One Kitchen, Many Cultures

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Gluten Free Seafood

Jamaican Inspired Pepper Shrimp Recipe.

35 Comments on Jamaican Inspired Pepper Shrimp Recipe.

jamaican pepper shrimp

The call went out via the Facebook Fan Page a couple days back and within seconds I had a delicious sounding recipe, rearing to go for Jamaican style pepper shrimp. Last Spring after we came back from of Jamaican trek, one of the first questions I got asked was “did you try any pepper shrimp?” Must have been all the Guinness, but I still can’t remember coming across pepper shrimp while on the island. However, speaking with our friends who we traveled with, they assured me that several times we were approached by ladies selling them in little plastic bags on the side of the road. The home of pepper shrimp in Jamaica is “Middle Quarters” (Saint Elizabeth Parish) and though their method of preparing them is a bit different that what I’m about to share with you, Christine who sent me this recipe assures me that this recipe will rival any found on the island.

You’ll Need…

1 lb shrimp (I believe they were 30/40)
1 habanero pepper (or any hot pepper you like)
2 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon paprika
2 tablespoon parsley
4 cloves garlic

Note: Traditionally parsley and paprika are not used in this dish, however I love the brightness the parsley brings and the sort of smokey undertones from the paprika is a good addition. In true Jamaican fashion, I’m sure a dash of pimento (allspice) would be a good inclusion as well. In the video for this recipe I mentioned that I used 1/2 teaspoon salt, but I felt I had to adjust that to 3/4 teaspoon after tasting the finished dish. You’ll also notice that I used a habanero pepper, but in the Caribbean scotch bonnets are the peppers of choice.

 

You’ll notice that I used whole shrimp, with the head still attached and in it’s sort of shell. This is the way it’s traditionally done in Jamaica, plus I love the sweetness of the shrimp when it’s cooked this way. The shrimp steams in it’s own shell and this process seems to heighten the rich flavor of the overall dish. I hate seeing the legs and antennae sort of thing, so using my kitchen scissors I trimmed those out. I then gave the now trimmed shrimp a good rinse and allowed them to drain.

TIP: When handling the shrimp and/or the hot pepper you may want to wear gloves.

Next up I gave the garlic and pepper a very fine dice, as I didn’t want to get big pieces of pepper or garlic when eating. To control the heat, you can certainly remove the seeds from the pepper and discard. The seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds is where most of the heat is.

Heat a pan on med/high heat (no oil necessary as we’ll be sort of scalding the shrimp), then add the shrimp and give it a good stir. Now add the garlic, pepper, salt and paprika and stir well to coat everything.

As the shrimp cooks (remember to keep stirring) you’ll notice the color will go to a bright sort of orange color. You can place a lid on the pot for about a minute or two if you’d like. After 3 minutes you can add the lemon juice. This bit of liquid will help release some of the garlic and pepper which by now is probably sticking to the bottom of the pan. The shrimp will also let out it’s own juices, so there’s no need for any other liquid. Try not to overcook the shrimp or you’ll risk them going rubbery. Within 7 minutes or so and my shrimp were done.

Top with the chopped parsley, give it a final stir and get ready to serve.

This a wonderful spicy snack that’s great when having some drinks with friends, or as in my case… reminiscing about a great Jamaican vacation. Remember to check out the ladies in Middle Quarters when you visit Jamaica next and tell them Chris @ CaribbeanPot.com said to look them up for the best pepper shrimp on the island.

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.

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Q & A With The Rhymin Chef, Philman George.

6 Comments on Q & A With The Rhymin Chef, Philman George.

A few weeks back I mentioned to you guys that I was meeting with The Rhyming Chef for coffee and after that meeting I was excited when I announced to you guys on FaceBook that the chef agreed to answer any kitchen related questions you guys may have. This was an amazing opportunity to get tips and advice and many of you submitted your challenges. I’ll first introduce you to Philman George who is the Rhyming Chef and then we’ll get to the questions…

rhyming chef“Life is rhythm! Just put your hand on the left side of your chest and tell me if I’m wrong!”  For The Rhyming Chef a kitchen without rhythm is a kitchen without life.   “I’m sure at some point we have all whistled, hummed, or even sang a few lyrics while cooking food,” explains The Rhyming Chef.  “This is the absolute minimum. What I do is take rhythm and food to the extreme!”

Philman George, aka The Rhyming Chef who is of Barbudan heritage, is proud to have grown up in the inner city of Toronto Canada.  The passion for cooking started at a very young age. Philman would accompany his mother to the grocery store and watch closely as she selected the ingredients for her culinary creations.  “I never saw my mother read a recipe book.  She cooked from the soul, using a bit of this and a bit of that.”  Philman started experimenting in the kitchen as soon as he could reach the stove, and at the age of 16 he landed his first job in an English style pub as a dishwasher.  A few years later he would enroll in Culinary Management at George Brown College in Toronto Canada.

“As a young cook I always dreamed of being an Executive Chef, but the road to the top was full of obstacles. When I was frustrated with the industry I would pick up a pen and write a song.”  Eventually Philman would start writing lyrics that were centered around his cuisine.  “My food is a reflection of my surroundings and experience.  I was trained in classical French, but living in a multi-cultural city like Toronto and by traveling overseas, I have expanded my repertoire.   I love Italian, Caribbean, Asian and East Indian cuisine and I pull from all of these resources to create food that is approachable and flavourful.  Every now and then I like to show off, but I believe that “fine food” does not have to consist of ingredients that are expensive and extremely rare.”  Once his skills in the kitchen were at par with his skills on the mic, The Rhyming Chef was born!

Read the full bio @ http://www.therhymingchef.com/bio

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The Questions….

I’ve got a super simple question but it is very relevant to me. I do not use a rice cooker to cook rice and normally I boil the rice and strain off the liquid when it’s done. I saw once a chef boiled rice and did not have to strain it, it was done just right in the pot with no sogginess, no extra liquid to drain. My question is : How do I go about boiling rice like that?

You have been cooking rice using the pasta method.  What you want to learn is the absorption method.  All rice can be cooked using both methods, however certain types of rice do exceptionally well using the absorption method.  These are Parboiled, Basmati, Jasmine & Sushi rice.  I would recommend that while you are still learning to use parboiled rice, as it is the most affordable.

Equipment is always key.  You will need a heavy bottom saucepot, with a lid that has an air hole.  Heavy bottom will ensure that the heat distributes evenly, so the rice doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.  The perfect saucepot for cooking rice for a small family should be 6inches in diameter.

Cooking rice in a pot this size requires you to use a minimum of 3 cups of rice.   Add the rice to the pot and then add in 4.5 cups of cold water.  Basically for every cup of rice you need a cup and a half of water.  Another way to measure the water is to place your middle finger at the top of the rice – the water should come just below the first joint line of your middle finger.

Bring the rice to a boil, stirring once or twice to make sure no grains are sticking to the bottom.  Never bring to a boil on maximum heat.  If using an electric stove and max heat is 10 – try bringing it to a boil on 8.5.  If using gas bring the flame to just below the bottom of the pot.

After the rice has come to a boil turn down the heat to about medium high.  There is no need to stir anymore.  Wait for a few minutes until you can start seeing tunnel effect in the rice.  These tunnels are caused by the boiling water evaporating/escaping through the rice.  There should still be a thin layer of water on top of the rice at this point.  Turn the heat to a low setting (2-3 on electric), and cover the pot.  Do not remove the lid for at least 10minutes.  Glass lids with a air hole work best, so you can see the rice as it is steaming.  The air hole will prevent any spill over.  I can’t stress the importance of not removing the lid, and making sure the heat is low.  Let the steam do its job and make your rice fluffy and soft!  Good luck!

What’s your favorite island meal chef?

Fried fish (in particular Parrot Fish) with a simple side of roasted dumplin’s and some sautéed callaloo and I’m in heaven.

What’s the one cooking utensil you can’t live without?

Zester

Rhyming Chef- I’m a great cook (not to toot my own horn lol)but I can’t handle flour recipes ah tall! Bread comes out heavy and uncooked in the middle, fry bake come out heavy and hard like rocks, even dumplings come out looking like flour paridge! Any tips to fix my handicap?

Heavy breads / uncooked usually means that your leavening agent was insufficient.  Try increasing the amount of baking powder/yeast by 25%.  A lot of the time, bread/dumpling recipes rely heavily on the flour.  Most recipe books do not take into consideration the type of flour you have in your region.  I find most flours in the Caribbean to be very dense.  Increase the leavening agent and hopefully this helps.  Also try sifting your dry ingredients!

I would love to know how to make a savory pumpkin soup. I had it at a restaurant on Beef Island about 30 years ago……Can you help?

WOW YOU HAD IT 30 YEARS AGO AND YOU STILL REMEMBER…… THIS IS THE POWER OF GOOD FOOD!

Caribbean Pumpkin & Ginger Fish Soup:

4lbs Caribbean Pumpkin
2oz (1/4 cup) Ginger
3.5 oz Onion Chopped
4 cloves Garlic
6oz Carrot Chopped ( 1 cup)
5 seasoning peppers
Thyme
Cinammon
Fresh nutmeg
12 cups fish stock

Round off with honey

This is a simple recipe that you can play with.  Seasoning peppers can be found at your local West Indian grocer, as well as the pumpkin.   Try also adding a bit of bay leaf and curry leaves to the soup as it is cooking.  If you know what your doing this should be enough info for you.  If not, please wait until the fall, as I often prepare this recipe in the fall season.  I’ll take you through it step by step at that point!

How can I get sweet potato fries crispy (without frying)?

Hummm. Can’t help you out here.  I don’t know any other way to cook fries other than to fry.  Cutting them into strips and then baking them would be my next guess!

I make my own burgers but they always come out dry. How can my burgers be moist and juicy?

Do not add breadcrumbs or eggs to your recipe.  Add a touch of BBQ sauce, or maybe some Lea Perkins.  Follow the techniques that I’ve laid out in my Carib burger recipe and you should be fine.  Moist burgers every time! http://www.therhymingchef.com/carib-burger

How can I make a good pull pork Thanks awaiting your reply.

Sorry, for personal reasons I gave up eating pork over 12 years ago.  I don’t really have much advise on this subject. NOTE from Chris… I’m working on a good pulled pork recipe with a Caribbean twist which I’ll be sharing soon. Stay tuned.

My knife skills are not bad. How can I improve them?

I have a few videos on youtube that are essential to watch to help you with your knife skillz!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lcpEGnl7CI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3C4L-pK-Cw

If you make rice n’ peas…how do I get it to not come out soft and mushy?

Use less water and make sure you are using the right rice and the right techniques.  Chris maybe you could share my response to your question with this person.

Should fresh parsley only be used as a garnish or can it be added to a dish in progress?

Parsley is a great herb to use as a part of your cooking process. Iron Chef Hiroyuki Sakai who is a master of French cuisine often used parsley in his winning dishes and he has a kitchen stadium record of 70-15-1. Parsley has a very delicate, gentle flavour and gives a garden fresh taste to a dish.  I use chopped parsley as a finishing touch to a pasta dish or I combine it with other herbs and olive oil as a marinade for meats.

Friends we can show our appreciation to Philman aka The Rhyming Chef by leaving a comment below to say thanks and I encourage you to visit his website at http://www.therhymingchef.com where you’ll not only get to know the chef much better, but you’ll benefit from the loads of content he provide… including some of the best produced videos I’ve seen online. While there, be sure to check out his Facebook fan page and leave him a message on the wall saying that Chris sent you over! Maybe you guys can convince him to share his secret jerk marinade recipe. Check this – my guy even perfected one that’s gluten free!

Thanks Chef – mucho appreciated!

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

179 Comments on The Ultimate Jerk Pork Recipe.

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Today we’ll induct yet another dish into the series “The Ultimate” (keyword search ‘ultimate’ in the search box – top right of this page for more recipes in the series). This time we’re doing one of those classic Jamaican dishes… Jerk Pork. The first time I made this dish was about 5 years ago when our friends were getting married and they were having the stag / doe and asked for us to bring along a dish. Since then, we’ve only heard good things from the many guests who were there that night. This weekend being Tehya’s birthday and knowing that my mom is a fan of jerk pork, I thought it would be perfect for the bbq we were having.

If you read the piece I did titled  Jamaica One Plate At A Time, you’ll know that I went in hunt of the perfect jerk while we were in Jamaica and found (more like stumbled.. stretch our legs and use the bathroom) a spot called “Supreme Jerk Center”  on our way to Negril from Montego Bay. The fella doing the jerk had some skills. Not only was the pork perfectly cooked over the open coals, but we could tell that he allowed the meat to marinate for quite some time. As the pork was infused with that authentic jerk flavor and the smoky taste from the pimento wood was divine. Though I don’t have the use of the open coals, I’m positive that my jerk pork could easily rival his.

For this recipe you’ll need to refer to the jerk marinade recipe I shared with you a few months ago or see below for quick instructions. If you don’t feel like making your own marinade, check out the selection of Jamaican Jerk Marinade and BBQ Sauces you can purchase.

You’ll Need…

Jerk Marinade

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

* Basically all you have to do is give everything a rough chop and place in a food processor or blender as I did and pulse until you get a smooth consistency.

Then you’ll need…

1 boneless pork loin (about 7-8lbs)
2 cups of the jerk marinade

Let’s get started. Give the pork loin a good rinse under cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Then place the pork in a large dish/pan and using a pairing knife, make some stabs into the meat (about 1 inch deep). This will help in the marinating process. This step will get a bit messy, so using gloves may come in handy. Remember we used scotch bonnet peppers in the marinade so you may find that your bare hands may catch on fire! Pour 1 cup of the jerk marinade over the pork loin, then using your hands, massage and work it well. You can certainly bush the marinade on, but I much prefer to work this with my hands. Now cover and leave to marinate for at least 5 hours in the fridge.

jerk pork recipe

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Take the pork out of the fridge about 25 minutes before you start to grill, to allow it to come back to room temperature. I’m using a gas grill to cook this but if you have a wood or coal burning grill, do your thing. Basically you want to bring the temperature of the grill to about 300 degrees and brush the grate with some vegetable oil. All you do is take tongs, grab a piece of paper towel and dip it into a bowl with vegetable oil an brush the grill.

The goal is to slow cook this so you have 2 options. Grill on the top level grill or sort of warming rack (as I did) or grill with indirect heat. The flame would be on one corner of the grill surface and the meat on the other. This way you don’t get direct contact with the meat and flame/heat.

Basically all you’re doing for the next 2.5 to 3 hours is basting every 20 minutes and turning over when you do, so the meat cook evenly. When you removed the pork loin from marinating, do save the left over marinade and add a further cup, to use for basting during the cooking process.

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When I purchased my pork loin I looked for a piece with a thin layer of fat. This allows the meat to basically self-baste while cooking… so you don’t get an overly dry finished dish as the loin is usually very lean. Remember to try to maintain the 300 degrees, keep the lid on the grill closed and brush on marinade every 20 minutes or so. You will notice that it will start going dark and have a sort of burned look, but this natural. It’s just all the sugars doing it’s caramelizing thing. Good jerk is supposed to have that sort of colour… but remember – no direct heat or it will become burnt!

jamaican jerk pork

Do allow this to rest a bit before slicing, so some of the natural juices are allowed relax the jerked pork loin. We had over 25 people here and I still had enough to pack a doggie bag for my parents when they left. But we did have many others dishes as well. Conservatively, this is enough for about 10-15 people as a main meat side..

IMPORTANT: Be sure to use a gluten free soy sauce to meet with your gluten free dietary needs when doing this jerk pork recipe.

— Winner Wanted!—

It’s that time again – we’re giving away the following book (see below) to one lucky person for the month of June.  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 book on organic gardening and cooking with herbs, vegetables and fruits.

cookbook giveaway

Yea! Not your typical Caribbean book, but a wonderful way to  learn about organic gardening and cooking. Focusing on plants that are easy to grow, Adam Caplin takes an illuminating new look at the delights and challenges of cultivating edibles, showing how they can be grown – on their own in beds and containers, in mixed borders, and decoratively with flowers – for their ornamental as well as their nutritional value. Celia Brooks Brown presents 35 mouthwatering vegetarian recipes – for soups and starters, main courses, salads and light dishes, salsas and chutneys, and sweet things. This book features glorious photography by Caroline Hughes and William Shaw.

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 “New Kitchen Garden”…

– 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 June 13 – to midnight June 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 book out to you. It’s simple, free and a great way to experiment with some organic gardening and cooking. Good luck to everyone who enters.

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Oye! before you go… Remember you can watch the cooking videos on the recipe channel and we’d love to interact with you on our Facebook fan page. There’s a few thousand of us already causing commesse on there… so do check it out.

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Spreading The Culinary Culture Of The Caribbean – St Croix Food and Wine Experience.

5 Comments on Spreading The Culinary Culture Of The Caribbean – St Croix Food and Wine Experience.

food and wine steve bennett

It was a cold winter’s night back in December when while doing a “viewing” of a Thai restaurant that was up for sale, my friend turned to me and asked “will you be keeping the Thai menu?” To which I answered NO! The plan is to have a  Caribbean menu. It’s been my dream to add a little Caribbean sunshine to the culinary delights which our city seems to hunger for. Especially during those cold winter evenings when the temperature hit’s – 15 C. His response was not what I expected – “but what will you serve, you guys don’t have many dishes!” He (tried) explained… all you have is roti, curry goat/chicken, jerk and rice and peas. I kinda took offense to his remark, but I knew where he was coming from. The average Canadian exposure to Caribbean food, is the limited menu those take out Caribbean restaurants serve. Yes, some sort of curry with roti or jerk with rice and peas. Don’t get me wrong, I’m VERY proud of those dishes, but it’s pains me to know that our rich culinary heritage is not really showcased as so many other cultures in North America (Italian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Indian, Asian etc).

So where am I going with this post?

When my friend Steve @ UncommonCaribbean.com sent me a copy of a cookbook he contributed to, I figured it was your typical cookbook and it sat on the far right corner on my desk for a couple weeks. It’s only after I saw Caron going through it (isn’t funny how we show interest in things only after someone else is using it) that I decided to see what Mr Bennett was up to…

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St Croix Food And Wine Experience – A Culinary Guide To The Island Featuring More Than 100 recipes From Island and Celebrity Chefs.

Yes, there’s a recipe for roti with sweet potato and chickpea filling, but that’s where the typical Caribbean food begins and ends in this masterly crafted book. Masterly Crafted? Hear me out…

This is a comprehensive look at  not only a list of interesting recipes with instructions for you to follow and hopefully be successful at recreating, but you’re taken on historic trip of St Croix and I especially love the section dedicated to long tradition of rum making on the island. What can I say.. I’m an island boy who appreciates a good rum (hold the coke) ever so often.

The Recipes – On this blog I try to relive more of the traditional foods I grew up with on the islands and the feedback I get from the 1000’s of readers daily is always positive. But as a foodie I also enjoy trying new and exciting dishes, so maybe this is why I love the sort of fusion twist the recipes presented take. You have the “Lime and Coconut Ceviche, with ginger and fresh fish. Then there’s the Pig Foot Cake (yea not the most appealing when you read it out loud… but sounds very interesting when you go through the ingredients etc) with egg and fois gras torchon. If you know anything about Caribbean people you’d know that “wasting” is not an option, so pig feet or trotters are used in many delicious ways. So to see the humble pig feet paired with fois gras, was somewhat exciting for me. But I could not contain myself (will be trying it this weekend) when I saw the Mango rum Pulled Pork recipe. I’ll definitely share that one with you guys in the upcoming weeks.

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Crucian Painkiller – wicked name for a drink and from the sound of things – seems like a must try! In the section of the book dedicated to ‘beverages” you’ll find a lovely mix of classic cocktails and an an assortment of drinks I’m sure you’ve never tried. Here’s your chance to be the star bartender at your BBQ this summer with drinks which will impress all your guests.

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Speaking about rum and cocktails… I’m not a wine drinker and I’ve been known to say that wine drinkers are phonies. I guess that’s the typical comment when you don’t know much about something. We were in Trinidad and Tobago for carnival a couple years ago and my sister had friends visiting from Switzerland who were not only amazing at preparing ‘fancy’ meals, but they were very knowledgeable when it came to wines. They tried to give me a quick lesson, but my mind was on one thing at that point- Carnival. Wasted opportunity I guess!

If you’re anything like me and would like to learn more about wine, especially when it comes to Caribbean food, you’ll love the chapter dedicated to just this. “Wine In The Tropics” A Simple Guide To Pairing Wine With Caribbean Cuisine”. I’m no wine aficionado now, but I have a foundation to build on and I’m confident enough to hit the specialty wine section of the liquor store without being intimidated when the clerks comes around asking questions etc.

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This treasure is broken down into several sections as do all cookbooks …Wine, Beverages, Appetizers, Soups and Stews, Entrees, Vegetarian (yup they though about everyone’s choice) and desserts. And there’s the “meet the chefs” section, where you get to know the chefs who contributed on a more personal level. So you get a sort of insight as to where the inspiration came from for the recipes they present.

Can you tell I love this book? Steve, if you’re reading this my friend THANKS for sending me the copy (next time can you hit me a little autograph?) You guys did the island of St Croix very proud by the way you captured the true essence of the Caribbean in words , pictures and with island vibe we all love.

How do I get a copy of  the St Croix Food and Wine Experience?


Click on the image below or click here to learn more about the book and to try and reserve a copy.

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Before I go, I’d like to announce the winner (sorry for the delay in making this announcement) of the Italian cookbook giveaway for the month of April.

WINNER!

It’s with great pleasure we call on Anandi Beharrysingh to contact us with your mailing address! You’ve been chosen the official winner of the “Pasta Step By Step” cookbook. Please contact us with your details so we can rush this out to you. We’d like to thank everyone who participated and hope that you’ll take part in the new giveaway we’ll be doing early next week. Trust me! You’ll love the next prize we have up for grabs.  Shims, I almost forgot…  thanks to my sexy  assistant who helped with the draw!

Seafood

The Ultimate Ackee And Saltfish Recipe.

218 Comments on The Ultimate Ackee And Saltfish Recipe.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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…

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.

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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.

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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.