in most of the Caribbean (except for washing meats). But I assure you that the raw taste of the vinegar will be infused with the lovely flavors of the pimento (allspice) and the vegetables we add. The hint of sugar will also give it a sort of sweet and sour kick, which works well on the fish.

Place the fried snapper on a platter and pour the excovitch sauce all over it.. enjoy! You can store any remaining escovitch sauce in the fridge for a couple weeks.

Back in those days we never had enough money to get a fish each, so it usually meant sharing a plate with each other… the little extra money we had went to getting the latest Shabba Ranks record. Good times for sure! My good friend still does the DJ thing (he’s very passionate about music) and have made it into a huge business for him.

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 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.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Oven BBQ Chicken.

37 Comments on Simple Oven BBQ Chicken.

After posting the pics of bbq chicken I made in the oven on the Facebook Fan Page a couple weeks back.. you won’t believe the number of emails and phone calls I got asking for the recipe (there were eve some smoke signals originating from Detroit way asking for the recipe). Though not a recipe you’d associate with the Caribbean, I thought I’d still share this simple bbq chicken in the oven recipe, with you all. This recipe is so simple, we’re not even making the bbq sauce. However don’t let it’s simplicity have you fooled into thinking it will lack in flavor or originality.

 

You’ll Need….

1 chicken (4-5 lbs)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1-2 cups bbq sauce (your fav)
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Juice of 1 lime or lemon for washing the chicken.

 

IMPORTANT : Be sure to use a gluten free bbq sauce to make this dish comply to a gluten free diet.

* Optional, but you can add some pepper sauce or freshly cut scotch bonnet pepper in the mix to give it a wicked kick!

I’m good at taking apart a chicken, so cutting it into four pieces was not a problem. You can always ask your butcher or use chicken parts for this recipe. If you’re worried about the white meat going dry, rest assured that it won.  It will be the most moist, tender and juicy chicken breast you’ll ever have (that’s not brined). In a future episode on the Food FAQ cooking channel I’ll show you how to take apart a whole chicken.

You’ll be tempted to remove the skin from the chicken, but do leave it on. However, do trim off the fat and excess skin. Having the skin on, is one of the key things to having  tender and moist bbq chicken in the oven. Wash the chicken pieces with lemon juice and rinse with cool water. Pat dry and get ready to season

In a small bowl or plate, mix the salt, black pepper, cinnamon, dry mustard, allspice and fresh thyme, then work it on all the pieces of chicken. I know my Caribbean friends are probably saying that this is not fully seasoned, but trust me. Be sure to coat both sides of the chicken.

With your oven set at 375 F, place the baking dish with the seasoned chicken on the middle rack and let cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, tip the baking dish and spoon out any liquid/fat from the bottom of the dish (discard). In the picture you’ll notice that I lined the dish with foil to make the clean-up easier when I’m done. We need to get rid of all liquid as we want the bbq sauce to really stick to the pieces of chicken for that gooey goodness. Using your favorite store BBQ sauce, baste the chicken pieces and place back in the oven for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, turn the pieces of chicken over and give this side a nice coat of that BBQ sauce and back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

It’s time to flip it over again and give it a final coat of that luscious BBQ sauce. Be generous as we want this to sort of caramelize and form a sticky coating over the pieces of chicken. Back in the oven for 10 minutes. The last 3 minutes I turned on the broiler and got the perfect color on my BBQ chicken.

With the lovely scent of the cinnamon, allspice and fresh thyme, your kitchen will smell like heaven. I used (my Canadian friends will know it) Diana’s Honey Garlic sauce, so with the addition of the honey and garlic flavor, this BBQ Chicken was unreal. By cooking with a low heat, the fact that we kept the skin on and the basting with the BBQ sauce, the chicken was simply amazing. Nothing dry and tasteless here.. but then, when would I ever give you a crappy recipe?

I do hope you guys give this version of BBQ chicken a test drive, as I’m sure the results will be very pleasing to your taste buds.

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 Vegetarian

Nutritious Jamaican Callaloo With Saltfish Recipe.

13 Comments on Nutritious Jamaican Callaloo With Saltfish Recipe.

I believe it’s time to clear the air a bit when it comes to callaloo in respect to Jamaican Callaloo and callaloo from the other islands which make up the Caribbean. In Trinidad and Tobago and many of the other Caribbean islands, callaloo is a lovely rich soup made from tender dasheen bush leaves (or spinach) which is flavored with coconut milk and crab (or salted meats). This callaloo soup is part of a hearty traditional Sunday lunch on the islands and like it’s cousin from Jamaica, it’s very nutritious.

Jamaican callaloo on the other hand is more the name of a plant (amaranth) which is used in making the popular Jamaican dish, by the same name. In Trinidad and Tobago, the same callaloo plant (amaranth) is known as chorai bhaji or in some cases spinach and cooked in pretty much the same way as it’s done in Jamaica. So remember when speaking to a “Trini” or “Jamaican” about callaloo, that they’re two different dishes and we’re as passionate about each.

BTW, did you know that the same callaloo plant (amaranth) is known as pig weed in North America and there are close to 60 species? Enough of the school-like lesson, lets cook..

You’ll Need…

1 bundle of Callaloo (about 2lbs)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme (couple sprigs)
1/4 lb boneless salted fish (see note below)
2 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 tomato
1 onion

Notes: You’ll notice that I didn’t include any salt in this recipe as the salted fish adds enough salt to the dish. However you can check near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly. When shopping for callaloo for this type of dish visit a West Indian supermarket and ask for Jamaican callaloo. I like using boneless/skinless salted fish and my choice is usually Cod or Pollock. Makes for much easier work than having to remove the tiny bones and soaking overnight. When using any hot pepper remember that the majority of the heat is in the seeds and the white membrane surrounding the seeds. Don’t include those if you’re concerned about ‘real’ heat.

* To make this dish fully vegetarian (very tasty) simply leave out the saltfish and I would personally add some crushed garlic for that extra level of flavor. Add the garlic when cooking the onion at the start. Same cooking time applies.

Let’s start by prepping the saltfish as we need to try and remove most of the salt and rehydrate the fish itself. Now I’ve been scolded in the past that I don’t soak my saltfish overnight as it’s traditionally done in the Caribbean. Here is the thing, the saltfish I use is always boneless and skinless (pretty much a fillet) and I find that it’s not as salty or dry as the variety you find in the Caribbean. So if you’re using the whole fish (type we get in the Caribbean) you can soak overnight in cool water, discard that water and boil in fresh water as you’ll see me do below. Or simply boil in two batches of water and you should be good to go.

In a deep pot I put enough water to go about 1-2 inches above the fish and I bring that to a boil. I then allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes, then I drain and rinse with cool water (squeeze dry). The next step is to shred the fish (should be soft and flaky at this point) and set aside. You can use your fingers or a fork.

Then prep the onion, tomato, hot pepper and thyme. Simply dice/chop.

Now it’s time to work with the star of the show (please see the video below to follow along). Give the callaloo a good wash under running water, then get ready to trim and cut. Remove all the leaves from the stems and get rid of any leaves that are discolored. You can now use the tender stems (they may look thick, but the majority will be tender). Using a pairing knife or potato peeler, peel the thin skin on the outside of the stems (see the video below), The idea is to remove the sort sort of waxy exterior so it cooks down to be tender.

Give the leaves and cleaned stems a good rinse in water and shake dry. The final step in preparing is to create small bundles and chop about 1/2 inch shreds. You can give that another rise under cool water (I put mine in a drainer) and you’re set to cook.

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a fairly deep sauce pan, then add the onion and cook for a couple minutes. Just long enough to soften the onion and flavor the oil. Now add the thyme, black pepper and slices of scotch bonnet pepper and cook for another couple minutes. Have your kitchen window open or the fan above the stove on, if you have one as the hot oil and hot pepper will cause you to possibly cough.

By this time the shredded callaloo should have drained properly, so start adding it to the pot. It will pile up, but rest assured it wilt down quickly. Give it a good stir, add the water and bring it up to a boil. Now lower the heat to a very gentle simmer, cover the pot and allow to cook for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, it’s time to add the tomato and pieces of salted fish to the pot. Then give it a good stir, cover the pot and allow to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Keep stirring. If you find that you don’t have any liquid it means your heat is too high. Add a bit of water and continue cooking. After 10 minutes the callaloo should be fully cooked. It will not be as bright green as when you first started off, but don’t be fooled.. it will taste amazing.

If you find (you should) that there’s still liquid at the bottom of the pan, remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook for another 4-5 minutes until all that liquid dries off.

You now have a classic Jamaican callaloo dish that’s ready to serve.

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 Gluten Free

How To Make Coconut Sugar Cake.

50 Comments on How To Make Coconut Sugar Cake.

I’ve been told that I don’t do enough dessert recipes, so with some time on my hands I decided to raid the cupboards and come up with a dessert recipe to share with you all. This recipe is somewhat refined from the one my dad would do, but it’s just as delicious and if I may be bold enough.. better that his! He’s old school when it comes to making sugar cake, as he prefers to get fresh dry coconut and do his thing with the grater. Besides not liking to grate coconut like a mad-man (my fingers still show battle scars from the last time I grated coconut), I noticed that I had some per-packaged shredded coconut so it was going to be a recipe for sugar cake I’d be sharing.

 

You’ll Need…

2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
2 bay leaves
thick slice of fresh ginger
4-6 drops red food coloring (optional)

Important: If doing this dessert according to a gluten free diet, do go through the ingredients mentioned above to make sure they meet with you specific gluten free dietary needs.

 

The first thing we need to do is start the syrup we’ll need as the base for this. In a deep saucepan heat the sugar, water, bay leaves and  a thick slice of ginger. Bring up to a rolling boil and allow to cook until it reduces and gets thick. (about 5-7 mins). You’ll have to constantly stir with a spoon or a whisk as I did.

Now it’s time to remove the bay leaves and ginger from the pot and discard (if you like the strong aroma and taste of ginger and bay leaves.. you can always grate the ginger into the syrup and crush the bay leaves). Add the essence and stir in the desiccated coconut (shredded or flaked coconut).. now add the drops of coloring and stir constantly. It will require about 5-7 minutes (on medium heat) to get to the consistency we’re looking for.(you can always follow along with the video below)

The idea is to burn off as much liquid as you can from the pan, so you have a thick and sticky consistency. A good sign that you’re close to where you want it to be, is when the coconut mixture starts coming away from the sides of the pan and somewhat clump.

On a parchment lined cookie sheet I then took spoon full amounts and made small heaps to form little sugar cakes. This will need to set (cool and take shape) before you can fully enjoy them. Remember we just made a syrup with the sugar so this will be extremely hot… do have some patience. Your kitchen will have the lovely aroma and coconut, essence,ginger and bay leaf… and I’m sure you’ll and your kids will love this tasty treat.

* If you have a 1 inch deep pan you can pour the cooked mixture into it and allow to cool, then cut into even squares. You can also be creative and do different colors and stack them to form a rainbow effect if you wish.

Store in an airtight container for maximum freshness and do refrigerate if you plan on keeping them more than a few days.

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.