chris de la rosa

I may have mentioned in previous ‘fish’ recipe posts that as a young fella on the islands (along with my siblings) we had NO luv for fish or any sort of seafood, except for shrimp and fried slices of King Fish. However as an adult I can’t get enough of everything coming out of the ocean. With many requests for fish recipes, especially with Easter and Good Friday just around the corner, I thought I’d share this one using cod with you.

You’ll Need…

1-2 lbs Cod (cubed 1 inch pieces)
1 med onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (diced fine)
1/2 orange bell pepper (cubed)
1/2 yellow bell pepper (cubed)
2 scallions (chopped 1 inch)
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced)
1/2 teaspoon smoky paprika (hot)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon achiote oil (or olive oil)
2 tablespoons parsley (chopped)
1 stalk celery (sliced thin)
4 sprigs thyme (remove leaves off stems)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 med tomato (diced)
splash of water
1/2 lemon (juice)

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the tomato paste.. in the event there’s any thickening agent with gluten in it.

How To Make Achiote Oil (roucou | occo): Video Tutorial Here!

Heat the oil in a wide pan (one with a lid) on a low heat, then go in with the onion and garlic. Make sure the heat is now on very low as we don’t want to burn the garlic. Allow this to cook gently for 3-4 minutes.

Up-next we can add the diced bell peppers, sliced celery and scotch bonnet pepper (be mindful that you can control the heat level by how much scotch bonnet you add). Take the heat up to medium and stir well. Cook for 2 minutes.

Now add the tomato paste and paprika and stir well. Go in with the black pepper, thyme, salt and tuck in the pieces of Cod fish. I used frozen Cod which was thawed and I squeezed out the extra liquid. Stir well, add the tomato and parsley, (heat at med/low) cover the pot and allow to cook for about 5 minutes. You will need a splash of water to help steam-cook the fish. Less than a 1/4 cup.

Remove the lid. The Cod should be fully cooked by now so it’s time to taste for salt and adjust accordingly as your tolerance for salt will be different than mine. Turn the heat off, toss in the scallions and squeeze in the lemon juice.

A delicious fish dish in under 10 minutes! I served this batch with some steamed rice, but you can treat it as you would any fish side dish. Remember to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling the scotch bonnet pepper. If heat is not your thing, you can leave out that spicy pepper.. do keep in mind that the spicy smoked Paprika will have a heat element. Yes, any ocean white fish will work for this dish.

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Caribbean Stewed Pork Ribs.

May 27, 2025March 23, 20171 Comment

We’ve grilled them, done a sort of “oven BBQ” during the winter and this coming summer I plan on doing a classic smoked/jerk over a charcoal fire, but for now I’d like to share yet another way to do pork ribs. You’re free to use the short ribs type you get at the Asian markets (ones sold for making dry garlic ribs), baby-back or your regular rack of pork ribs for this recipe. Using the classic Caribbean technique of ‘stewing’ to start, then we’ll slowly braise these ribs until they tender and packed with rich Caribbean flavor.

You’ll Need…

3-4 lbs pork ribs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 slices ginger
1 medium onion (diced)
1 medium tomato (diced)
2 birds eye pepper (bird pepper – chopped)
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 1/2 tablespoon golden brown sugar
2.5 – 3 cups water
4 sprigs thyme

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

Give the ribs a quick wash with cool water and the juice of a lime or lemon (not mentioned in the ingredient list). Drain and get to seasoning. Add everything to the bowl EXCEPT the thyme, veg oil, brown sugar and water. The Bird Pepper is optional.. providing you want a kick to the dish.. you may use any spicy pepper you have on hand or like. Mix well and allow to marinate in the fridge for at least a couple hours.

In a heavy pot over a high flame heat the vegetable oil, then go in with the brown sugar. This step is crucial (we DON’t want to BURN the sugar). Using a dry spoon, stir the sugar until it starts to melt. It will go frothy, then amber in color (act fast). Here is where you add the season pork ribs to the pot. If the sugar goes black. STOP and start over or it will have a bitter taste. (watch the video below for more help with this).

Yes, it’s ok if the marinade goes into the pot as you add the pieces of ribs. But try to keep some back in the bowl. In the same bowl you marinated the ribs add the water and swish around so you can pick up all that goodness to add to the pot later. Stir well to coat the ribs with the ‘stew’ base we started off with. Turn the heat down to medium/low, cover the pot and let that go for about 10 minutes (stir a couple times). It will sprout it’s own natural juices.

After which it’s time to infuse the ribs with the color and flavor of the brown-stew. Remove the lid and crank up the heat to high – we want to burn off all that liquid. Be sure to stir. It will take about 4-6 minutes.

After all the water is gone and you start seeing the oil we started off with at the bottom of the pot, it’s time to add the water we had in the bowl we marinated the ribs in. Stir and bring to a boil. As it comes to a boil, top with the sprigs of thyme, reduce the heat to a simmer and place the lid on the pot.

Stir every 10-15 minutes. After about 1 hour and 25 minutes, you can now personalize this dish a bit. Taste for salt and adjust to your liking and you can now crank up the heat and burn off the liquid until you have a gravy the consistency you like. If our mom was doing this she would burn off ALL the liquid, but in my case I allowed it to go on high for about 5 minutes.. until I had a somewhat thick gravy or sauce. (I had this with rice)

These Caribbean stewed ribs are a great side-dish for your next family dinner or it can certainly make an impression the next time you hit a potluck at work.. go ahead and take all the praise. You can always start the “stewing” process on the stove-top and finish off in a slow cooker if you wanted.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Crispy Fried Chicken Wings.

May 27, 2025March 17, 2017Leave a Comment

After posting an image of these crispy wings on Instagram a couple weeks back, the DM’s we’re rocking with requests for the recipe. And while this probably won’t be considered a “Caribbean” recipe, I thought that it will still fit within the theme of this website. Infused with herbal flavors as we do on the islands, these wings are super simple to make and with the crispy finish.. you’ll impress your family and guests. Guaranteed!

You’ll Need…

5-6 lbs wings
3 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon salt
4 sprigs thyme
1 scallion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 bird’s eye pepper (optional)
3 cups veg oil for frying

*I’ve posted this recipe within the ‘gluten free’ section of the website (as well), please go through the full list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Feel free to trim off the tips of the chicken wings, cut them in 2 pieces if you wish and give them a look-over for any nasty feathers. As I mentioned in the video, no-body eh trying to get ah feather! Then give the scallion a rough chop as well as the bird’s eye pepper (use any hot pepper you like – optional) and whisk together with everything (except the wings and oil) to make a brine. I like starting with one cup of warm water so the sugar and salt can dissolve easily. Then I go in with 2 cups of super cold water to bring the temperature down to safe levels.

Place the chicken wings in a deep container (or freezer bag) and pour the brine over them. Cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for about an hour. Try to not allow them to brine for more than an hour or you’ll risk them going salty.

After one hour, drain and rinse well with cool water. Allow to drain off and air dry.

Place the oil to heat in a deep pot (I used a wok) or use your deep fryer if you have one, on a med/high flame. Pat the wings dry with paper towels (make sure they are DRY) , then into the hot oil.

Depending on the size of your wings, they will take between 17 and 22 minutes to completely cook and go crisp and golden. Remember to flip them and DON’T crowd the pot with too many or it will drop the temp of the oil and make them soggy.

Fry in batches. As I removed the first batch I placed them on a wire rack (on a sheet-pan to collect the oil drippings). Normally I’d say to place them on paper towels, but I find that when they sit on the paper towels they can go a bit soggy and loose it’s crispy finish. For a more crispy finish you can fry them for a bit longer.

Since the wings were in that herb-salty brine, there will be no need to salt these further (but I’m on a low salt diet). Taste and sprinkle on some Sea or Himalayan salt as they come out the hot oil if you want. We enjoyed these with the mango habanero sauce I shared a while back.

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Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Quick Ham And Turkey Fried Rice.

May 27, 2025March 4, 2017Leave a Comment

A few days after Christmas 2016 I was joined by my good friend Marc, who you would have been introduced to some time ago. Marc (Chef Marc) is a fellow Trinbagonian who’s been knocking out the recipes and food-travel videos on his YouTube Channel “Chef Marc“. This time Marc will be putting the leftover ham and turkey from the Christmas holidays for (one of) his signature fried rice. Using ingredients we already had in the fridge, Marc blazed through this recipe in a few minutes.

You’ll Need…

4 cups cooked rice (Jasmine)
2 scallions (chopped)
1 bell pepper (diced)
2 cups cabbage (chopped)
3/4 cup frozen peas
2 cups ham (cubed)
2 cups turkey (chopped)
3-4 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoon dark soy sauce *
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 bird pepper (bird’s eye)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic (fine dice)

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free be sure to go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the soy sauce – regular soy sauce will have a gluten element to it.

Start by prepping all the ingredients as this recipe calls for high heat and fast cooking.

Heat a wok or wide pan on a med/high heat, then go in with two tablespoons of the olive oil and the bird’s eye pepper. Marc gave then each pepper a couple cuts to help release some of their ‘heat’. Immediately after he went in with the cubed ham as he wanted to render out some of the fat (for flavor) and the toast the edges.

After about 1 minute it’s time to go in with the chopped turkey and mix well. You may need to add another tablespoon of oil if the pan is getting too dry.

Also add the diced bell pepper and sliced cabbage, toss and mix well. Then go in with the black pepper and garlic (he mentioned that he likes to add his garlic late in the cooking process, as to not risk burning it). At this point you can add the salt and sesame oil, stir! It’s now time to add the rice and break up any clumps. TIP! Be sure to use day-old rice or rice that been cooked in salted water and chilled. This will give you a lovely grainy texture to the fried rice.

After the rice is heated through (about 1-2 minutes), add the frozen peas and drizzle on the soy sauce. Stir well.

You’re dun! Turn off the stove and enjoy. The key is to cook on a relatively high heat, have your ingredients prepped and to not be intimated. The recipe, cooking and being in the kitchen should be fun and we do hope you’ll put this recipe to the test and enjoy the time in the kitchen with your family.

I’d like to take a minute to hit Chef Marc a Massive THANKS and to invite him to pass though the CaribbeanPot.com kitchen whenever he feels like feeding us. With both delicious food and knowledge.

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Sauces & Condiments

Simple Haitian Epis (Zepis) Recipe.

May 28, 2025February 25, 20173 Comments

In the Southern Caribbean we have “Green Seasoning“, the Spanish speaking Caribbean gave us Sofrito and our Haitian cousins use Epis as the base for many of their delicious offerings. Traditionally made with a mortar and pestle (Munsh Pilon), it’s a blend of herbs, garlic and various peppers. In this recipe I’ll be using a food processor and will be personalizing it a bit to my own taste. So you’ll see that I won’t add any salt, bullion cubes nor onion (explained in the video).

You’ll Need…

Bell Peppers (various colors / med)
3 scallions
10 sprigs thyme
1 scotch bonnet pepper
3/4 – 1 cup olive oil
3/4 cup chopped parsley
5 shallots
2 stalks celery

Note: Optionally you can add a large onion, cloves, bouillon cube, salt and the juice of a lemon. You can always use vinegar instead of the olive oil or or use a combination of both if you want.

Wash and prep the ingredients (rough chop), then place everything in your blender or food processor.

I like my Epis (same as when I’m making Green Seasoning or Sofrito) with a bit of texture so I pulse it until I get the desired consistency, but feel free to puree to your liking.

Place the now complete Epis seasoning in a container with a lid and store in the fridge for months. Optionally you can freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop out when frozen and store in the freezer in a zipper bag. This will allow you to use one cube every time you’re doing a recipe which calls for this amazing gluten free seasoning.

Epis can be used as a marinade for meats, fish/seafood, added to soups and stews and can be added to your favorite vegan and vegetarian dishes for additional flavor.

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Gluten Free Sauces & Condiments

Cider Maple Habanero Peppersauce (hot sauce) Recipe.

May 28, 2025February 16, 2017Leave a Comment

This past Fall I decided to do a peppersauce tribute to my home for the last 20 something years.. Canada. With a bumper crop of Habanero peppers (works great with scotch bonnets as well) in my small kitchen garden at the back of my house, the creative juices were flowing. Habaneros are some of my favorite spicy peppers, with the natural fruity undertones along with the fiery heat they possess. With a dose of fresh made apple cider (not vinegar) and some organic maple syrup, this pepper sauce was truly heavenly.

You’ll Need…

8-10 Habanero Peppers
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 lime (juice)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

* You may need to add a bit more apple cider if it gets too thick.

*Important : If doing this recipe gluten free, kindly go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs.

Wash the peppers and give them a rough chop. Remember to wear gloves and to wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Include the seeds of the peppers for a more pronounced kick of heat!

Add everything (except the lime juice) to a sauce pan, then place the pan over a medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Stir and reduce the liquid by about half and the peppers are a bit tender. (about 10-15 mins)

Turn off the heat and allow it to cool a bit before placing in your blender or food processor. When it cools, add the lime juice and blitz until smooth.

This is a great condiment to use wherever you’d normal use hot sauces. I roasted off some chicken wings in the oven and gave them a slight coating of this marvelous peppersauce while they were still warm. Please store in the fridge – last in excess of 2 months easily.

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