chris de la rosa

Here’s another one of those CLASSIC Caribbean recipes enjoyed across the region. A dish where you can let your creativity run crazy, by adding ingredients you like (vegetables) or to simply clear out ends of vegetables you have unused in the fridge. As a side dish to roti, ground provisions or dumplings or served on hot steaming rice.

You’ll Need…

1/2 large cabbage (rough chopped)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cups prepared Salted Cod
1 onion (sliced)
3-4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1/2 red and green Bell peppers (sliced)
1/2 medium carrot (julienne)
4-6 sprigs thyme
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

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

Prep all the ingredients in advance so you can run through the recipe quickly. For the Salted Cod, you can boil for a few minutes or soak it overnight. Rinse and shred. Watch this video if you want to see step by step How Salted Cod Is Prepared.

In a wide pot medium flame, add the olive oil (use any oil you like).

Now add the prepared salted cod pieces. turn the heat down to low to bring out all that flavor. 2 minutes later add the thyme, garlic and the scotch bonnet pepper (be mindful to wear gloves and/or to wash your hands with soap and water after handling such hot peppers). Toss in the onion and give everything a good mix.

Go in with the carrots, bell pepper and black pepper and stir well.

Four minutes later, turn the heat up to medium and add the cabbage. It may look like a lot, but it will wilt down as it cook. Mix well to combine all the flavors.

I didn’t use a lid, but you can if you wish to help speed up the cooking time/process. Stir a few times.

Now it’s time to personalize things. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. The remaining salt in the Salted Cod meant I didn’t have to adjust anything. The other thing is, cook the cabbage to the consistency and texture you like. For me, five minutes after adding the cabbage it was to my liking.

Top with the parsley and turn off the heat (stir).

As classic as it gets and so simple to put together. While as a lil fella on the islands I never enjoy Cabbage, I always seem to have one sitting in our fridge in my adult years. From soups, to stews and stir-fry’s, it’s a great way to add texture and to stretch a dish. Takes on wicked flavors too! And speaking about flavors, the simple (now very expensive) Salted Cod can enhance any dish IMHO with that lovely flavor we so adore in the Caribbean.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Vegetarian

Garden (vegetable) Fried Rice.

May 28, 2025April 18, 2022Leave a Comment

With an abundance of vegetables in my garden (last summer), it was only natural that I made this incredible vegetable fried rice when I came across some leftover rice in the fridge. I’m a huge fan of rice, that combined with the ability to put what I’ve grown into a dish, Uncle Chris was a very happy fella.

You’ll Need…

3 cups cooked rice (chilled)
1 1/2 tablespoon veg oil
1 medium onion (diced)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 cups chopped swiss chard
2 cups chopped kale
2 okra (chopped)
4 yard beans (bodi, bora) (cut into pieces)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 chili peppers (chopped)

feel free to add any of your favorite vegetables.

Wash and prep the vegetables. (watch the video below).

Heat the oil on medium flame in a wok or pot of your choice.

Add the onion, bodi and stems of the chard and kale as those are the more tough vegetables. Grate in the ginger, toss in the chili pepper (bird’s eye) and add the crushed garlic. Stir well.

Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the okra and sesame oil and stir well. Now add the leafy parts of the Chard and Kale. It may seem like a lot, but it will wilt down.

Add the Chinese Cooking Wine, Hoisin, dark Soy Sauce and light Soy Sauce. Mix!

As I’ve mentioned in past Fried Rice recipes, try to make sure the rice is cool or chilled (for a more grainy finish) . Fold in the rice, warm through and you’re done. Yes the rice was cooked in salted water, plus the 2 different soy sauces we used will be enough salt for me. Taste and adjust (add salt) if you wish.

Lunch for Two is DONE! Feel free to add more rice and make it a complete family meal. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

Fried Sardines As It’s Done In The Caribbean.

July 2, 2022April 12, 20221 Comment

Back in 2010 I shared a similar recipe where I used Smelts, as it was the only fish I could source back then to satisfy a craving I had for a childhood fave… fry dry! I’ve since elevated my mom’s recipe to put my touch and lay some claim to it. No disrespect mom!

You’ll Need…

2 lbs sardines (cleaned)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
2 cups veg oil (for frying)
1 cup all purpose flour
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1 onion (sliced)
4 birds eye pepper
3 scallions (chopped)

Season the oil with 2 cloves of garlic + 3 bird’s eye pepper.
lemon (juice)

Gut (or ask your fish monger to do it for you), clean and wash the sardines (use lemon or lime juice or vinegar along with cool water to wash the fish). Then season the cleaned Sardines with salt, black pepper, Caribbean Green Seasoning and curry powder. Mix well and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.

Heat 2 cups of vegetable oil in a wide pan on a medium flame, add the garlic and chili as it heats up. This step will flavor the oil a bit.

Dust the seasoned fish in the flour (shake off excess flour) and place the flour-dusted fish in the hot oil. Be careful when adding the dusted fish to the hot oil.

Cook on each side for about 3-5 minutes.. a crust will form and you’ll get a dark golden color. Remove and drain on paper towels. Don’t crowd the pan, so I’d recommend frying then in batches. Vent your kitchen to avoid the entire house smelling like fried fish or cook outdoors if you can.

Once the fish are all fried, it’s time for step two. Heat 3 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan.. while the oil is still cold add the onion, scallion, birds eye chili and garlic.. bring it up to a simmer and allow it to gently fry and flavor the oil. It will take about 4-5 minutes.

Place the fried Sardines in a heat-proof bowl and pour the now seasoned hot oil over the fried sardines and toss to coat. Note – you can get away with using 2 tablespoon of the olive oil if you want to cut back on the use of oil.

If you recall we stared by flour dusting the fish before frying them. That flour crust will soak up the flavored oil and you’ll be amazed how delicious these will be.

Squeeze on some fresh lemon juice and enjoy. Remember these will be spicy! Serve warm please.

Serve as a side or as a snack when enjoying adult beverages with your friends. Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Meat & Poultry

Incredible Rib Pelau.

May 27, 2025March 22, 2022Leave a Comment

While I do make Stewed Ribs when baby-back goes on sale and have shared that recipe with you, this will be the first time I’m making/sharing a Pelau recipe with ribs as the cornerstone of the recipe. We’ve done Chicken Pelau, Vegan Pelau, Oxtail Pelau, Salted Pigtail Pelau, Beef Pelau, Curry Stewed Chicken Pelau, Curry Chicken Pelau and most recently, I did and amazing Seafood Pelau that blew people’s mind! However, this version using pork ribs (use beef if you wish) is truly one of my faves.. #ComfortFood

You’ll Need…

5 lbs pork ribs
1 lemon (juice)
1 tablespoon pepper sauce
2 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1-2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Angostura bitters
1 tablespoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 large carrot (cubed)
2-3 pimento peppers (sliced)
1 can red kidney beans (small)
2+1 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
2 cups coconut milk
3 cups long grain par-boiled rice (washed)
1/2 lb spinach (washed)

Note! This Incredible Pork Rib Pelau recipe is inspired by my friend Chef Barry Bartholomew IG @cheffinbar.

Cut the ribs individually (you may remove the sliver skin on the underside first if you wish), then wash with cool water and the juice of the lemon and drain dry. Now it’s time to season the ribs and have them marinate for at least 2 hours.

Add the Caribbean Green Seasoning, salt, black pepper, onion, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, Angostura bitters and peppersauce (hot sauce). You may use fresh Scotch Bonnet or your fav pepper if you wish… I was out of them. Stir well and marinate.

Watch the video below to follow along with this step (as well as how to cut the rack of ribs into individual ribs) as it can be a bit tricky. NO, the sugar we’re about to use will NOT make this dish sweet.

Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot. Add the brown sugar and using a dry spoon, stir the sugar. It will melt, go frothy, then amber. As soon as it goes DEEP amber in color (be gentle here) add the seasoned ribs to the pot. Should the sugar go black, STOP! Allow the pot to cool completely (move from the hot burner) and wash, dry and start over. Or you will have a bitter tasting dish.

This step is called “stewing/browning” and it’s one of the most important steps in preparing Pelau. BTW Pelau is basically a one pot dish, with a protein, pigeon peas (not today), coconut milk, herbs etc and rice. Made mostly in the Southern Caribbean and differs from island to island in the ingredients used. As you add the seasoned ribs to the pot, stir to have them coated in the ‘browning’.

Put the lid on the pot, turn the heat down to med/low and let it go for about 15 minutes. Try to stir every 4-5 mins. Yes it will sprout it’s own natural juices.

After the 15 minutes, remove the lid and crank up the heat to high. The goal here is to develop a rich flavor and deep color. Be mindful to stir and keep an eye on things so it doesn’t burn.

When you can see the oil we started with (some fat will render from the pork ribs too) at the bottom of the pot, it’s time to add the red beans (I used a small variety of red beans out of a can, which I washed – traditionally pigeon peas is use in making Pelau), carrot, Pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers), vegetable stock, coconut milk and water. I added 2 cups of water here and later on I added the 3rd cup (more on that in the video below).

Bring this up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, lid on slightly ajar and allow it to cook for about 30 minutes or until the ribs starts getting tender.

Its then time to wash your rice (watch the video below where I comment about this) and add it to the pot. Bring back to a boil (you may need to raise the temp a bit), then reduce to a simmer.

After about 10 minutes I added the spinach and stirred it in. It was here I noticed I needed more liquid, so I added the 3rd cup of water. No spinach is not traditional to this dish, but as I mentioned in the video. It’s a great way to sneak vegetables etc into a dish for children and picky eaters.

The spinach will wit down so don’t stress about seeing it pile on. There are 2 things to pay attention to when it comes to Pelau. The color and the texture. Both are personalization based on the individual. Some like it a bit darker and this is achieved by the “browning or stewing” step at the start. The other key thing people focus on, is the texture. You’re Team Wet Pelau (meaning a bit soggy) or Team Dry Pelau, meaning there’s a look of steamed (grainy) rice at the end. I’ve recently converted to Team Wet Pealu, so I used a bit more than usual liquid, plus I stirred the rice quite a bit. By stirring, the rice grains rub on each other and release starch, giving the finished dish a more creamy (wet) texture.

After another 10 minutes or so, you’ll be done. Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. I like to turn the stove off, place the lid on and let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a side of watercress, sliced cucumber, sliced tomato, coleslaw and/or a thick slice of Avocado (say zabouca). In my case I like mine with a side of Roasted Tomato Choka and/or Roasted Pepper Choka.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Seafood

Jamaican Escovitch Kingfish.

April 18, 2022March 21, 20222 Comments

While this recipe is traditionally done with crisp fried whole fish (usually Red Snapper) in Jamaica, I quite like to done with Kingfish… one of, if not my favorite fish. Basically a quick, spicy vegetable pickle poured over the fried fish, so the recipe itself is very forgiving as you can easily over-cook the fish and still have great results.

You’ll Need…

5-7 slices of kingfish
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon sea salt (divided)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups veg oil
2 large onions (sliced thick)
1/2 carrot (julienne)
6-8 pimento berries (allspice)
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)
bell peppers (assorted colors – sliced thin)
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoon white sugar

NOTE! In the video below I explain why I like dusting the seasoned fish in flour and why I seasoned the pieces of Kingfish as I did.

The Kingfish steaks were about 1 inch think, washed (cool water and the juice of a lime – lemon or white vinegar works too), drained and seasoned with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and allow to marinate as we prepare the vegetables for the Escovitch sauce.

Basically all you have to do is cut the bell peppers the same thickness and the carrot a bit thinner. The Scotch Bonnet pepper will make this SPICY, so please be aware of this. But we’ll balance things with the sugar. Wear gloves when handling such hot peppers, wash your hands with soap and water after and remove the seeds and white membrane if you want to control the heat a bit.

In a sauce pan on a medium heat add the vinegar and pimento berries, bring to a boil, then add the carrot pieces (since this is the toughest thing that goes in the pickle). Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the bell peppers, onion (sliced thick rounds), garlic, remaining salt and black pepper, followed by the sugar to bring the balance I spoke about above.

As it comes to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer as we get to frying the fish. Dust the seasoned fish pieces in the flour and set aside as your vegetable oil comes to temperature in a wide pan.

Fry the fish a few pieces at a time as to not crowd the pan. I did mine about 4-5 minutes on each side, then onto paper towels to help soak up some of the oil as I did the next batch. You’re looking for a dark golden color. The flour dusting will help you get this color, plus that same crust will act as a magnet for the Escovitch sauce when we pour it on.

After 8 minutes, turn off the heat under the sauce and let it sit until we’re done frying the fish.

Arrange the fried fish on the platter you’ll be serving it on, then pour the Escovitch sauce over it. Or serve on the side. You’ll get notes of spice (pimento), sweet and SPICY with a slight crunch from the vegetables. Add more sliced Scotch Bonnet (any fav pepper) if you want more of a KICK!

Save any remaining Escovitch Sauce in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Got lame fried chicken? Pour this sauce over it and BAM! You’ve got something truly unique. That recipe (not the lame fried chicken), but Escovitch Fried Chicken will soon come.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

Gluten Free Seafood

The Ultimate Crayfish Callaloo.

March 14, 2022March 2, 2022Leave a Comment

Over the years I’ve shared several types of Callaloo (the soup) recipes with you, including Crab (the classic), Lobster, Shrimp, Salted Pigtail and Smoked Turkey, to name a few. With leftover Crayfish from when I purchased for making the Curry Potato With Crayfish recipe, I thought I’d give you yet another TASTY version of Callaloo.

You’ll Need…

1 1/2 lb crayfish (meat only)
2-3 tablespoon salted butter
1 medium onion (diced)
1 green scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
2 pimento peppers (aka seasoning pepper)
6 cloves garlic (smashed)
3 sprigs thyme
2 cups water (in total)
1 cup seafood stock
1/2 tablespoon sea salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 lb baby spinach
15-20 okra (cut 1 cm)
2 1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1-2 cups pumpkin (cubed)

Note! I’m based in Canada so sourcing Dasheen (taro) leaves is almost impossible, so the next best thing = Baby Spinach. If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your gluten free dietary needs.

Get your soup pot on a medium heat and heat the butter, then add the crayfish (washed and drained) and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove them from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside for later.

In the same pot, add the onion, scotch bonnet and pimento peppers, turn the heat to low and gently soften. Add the thyme, garlic and black pepper.

4 minutes later add the okra (stir well) and the Caribbean Green Seasoning. Go in with the seafood stock, turn the heat to medium and bring to a boil.

Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, salt and bring back to a boil.

It’s time to add the baby spinach (washed) and the water. It may look like a lot, but it will wilt down as it cook.

Here’s where we’ll need to have some patience. Let it gently cook (lower your heat so you have a simmer) for about an hour and fifteen minutes. Add more water if you find it’s getting too thick. I added the extra cup of water mentioned in the ingredient list. (2 cups in total)

Taste for salt and adjust accordingly. Here’s where I used a traditional swizzle stick to break things down so it’s a bit smooth (watch the video below). You may use a whisk or stick blender. If using a stick blender, pulse or risk getting it frothy.

Add the pre-cooked crayfish, bring back to a boil (2-3 minutes), taste and adjust the salt again and BOOM.. you’ve got a wicked Crayfish Callaloo.

This is an excellent side dish to rice, steamed potato, boiled ground provisions or roasted breadfruit. Or, do as I do and enjoy a piping hot bowl as a soup. Now you know how to make an incredible pot of crayfish (say crawfish?) callaloo.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/