One Kitchen, Many Cultures

/Seafood (Page 31)

Seafood

Showing: 181 - 186 of 211 Articles
Seafood Vegetarian

A Tasty Caribbean Recipe Using Green Bananas.

75 Comments on A Tasty Caribbean Recipe Using Green Bananas.

 

This recipe is a combination of many things. It’s a take on a recipe my mom would make but instead of using canned salmon as I did, she would normally use pieces of salted cod. Then about a year ago I saw Levis Roots of “Reggae Reggae Sauce” sauce fame cook up a batch of this with the help of some kids… if you’re from the UK and watch the Dragon’s Den you’ll know who I mean. I think he also calls himself the “Dragon Slayer”! But he used fresh caught mackerel in his dish.

Knowing that I had green fig (bananas) in the fridge, I had a severe craving for this sort of “country” dish about 8 pm last night. With no salted fish in the fridge, nor mackerel… the wheels of creativity went spinning and I decided on using the canned salmon that peeked at me from behind the can of corned beef in the cupboard (Mr. Salmon learned not to play hide and seek with a grown man).  There’s no better motivation in the kitchen than a craving and hunger!

 

You’ll Need…

5-7 green bananas (known as green fig or cooking bananas in the Caribbean)
1/2 teaspoon salt (for boiling the green bananas)

1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
1 scallion (green onion / spring onion)
1 clove garlic
1/4 habanero pepper (scotch bonnet or any hot pepper you like)
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil (any cooking oil you like)
1 sprig thyme (dash dried thyme)
Salt – optional (add as needed)
1 can pink salmon

Note: If you’re shopping for green bananas in North America, they will be called cooking bananas. If you can’t find them in your grocery store, do ask a clerk and don’t buy ordinary bananas that are not ripe yet. You’re looking for ones that are really firm, brilliant green in color and no blemishes. If you’re peeling these as I did before boiling, do wear gloves or coat your hands with cooking oil to prevent the sort of ‘milk’ to cause your hands to be sticky and possibly itch. Don’t get that ‘milk’ (sap) onto your clothes.

Since the green fig will require the most time to cook, go ahead and peel, scrape and rinse them. You can also cook them in the skin and peel after they’ve been boiled. In a deep pot put enough water to cover the bananas and bring to a boil. Then add the bananas and salt.. bring back to a rolling boil and allow to cook for about 20 minutes.

While this cooks, lets prepare the other ingredients. Wash and chop the tomato, scallion, habanero pepper, thyme.. don’t forget the garlic and onion as well.

With the bananas fully cooked, drain and allow to cool while we get things really started. In a large saucepan put the olive oil to heat on a medium heat, then add the onion, garlic and thyme. Let them cook on the medium/low heat for about 3-5 minutes. We’re trying to get the onion translucent and release the rich flavors of the garlic and thyme. Next add the green onion, pepper, tomato and black pepper. Let that cook for about 3 minutes.

The next step is to add the can of salmon, including the water it was packaged in and ketchup. Break it up into flaky chunks, give it a good stir and allow to come back up to a gentle simmer… cook for another couple minutes.

While this cooks, the bananas should be cool enough to touch. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and get ready to toss them into the pot.

The final step is to toss in the cut pieces of cooked bananas into the pot, give it a good stir and allow it to heat through with all the other ingredients in the pot (about -35 minutes) and you’re done.

Since the canned salmon is usually packaged with a ton of sodium I don’t feel the need to add any salt, but do taste ad add accordingly as I’m sure your tolerance for salt will be different than mine.

This is one of those versatile dishes that works for any time of the day (or night as in my case)… even breakfast. Growing up on the islands you know we love our BIG breakfast, so though you may find this a bit heavy to start the day.. a Caribbean man would appreciate this (hint ladies). BTW, there’s enough here for 3-4 people if you have some coconut bake or toast on the side or a complete meal for two people.

To make this dish fully vegetarian, you can omit the canned fish, but add a little butter when cooking the onion and garlic at the start.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

Happy Cooking!

Chris…

Seafood

How To Make Saltfish Accras.

90 Comments on How To Make Saltfish Accras.

With all the requests I’ve been getting via the facebook fan page and comments on the youtube channel, I finally decided that it was time to make good on my promise and post the recipe for saltfish accra. The fact that I had a craving for some salt fish accras had absolutely nothing to do with it – that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Many of you may know this as being cod fish fritters, saltfish fritters and/or fish cake, as it’s common for our food to have different names according to the island you call home. Basically the same ingredients, but we may have our own way of personalizing the overall recipe.

After posting the video for this saltfish accra on Youtube, a viewer mentioned that she usually use milk instead of water when making the batter for frying. I have to agree that  this would be an excellent addition to an already wonderful recipe. Thanks to user “NadSSmith21” for the suggestion… I will try that next rongs.

You’ll Need…

1/2 lb boneless salt fish (dry salted cod)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 small onion finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (use a garlic press if you have one)
2 shado beni leaves (or 1 tablespoon cilantro) chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions
1/4 teaspoon chopped thyme (I like using fresh, but if all you have is dried, use 1/2 the amount)
1 teaspoon minced hot pepper, red pepper flakes or pepper sauce
1 egg
dash fresh ground black pepper
¼ to 1/2 cup water
pinch of sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon parsley chopped – optional

Vegetable oil for frying (about 3 cups)

 

We’ll stat by preparing the salted fish for use. In a large pot, cover the fish with water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. TIP : leave your kitchen window open or have the fan above your stove on to ventilate the scent. The scent of boiling salted fish is not for everyone.

While the salt fish boils (to remove the excess salt it was cured in and to rehydrate it), we’ll prep the herbs, garlic, pepper and onion.

After 20 minutes of simmering, drain the salted fish and rinse under cool water a couple times. Now squeeze out all the excess water and shred. You can certainly shred with your fingers, but it may be a bit chunky. The other option is to use a food processor or as I did… I placed the chunky piece mortar and with aid of the pestle, I gave it a good pounding. You can see the difference in the pictures below. Even though we used boneless salted fish, do keep an eye out for any bones which may have sneaked in.

Up next it’s time to make the batter. In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, sugar, garlic, onion, pepper and all the herds we diced earlier. Give that a good stir, then add the shredded saltfish and give that another stir. Now add the egg and stir again. Finally… tart adding water and stirring. The goal is to get a thick batter. I ended up using close to 1/2 cup water. Remember the suggestion we got via Youtube about using milk instead.

Now that the batter is ready, it’s time to heat the vegetable oil on a medium/high heat. As this comes to temperature for frying… start adding heaping teaspoon full amounts to the pan. Since I don’t have an oil thermometer I can’t tell you exactly what temperate the heat should be at (sorry). Try not to crowd the pan with too many accras. It should take a couple minutes on each side and you’ll notice they will start to float as they cook. I flipped mine a couple times each side to achieve the perfect golden brown color accras should be.

Be sure to have a draining station set up (paper towels) to allow all the excess oil to saturate. If you find that it’s getting dark quickly it may mean you have to turn the heat down a bit or risk having accras that are raw in the middle.

I believe this batch of batter made about 12 accras… could be a couple more but I was busy eating as they were coming out of the oil, so I don’t have an accurate count on the paper towels.

This is an excellent party finger food or snack and it goes well with a spicy tamarind dipping sauce. Please don’t do as I did and eat fresh out of the fryer (though it’s best served warm/hot) as your mouth/tongue will pay the price.

Before you go I invite you to leave me your comments below.. even if it just to say hello. It’s always appreciated. And don’t forget to join us on facebook and do check out the cooking videos.

Seafood

Steamed Fish With Cabbage And Ochro.

26 Comments on Steamed Fish With Cabbage And Ochro.

jamaican steam fish recipe (12)

Here’s another dish we tore-up while on our Jamaican trek a few weeks ago. As a youth on the islands I enjoyed fish three ways.. curried, stew and in fish broth. Non of which was an easy sell for our to get us to eat. So this steamed fish was new to me… especially when I saw it being served with crackers and bammy (cassava flat bread). At first seeing a fish that looked as if it was boiled and with no real color to it, was not all that appealing to me. However after the first bite I could only think “I was missing out all these years”.

It was day 5 into our 1 week vacation and we were out about town in Portmore around 11 pm, when we decided on having fish tea. But that only sparked our appetite and we ended up with plates platters of massive steamed red snapper. The most exciting yet funny thing about this meal was the fact that you’re led to a huge fridge with freshly caught fish and you have the opportunity to choose which fish you want cooked. So there we were standing in front of this sort of chest fridge and it was my turn to choose a fish.  The red snappers were huge and I knew I would struggle to finish one, but the next option were parrot fish. Have you ever seen a parrot fish? There was no way way I could eat something so beautiful. I didn’t say I couldn’t eat that pretty fish (though they were the perfect size), so I settled for the big-ass red snapper.

Here’s my take on this classic Jamaican steamed fish dish.

You’ll Need…

1 lime or lemon
2 fish (about 1 lb each)
2 cups fish stock (or water)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
1 1/2 cups cabbage
10 ochro
1 1/2 scotch bonnet pepper
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic (see note below)
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 scallions (green onions)
2 medium tomato
1/4 teaspoon salt

* I didn’t have any garlic, so I opted to use about 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Traditionally I’ve seen vinegar and some butter used in preparing this dish, however I’m no fan of vinegar and we could all do without the fat from the butter.

* I opted for Sea Bass, but a more sturdy fish like Red Snapper is better suited. Not only was the sea bass cheap (don’t ever go looking for fish around Good Friday at the market), it’s a nice mild fish which I find works well with the other ingredients in the recipe. The dish is not over-powered by a fishy taste.

Start by heating the fish stock or water in a fairly large pan (one with a cover) and allow to simmer. If you can’t get fish stock, try to get a package or 2 of fish tea. I suppose you can use vegetable stock as well if you wish. To that we’ll add the ochro (okra) which we trimmed the stems off and cut in half. We also gave the onion a rough chop and added it to the simmering stock, as well as the chopped cabbage. Place the lid on the pan and allow to reduce for about 5-7 minutes on low heat.

jamaican steam fish recipe

jamaican steam fish recipe (3)

jamaican steam fish recipe (4)

jamaican steam fish recipe (5)

jamaican steam fish recipe (6)

Place your fish in a large bowl (I assume you already have it cleaned), squeeze the juice of the lime or lemon over the fish, then rinse off with cool water and drain. We’ll now chop the scallions into halves, then keep the green ends about 4-5 inches or so and dice the remaining pieces. Fine chop the 1/2 of scotch bonnet or habanero pepper and rinse off the thyme under cool water, but keep intact (on the sprig). You’ll notice that I trimmed the gills, fin and tail off my fish.. I can’t stand seeing those things on the fish when I’m eating it.

If your fish is not cut down the middle of the belly, do so, so we can stuff it with the seasoning. Take about 3 sprigs of thyme, 1/2 of the scallions (greens), 1/2 of the chopped scotch bonnet pepper and a dash of black pepper and stuff the cavity of each fish. In the pics you’ll notice that I forgot to make a couple cuts along the sides of the fish (I did so later on). Please do so now so the fish will cook faster and the flavors will absorb nicely into the fish itself.

jamaican steam fish recipe (2)

jamaican steam fish recipe (7)

jamaican steam fish recipe (8)

Now add the chopped tomato, garlic (or garlic powder), the rest of the black pepper and the seasoned fish into the pot. You may need to make room so the fish sit deep as possible in the pot. Give the pot a shake and spoon some of that rich broth we created over each fish. Bring to a boil, place the whole scotch bonnet on top, then reduce the heat to a simmer and close the lid. Let this cook for about 10 minutes. Remember to add the salt and near the end do taste to see if you need more. The fish stock I used had salt in it already, so that accounted for some of the salt in the overall dish. Do adjust accordingly.

jamaican steam fish recipe (9)

jamaican steam fish recipe (11)

jamaican steam fish recipe (12)

jamaican steam fish recipe (13)

As I mentioned above, this steamed fish is usually served with crackers and/or bammy, but I was quite full with one of these,  some of the ochro and cabbage. Before I go I encourage you to join us on Face Book, Twitter and do check out the cooking videos. Yea.. leave me your comments below – it’s always appreciated!

Before you go calling me a wuss, take look at how pretty this fishy is…

fish

Seafood

The Ultimate Ackee And Saltfish Recipe.

218 Comments on The Ultimate Ackee And Saltfish Recipe.

jamaican ackee and saltfish (16)

As many of you know, there’s been several “Ultimate” dishes I’ve shared in the past and I’d like to add this Ackee and Saltfish dish to that list of amazing meals.  We were fortunate to have visited Jamaica a few weeks ago and even more lucky to have our friend’s mom cook us a traditional breakfast while we were at their home in Portmore. I have to confess that it was my first experience with ackee and saltfish and how quickly did I fall in love with this, the national dish of Jamaica.

I don’t ever recall seeing any ackee trees or even hearing about eating it while growing up in Trinidad and Tobago (have to ask my dad the next time we chat), but I assure you that it would make a great addition to our rich landscape and I know it would quickly become a hit on many breakfast tables throughout the twin island republic.

In this recipe I’m using canned ackee, but I assure you that though it’s very delicious, it cannot compare to the fresh ackee that was prepared for us. (BTW, do you know that in Ontario, we pay in excess of $11 a can for ackee? That’s over $72 TT or $970 Jamaican dollars) Really have to go plant some trees and cash in on this.

You’ll Need…

1 can ackee (use fresh if you have – about 2 cups)
1/3 lb saltfish – boneless/skinless  (salted cod or other)
1 medium onion sliced
1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper
fresh thyme (couple sprigs)
1 medium tomato cubed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil (see note below)
2 scallions
1/4 medium sweet bell pepper
2 cloves garlic

Note: I like using olive oil, but you can use vegetable oil or butter as I’ve seen some people do. Since we’ll be using salted fish, there’s no need for any salt in this dish. Finally, if using canned ackee as I did, do handle with care or it will break-up easily and become “mush”.

Start by putting the dry salted fish to boil in a pot on high heat, then simmer for about 20 minutes (you can also soak in cold water overnight before boiling if you wish). I try my best to get the boneless/skinless saltfish as it makes for less work. After boiling drain, rinse under cool water and squeeze dry. Now break apart into the size pieces you like. I’ve seen people use a fork to sort of shred the saltfish, but I find that I like the texture of large flakes. Also, this allows me to actually taste the saltfish when eating.

jamaican ackee and saltfish (3)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (4)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (6)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (7)

While the saltfish was boiling to remove the excess salt that is was cured in (also re-hydrates and tenderizes the fish), I prepared the ingredients that we’ll be using in this dish.

jamaican ackee and saltfish (2)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (5)

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil on medium heat (or if want you can use butter or margarine), I love the flavour the cold press extra virgin olive oil gives to this dish. Then add the garlic, sliced onions and scotch bonnet pepper. Allow that to cook for a couple minutes (until the onion softens up a bit), then add the sweet pepper (bell pepper) scallion, black pepper,  and thyme. Allow this to cook for a couple minutes, then add the pieces of saltfish and cook for another 3-5 minutes. To prevent the tomato becoming too mushy, I now add it to the sauce pan and let it warm through for about a minute or two. Remember to stir, so all the ingredients get a chance to marry and explode with spectacular flavor.

jamaican ackee and saltfish (8)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (9)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (10)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (11)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (12)

Now is time to add the star of the show. Now here’s the thing about canned ackee.. it’s VERY fragile. So after I open the can, I pour everything into a strainer and run cold water over it. Just to remove that liquid it’s been packed in. After this drains, I add it to the saucepan with everything else, but I DON’T stir with a spoon. I use two forks and gently toss it with the other ingredients. The trick is not to break it apart, or you’ll end up with a huge pot of mush. After adding the ackee, it takes a minute or two for it to heat through and absorb all those wonderful layers of flavor we built.

jamaican ackee and saltfish (13)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (15)

jamaican ackee and saltfish (14)

jamaican ackee and saltfish

It’s amazing how simple, yet tasty this dish is. Very similar to the tomato and saltfish we make in Trinbago, except you add the ackee which gives it a unique taste and texture. It looks very much like scrambled eggs, but I assure you that no scramble eggs will ever taste like this.

That lovely morning outside Kingston we had boiled green banana (green fig), yam, dumplings and some of the best bread I’ve ever had (hard dough) and we washed it all down with a piping hot cup of Milo sweetened with my favorite… condensed milk.

WIN!  CONTEST!  WIN!

IMG_8235_800x533

It’s that time again – we’re giving away the following cookbook (see above) to one lucky person for the month of April.  All you have to do is leave me a comment in the comments section below (please say something about this recipe) and your name will be automatically entered to win this amazing cookbook, highlighting the art of mastering pasta dishes. Yup! Not Caribbean, but a wonderful way to  learn some Italian cooking with easy step by step recipes. There are two bonus ways you can have your name entered in the contest, giving you 3 chances at winning. Along with leaving a comment below, go to the Facebook fan page and/or the Youtube cooking channel and leave a comment  there. I don’t care what your comment is, but it would be nice if you could tell me what you like about Caribbean food and if the recipes I share are helpful.

Here are the rules pertaining to winning the copy of “Pasta Step By Step Cookbook”…

– contest is open to everyone globally

– there are 3 ways to enter your name (see above)

– 1 winner will be chosen at random (if you left 3 comments, your name will be entered 3 times)

– contest is open from April 14 – to midnight April 30.

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

– the winner will have 1 week to contact us with 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 cookbook out to you. It’s simple, free and a great way to experiment with some Italian cooking. Good luck to everyone who enters.

Happy cooking

Chris…

Seafood

A Quick Shrimp Stir Fry.

25 Comments on A Quick Shrimp Stir Fry.

trni chow mein recipe (12)

One of my weaknesses when it comes to food when I’m on the islands is definitely Chinese. I just love the unique way through the years our “chinee” food evolved to what it is today. Be it the use of local ingredients or the influence of the many other culture/races that make up Trinidad and Tobago, but I assure you that you will not find the same sort of Chinese dishes elsewhere (taste). I guess Trinbagonians will also the say the same thing about KFC ?

As a youth Saturdays my dad would take me and my brother to see Kung Fu movies in San Fernando and besides being excited about seeing all the fighting scenes we’d try to emulate when we got home (on each other), it also meant food from some of the popular Chinese restaurants on Mucurapo (sp) street. There’s this sort of rum shop/restaurant on the corner or Lord and Mucurapo street, which I still visit to this day as they have the best fried pork (Chinese style) I’ve ever had. With just the right amount or fat and crispy skin that goes well with the pepper sauce they top the sandwiches with. All on “hops” bread.

Yes, the cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago and many of the Caribbean islands are heavily influenced by the Chinese, in case you’re wondering why you’re finding a stir fry recipe on this site. Over the coming months I try my best to share some of those dishes I grew up craving.

You’ll Need…
1/2 lb shrimp (peeled/deveined)
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 carrot sliced thin
cabbage
christophene (“chocho” to my Jamaican friends)
snow peas
bell peppers (orange, green and red – anything to add some colour)
mushroom
baby pak choi (bok choi)
large onion
3 tablespoon soya sauce (dark)
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon Oyster sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional – to give it a kick)
fresh ground white pepper (optional)

* You can control what vegetables you add and how much you actually use. In this recipe I used about 1 1/2 cups of each and I tried my best to cut them in similar sizes so they cook uniformly. The finished dish could easily be enough for about 4-5 people using my recipe.

* It’s very important that you have everything prepped, including the sauce mixture before you gets started. I’d also like to mention that since I’m using soy sauce I didn’t have the need to add any additional salt to the dish, but this is entirely up to you as I’m sure your love for salt will be different than mine.

Start by prepping the vegetables and shrimp (peel and devein). Remember to try and keep the vegetables the same size when dicing.

trini chow mein

guyanese chow mein

trinidad chow mein

I forgot to take a pic of the cleaned shrimp, but we’re ready to get started. I was hyped at using my new wok for the first time. Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in the wok or pan on fairly high heat, then add the shrimp. Cook for a couple minutes then remove from the wok. Add the additional 2 tablespoons of  oil and toss in the onion, garlic and ginger. Let that cook till the onion is soft (about 2-3 minutes). The entire kitchen should already start smelling good.

trni chow mein recipe

trni chow mein recipe (2)

trni chow mein recipe (3)

Now it’s time to add all the other ingredients (vegetables) and stir as you add to allow everything to hit the bottom of the wok and start cooking. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes, then add back the shrimp and fresh ground white pepper if you have some.

trni chow mein recipe (4)

trni chow mein recipe (5)

trni chow mein recipe (6)

In a small bowl I added the soy, Oyster and Hoisin sauces, as well as the Sesame oil and pepper sauce, gave it a good stir with a whisk, so now I can pour it over the vegetables and stir well. Basically all you’re doing now is heating the sauce and allowing it to coat all those wonderful vegetables. I like my stir fry with a bit of a crunch, so I don’t cook it much longer than this. So about 2-3 minutes after I add the sauces I remove it off the heat. Remember to check for salt.

trni chow mein recipe (7)

trni chow mein recipe (8)

trni chow mein recipe (9)

trni chow mein recipe (11)

If shrimp is not your thing, you can certainly use chicken or go vegetarian. I think I saw some vegetarian oyster and hoisin (simulated flavor thing) in the local Asian store I went to. I had a huge plate of this immediately after it was done, as the longer it stay in the pot or if you cover after making, it will continue cooking and go soggy. 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.

happy cooking

Chris…

Meat & Poultry Seafood

A Classic Jamaican Jerk Marinade.

153 Comments on A Classic Jamaican Jerk Marinade.

jamaican jerk chicken

I just love the variety of exciting and scrumptious dishes you can find as you work your way up and down the islands that make up the Caribbean. To date I’ve not been to Jamaica, even though my friends who hails from there have  extended several invitations the past few years. Hopefully I can make the trip down the next time they plan a vacation and finally get to see “jerk” done the traditional way. Until then, I’ll keep making my homemade marinade/sauce and hopefully you’ll give it  a try. Beware! You won’t go back to the bottled stuff you get in the grocery store once you do though. You won’t believe how simple this is.

You’ll Need…

5 scallions (green onions)
5 sprigs of fresh thyme (about 1 tablespoon chopped)
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet peppers
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 onion
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger

Notes: If you’re using dried thyme, use about 1/2 table spoon. This makes about 3 cups of marinade and it can be stored in the fridge for about 1 month.

Basically  all you’ll be doing is making a puree with all the ingredients I mentioned above. So you’ll need a blender or food processor.

jamaican jerk marinade

Rough chop the scallions, peppers, garlic, onion and thyme and place in the food processor to make it easier to puree. Remember when working with these hot peppers to wear gloves (the natural oil is deadly). Also note that most of the heat is within the seeds and the membrane that surround the seeds. So to control the heat, discard those. However, for that true authentic Jamaican feel.. keep the entire peppers.

jamaican jerk marinade (2)

jamaican jerk marinade (3)

Now add all the other ingredients and pulse to start. Then run the puree speed for about 2-3 minutes until everything breaks down to a smooth consistency.

jamaican jerk marinade (4)

jamaican jerk marinade (5)

For best results use this sauce immediately, but marinate your pork, chicken or fish (haven’t tried beef yet) for at least 2 hours before grilling or roasting in the oven. The next recipe I post I’ll show you how simple it is to use this marinade/sauce to make the Ultimate Oven Jerk Chicken. Stay tuned.

In the coming months I’ll also show you a secret ingredient I use to give this a Canadian twist.. I can’t right now as I’m sending off a challenge to Bobby Flay (he’s taking entries for a new show he’s working on). Wish me luck.

Don’t forget to join us on Facebook and check out the cooking videos – see on the upper right side of the page for links to those. And before you go, do leave me your comments below – it’s appreciated.

BTW, as we “Trinis” do… you can always add our signature to this by adding a couple shots of rum (I would use a dark rum), a little shado beni and how could we forget a drop or two of Angostura bitters.