If you’re concerned about the supposed heat or spiciness of Caribbean food, know that you can always adjust the amount of pepper and spices you use to your personal liking. Additionally, as we see with classic Jamaican jerk, you can always go with a pairing which compliment the dish and bring in that sort of cooling effect. This Caribbean style coleslaw is just that. A slight kick from the minced scotch bonnet and mustard powder, but the creaminess from the mayo-combo and the fruity flavors of the mango and pineapple will give you a delightful finish.

You’ll Need…

4-5 cups shredded cabbage
3/4 cup purple cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup diced pineapple
1 cup mango (sliced thin)
3 tablespoon diced red onion
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper diced finely (no seeds)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Dressing…

1 cup miracle whip (or mayo)
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
3 tablespoon pineapple juice (or vinegar)
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 lemon (juice)

Note: Please remember to wear gloves and wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling scotch bonnet peppers. I used Miracle Whip instead of traditional Mayo as I enjoy the tangy flavor of the whip, but you can use your fav mayo. IMPORTANT – this recipe is posted under vegetarian, so do keep in mind that you’ll need to use a vegetarian substitute for the mayo. it is also posted under gluten free, so do make sure you go through the ingredient list to verify that all the ingredients listed are ok with your gluten free diet (especially the Mayo)

There are two steps to the recipe. Step 1 is to prepare the fruits and vegetables and Step 2 is basically making the dressing and mixing everything together.

For a bit of texture I grate 1/2 the amount of cabbage, then using my chefs knife I shred the rest of it. It’s also important to finely dice the onion so you never get a large piece of onion while dining.. can be a bit overpowering.

Mix all the ingredients mentioned above for the dressing in a bowl (I like using a whisk for this step) and set aside. Then in a large bowl, place the shredded cabbage.. you’ll notice that I used a bit of purple cabbage as well. Don’t add too much of the purple cabbage as it will discolor the entire coleslaw as you mix everything together. Add all the other ingredients, top with the salt and mix in the dressing we made. Give everything a good mix and set in the fridge to chill a bit before serving.

Remember to store in a cool place (cooler with ice) if you’re taking this to a picnic this summer as the dressing can go bad with excessive heat. If you have it in the fridge for a few hours you will need to give it a good mix before serving as you’ll find what looks like water on the surface (that’s normal).

With the brilliant flavors of the diced mango and pineapple you’ll find that this is not your basic coleslaw and I encourage you to use other fruits you like… apple, peach.. be creative.

Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Fried Chicken Wings Recipe.

May 27, 2025May 1, 201419 Comments

I love me some chicken wings, but I’ve come to accept that most restaurants in North America do them “Buffalo” style. Which basically means… fried crisp then tossed in a vinegar based hot sauce. Vinegar is one of those ingredients you won’t see being used much in the Caribbean, unless it’s for an escovitch sauce or as a preservative for home made peppersauces (hot sauces). Like other West Indians I dislike vinegar, so this chicken wings recipe is based on a traditional way of making fried chicken in the Caribbean. Where you get that crispy skin, followed by tender and juicy pieces of chicken, seasoned perfectly with herbs and spices. No-lie.. this fried chicken is much better than KFC and Popeyes!

You’ll Need…

4 lbs Chicken wings (trimmed and washed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 eggs
1/4 cup corn starch
1 cup flour
vegetable oil for frying (about 2-3 cups)

Note: I washed the trimmed pieces of chicken wings with about 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (you can use lime juice as well) and cool water.

Place the trimmed, washed and drained chicken wings in a large bowl and mix in the salt, black pepper, curry powder and Caribbean green seasoning. Mix well and marinate for a couple hrs in the fridge.

Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before you’re ready to fry so they come back to room temperature. Now beat the eggs in a small bowl and pour over the seasoned chicken wings. Be sure to mix well so the wings get coated in the eggs. In a large zipper bag (or in a mixing bowl), mix together the corn starch and flour (you can also add a pinch more of black pepper, salt and a bit of paprika). Mix well, then add (a few at a time) chicken wings to the bag and toss around to coat.

Heat vegetable oil or whatever fat you like using for making fried chicken on a medium high heat in a large pan. I like using my wok when frying so the splattering does not soil the stove top as much. I hate cleaning up grease on the stove.

Add about 3-5 pieces of dusted chicken wings to the hot oil at a time so as not to overcrowd things.

Fry until golden brown (about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the wings you’re using) and set on paper towels or on a wire rack (over a baking sheet) as I did, so we can get the excess oil to soak up or simply drain off as they cool a bit. Fry the chicken wings in batches and remember to serve warm for tastier results!

Our last visit to Trinidad and Tobago for Carnival 2014, while the rest of us were ordering bake and shark sandwiches at Maracas Bay (beach) Indy (our youngest daughter) opted for deep fried chicken wings which were almost exactly like these. Those chicken wings came with fries and a wonderful garlic sauce (like a garlicky mayo).

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!

Seafood

Herb Crusted Basa Fillet Done The Caribbean Way.

November 18, 2014April 22, 201411 Comments

Herb crusted what? I’ll be first to agree that during my childhood days in the Caribbean, you’d never come across such a recipe. But the new generation of chefs and home cooks are experimenting with great success. We had fish four ways growing up.. fried, curry, stew and in fish broth (pronounced broff). Mom was a traditionalist and her dishes reflected the mentoring she got from her mother and aunts before her.

Basa (Pangasius bocourt, similar to catfish) is one of the most inexpensive fish you can get in our city at the various Asian markets and the good part is .. they are fillets. So you don’t have to worry about bones especially if you want to get your children eating fish.

You’ll Need…

2 Basa Fillets

Herb crust…

2 slices of bread (white bread with crust removed)
1 tablespoon parsley
1 scallion
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper
pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon thyme (fresh)
dill optional
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

dressing…

1 1/2 tablespoon mayo
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
pinch salt
pinch fresh ground black pepper

* You’ll also need about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Remember to wear gloves when handling scotch bonnet peppers (wash your hands with soap immediately after) and don’t use any of the seeds.

Remove the crust off the bread (and break into smaller pieces) , give the scotch bonnet, scallion and parsley a rough chop and remove the tiny leaves off the thyme stem. Add it all to a food processor and blitz until you have a crumbly consistency. Add in the salt, melted butter and grate in some lemon zest. Pulse a couple times and get ready to dress the fish.

Wash and pat the basa fillets dry with paper towels, then drizzle on some olive oil on a parchment lined baking tray and place the filets on it (no oil on the fish itself). The oil will add subtle flavor and prevent the fillets from sticking as it cooks in the oven. Add a bit more oil if using tin foil instead of parchment paper. Preheat your oven at 375 F.

As the oven comes to temperature lets give the fish some more flavor and help keep it moist when it’s done doing it’s thing in the oven. In a small bowl mix all the ingredients mentioned for the dressing, then lather it onto both pieces of fish.

I simply used the back of a spoon to paste this creamy sauce over the Basa fillets. Now it’s time to get crusty! Pour half of the herb crust we made over each fish and gently press down on it so it holds on the creamy dressing.

In the 375 F oven, middle rack for about 15-20 minutes.. depending on how thick your fillets are and how well done you like your fish.

Not you conventional Caribbean fish recipe, but I assure you it’ will be a ‘go-to’ recipe the very first time you give it a try. The herb crust will certainly stand out and the fish itself will be tender and moist from that lovely dressing we started off with.

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

Simple Oven Jerk Fish Recipe.

November 8, 2014April 14, 20149 Comments

With Easter around the corner I’ve had several requests for fish recipes, so I thought I’d share a simple technique for making Jamaican style jerk snapper (fish), but with store bought jerk marinade and in your oven. I agree that making your own jerk marinade is much better and using a grill with coals and pimento wood is what true Jamaican jerk is all about. However this is all about convenience and exciting flavors.

You’ll Need…

2-4 lbs Red Snapper
1/2 lime or lemon (for washing the fish)
1 heaping tablespoon of jerk marinade (use gluten free for the gluten free version)
1 tablespoon orange juice
pinch salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon veg oil

* Use your favorite store purchased jerk marinade.

Scale, trim (gut) and wash the fish with the juice of 1/2 lime or lemon.. rinse with cool water and pat dry. Cut two slits on the back (both sides) of each fish to allow for the jerk marinade to penetrate and do all-kinda good things. Stuff the cavity of each fish with a bit of thyme and scallions (bruise or crush with your knife to release the flavors) and sprinkle a bit of salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl mix the jerk marinade (use your fav) and orange juice, then brush it onto both sides of each fish. Try to get some in the cuts we made. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour (max 1 hr as the marinade will start to cook the fish after that).

Now preheat your oven to 400 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Drizzle on the veg oil so the fish won’t stick as it does it’s thing in the oven. Set the baking tray on the middle rack in your oven and let it go for about 15 minutes. Then flip over and cook for another 8-10 minutes. This depends on how thick your fish are and how well done you like your fish.

There you go, a simple but exciting jerk fish done in your oven.. no need for an outdoor grill. Remember if you’re serving this to kids be mindful of the bones of the fish. If you decide to use fish fillets, try to get some with the skin still on and reduce the cooking time (again, depending on the thickness of the fillets) by about 1/2.

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! Important, do read the label of the jerk marinade you use to ensure it meets with your gluten free dietary needs.

Desserts

Diabetic Friendly Ginger Mango Muffins.

May 26, 2025April 13, 20142 Comments

If you travel within the Caribbean, most likely you’ve found yourself on the regional airline LIAT and I’m sure you’ve been reading my delicious offerings in their inflight magazine ZiNG. A gorgeous magazine which is very solid in regional content. In the latest issue I shared this recipe for a diabetic friendly dessert (or snack) so I thought I’d include it here for those of you who have not had the pleasure of flying with LIAT.

You’ll Need..

1 cup almond flour
2/3 cup coconut flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sliced mango
2 tsp. fresh ginger root, grated
1 tablespoon orange zest, grated
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup Splenda (granulated — measures cup for cup)
1 tablespoon molasses
2 tablespoon pistachio nuts, chopped (optional)
baking spray

Place the mango (try to get ripe mangoes) and grated ginger in a blender and puree until smooth. Then pour into a bowl with the orange zest, eggs, sour cream, butter, molasses and vanilla. Give it a quick mix.

In another bowl, place all the other ingredients (except the chopped pistachios) and give it a good mix. Then add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and combine well to form a semi dry batter. If it’s overly dry you can add a little water.

Please preheat your oven to 375 F and grease your muffin tray with some non stick spray or do as I did and use cupcake cups. Now spoon out the batter into the cups, top with some of the chopped pistachios (you may need to press then in a bit) and when the oven come up to temperature, place on the middle rack. Bake for 16-18 minutes.. you’ll get a lovely golden brown edges.

Place to cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

These ginger mango muffins are delicious, very filling and as I mentioned, can be considered diabetic friendly… but be sure to keep an eye on the actual ingredient list to ensure they meet with your dietary needs or regulations.

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!

Meat & Poultry

The Simplest Oven Curry Goat Recipe.

May 28, 2025April 5, 201427 Comments

If you’re looking for a quick and tasty way to prepare curry goat with a Caribbean signature, look no further. I remember my aunt starting her curry goat on the stove top, then the last couple hours she would place it in the oven to slowly do it’s thing in the oven. Falling off the bone tender and infused with from the slow braising process of cooking the curry in the oven… pour over some steamed rice and boy I tell you. Pure niceness!

In this version we’ll marinate the goat pieces in a classic Caribbean marinade for a few hours, then everything goes into an oven-proof container in the oven for the magic to happen.

You’ll Need…

2 lbs goat *
4 med potatoes (1/4’s)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 heaping tablespoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoon Caribbean green seasoning
2 slices ginger
1 seasoning pepper (pimento pepper)
1 medium onion (diced)
5 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 scallion (chopped)
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
4 bird’s eye pepper (or 1/4 scotch bonnet)
1/4 teaspoon allspice

* I like using goat meat with bones as I find there’s more flavor, especially when doing a curry and it’s much cheaper at the butcher than boneless. Just make sure to ask the butcher to cut it for you with their electric saw. Curry traditionalists will argue that you need to cook (fry the curry) so you don’t get that raw curry taste. But the 3 hours of braising will take care of that in a delicious way.

Wash, rinse and drain the goat meat, then season with everything mentioned above except the coconut milk, water, bird’s eye pepper and potatoes. Click “Caribbean Green Seasoning” for the recipe for this wonderful base to many Caribbean dishes. Allow this seasoned goat meat to marinate in the fridge (cover with plastic wrap) for at least a couple hrs (overnight is best).

Preheat your oven at 375 F. As it comes to temperature, place the seasoned goat in an oven-proof container with a lid and add the other ingredients. Do not break the bird’s eye peppers as we want the flavor without the raw heat. Place on the middle rack in the oven (covered) and let it slowly braise for 2.5 to 3 hours.

Remember to cut the potatoes in big pieces so they won’t melt away while cooking. After 2.5 hrs, taste for salt and here’s where you can remove the bird’s eye peppers or break them if you want some wicked heat. If you find that the gravy is overly thin, you can leave it uncovered the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Top with some chopped shado beni (culantro), cilantro or parsley and some diced tomato to give it some added color.. after taking it out of the oven.

Here’s one of those classic Caribbean curry dishes where you can actually place it in the oven and go about doing other things at home and have a wicked main course for dinner. I’m sure you can do the same in a slow cooker as well, but you may just need to add more time to get it fully tender and infused with that wonderful curry goodness. If you want to make this dish stretch you can add more potatoes, carrots and diced celery (a bit more cooking liquid and salt will be required as well).

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!

chris de la rosa

Caribbean Style Coleslaw Recipe.

The Ultimate Fried Chicken Wings Recipe.

Herb Crusted Basa Fillet Done The Caribbean Way.

Simple Oven Jerk Fish Recipe.

Diabetic Friendly Ginger Mango Muffins.

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Diabetic-Friendly Ginger Mango Muffins

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The Simplest Oven Curry Goat Recipe.

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