As a small fella on the islands, one of my favorite dishes mom would make was curry potato as we say “Curry Aloo” in Trinidad and Tobago. It was usually a Saturday morning meal, with hot Sada Roti and a side Mango kuchela. With my love for this dish, there are times I add a can of chickpeas (channa) and in this recipe we’ll also add some baby spinach to the mix, for the perfect mix in my humble opinion. I’ve already confessed my luv for all types of spinach greens.

You’ll Need…

2-3 tablespoon veg oil
1/2 medium onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (diced)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (geera)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 1/2 tablespoon curry powder (madras blend)
1 teaspoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3 large potatoes (2 inch cubes)
1 can chickpeas (rinsed)
1/2 lb baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust later)
2 1/2 – 3 cups water

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Especially the curry powder you use as some may have flour as an ingredient.

Heat a wide pan on a medium flame then add the veg oil and as it comes to temperature, turn the heat down to low and go in with the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes on that low heat then add the cumin seeds, along with the scotch bonnet pepper and cook another 1-2 minutes. After which you can add the curry powder. Heat still on low. Cook for 3-5 minutes to cook off the raw curry taste one can usually get at the end if not cooked correctly.

If you find the pan is a bit too dry you can add a bit more veg oil. You should have a more grainy texture and the curry should be a bit darker by now. It’s time to add the potatoes to the pot. Turn up the heat to med-high and stir in well, to coat everything with that lovely curry base. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the chickpeas (I used 1 large can which I rinsed well under running water).

Add the water and the Caribbean Green Seasoning and bring to a boil.

As it comes to a boil, cover the pan slightly ajar and turn the heat down so you have a gentle bubble. Add the salt and cook for 25 minutes.

At this time it should be fully tender, so using your spoon you may crush some of the potato and chickpeas to thicken things up. Taste for salt and adjust, then add the baby spinach to the pot.

Put the lid back on and cook for another 2-3 minutes.. basically until the spinach wilts down and takes on the curry flavors a bit. This will thicken up further as it cools, so do keep that in mind.

In about 30 minutes you’ll be enjoying one of the best curry / vegan dishes you’ll ever have. be sure to have some roti to dip and scoop.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms and Green Olives

May 28, 2025November 13, 2018Leave a Comment

In my humble opinion, nothing beats a classic pot of Caribbean stewed chicken; tender, juicy, and full of that signature island flavor. But yuh know me, always experimenting in the kitchen. One day, I tossed in some mushrooms and green olives, just for the vibe, and wow, what a tasty twist! The mushrooms soak up all that rich gravy, while the olives bring a nice briny punch that balances everything out. And since my girls don’t like olives, guess who gets to enjoy the whole pot in peace? Yep—me. Give this one a try, and don’t be afraid to make it your own.

Stewed chicken with mushrooms and olives in a silver saute pan resting on the stove

Ingredient Guide

Chicken (Legs and Thighs): Bone-in cuts are ideal for stewing, offering rich flavor and tenderness.
Caribbean Green Seasoning: A vibrant blend of herbs like scallions, thyme, garlic, and parsley.
Scotch Bonnet Pepper: A fiery chili pepper common in Caribbean cuisine. Use with caution, and remove seeds to reduce heat.
Worcestershire Sauce: Adds a tangy depth to the marinade.
Tomato Ketchup: Provides a touch of sweetness and acidity.
Brown Sugar: Used for caramelizing and adding a rich color and flavor to the stew.
Coconut Milk: Adds creaminess and a subtle sweetness to the dish.
Green Olives: Introduce a briny contrast that complements the savory elements.
Mushrooms: Their earthy flavor and meaty texture enhance the stew’s richness.

Shopping Made Easy

Chicken: Opt for bone-in legs and thighs for maximum flavor.
Caribbean Green Seasoning: Available in Caribbean markets, or make your own with fresh herbs.
Scotch Bonnet Peppers: Found in the produce section of Caribbean or Latin grocery stores.
Worcestershire Sauce: Check the condiments aisle; ensure it’s gluten-free if needed.
Coconut Milk: Available in the international foods section.
Green Olives: Look for pitted green olives in jars or cans.
Mushrooms: Fresh white or cremini mushrooms work well.

Cooking Notes from the Kitchen

Marination: Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to absorb the flavors fully.
Caramelizing Sugar: Watch the sugar closely as it caramelizes to avoid burning, which can impart a bitter taste.
Simmering: After adding the coconut milk and water, simmer the stew gently to develop a rich, flavorful gravy.
Final Touches: Add the olives and parsley towards the end to maintain their texture and freshness.

Can I use boneless chicken for this recipe?

Yes, boneless chicken can be used, but bone-in pieces provide more flavor and richness to the stew.

How spicy is this dish?

The heat level depends on the amount of scotch bonnet pepper used. For a milder dish, use less pepper or remove the seeds.

Can I substitute the coconut milk?

If you’re not a fan of coconut milk, you can use chicken broth or water, but the stew will have a different flavor profile.

What can I serve with this stew?

This stew pairs wonderfully with steamed rice, rice and peas, or even mashed potatoes to soak up the delicious gravy.

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Caribbean Ginger Stewed Chicken With String Beans.

May 27, 2025August 28, 20183 Comments

This is a dish mom would always make on a Monday, when she would have leftover stewed chicken from Sunday’s massive lunch (well if my brother and I didn’t attack the chicken the evening before as we watched Knight Rider). The string beans or in some cases Bodi (yard bean) usually came from our little kitchen garden at the back of the house and I was somehow always involved in picking them. This time we’ll rock this from ‘scratch’.

You’ll Need…

3 lbs chicken (drum with thighs)
1 lb string beans (you’ll be safe with 2 lbs if you want more beans)
1 heaping tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 medium onion (diced)
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper (no seeds)
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
Ginger (I used about a 1 1/2 inch piece)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon veg oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 cup water
6 grape tomatoes

Important! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to make sure they meet with your specific gluten free dietary needs. Additionally, when handling such hot peppers as scotch bonnets, be sure to wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after with soap and water. Also note that the ginger will give this stew a peppery undertone as well.

The chicken was cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces, cleaned and most of the fat and skin removed. In a large bowl place the chicken, with the salt, black pepper, ginger, Caribbean Green seasoning, Ketchup, onion and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and allow it to marinate while you trim and cut the string beans. Cut off the tips and then trim into 1 – 1 1/2 inch pieces. Cover with cool water to keep fresh.

With the ginger you can certainly grate it is so you won’t get a chunk of ginger when eating.. I luv getting bits of ginger so I julienne it in this recipe. For the following step you may want to watch the video below.

Heat the veg oil on a high heat in a heavy pan. Then add the brown sugar and using a dry spoon, move it a around. It will start to melt, go frothy, then amber in color. Act NOW! Add the seasoned chicken to the pot. Yes you add everything. Mix well to coat the chicken pieces with the caramelized sugar. No the dish will NOT be sweet. If the sugar goes beyond amber (black) stop! Don’t proceed or you’ll have bitter tasting chicken.

Turn the heat down to medium, place a lid on the pot and cook for about 5-8 minutes. It will spring a lot of natural juices. The next step in to infuse the chicken with the ‘stew’ flavor and give it a lovely golden color. Crank up the heat, remove the lid and burn off all the liquid.

After about 4-6 minutes you should see the oil we started with at the bottom of the pot… it’s now time to add the trimmed string beans to the pot and stir well.

Swish the cup of water in the same bowl you marinated the chicken to pick up any remaining marinade, then pour it into the pot with the chicken and beans. Bring this up to a boil, then reduce to a rolling boil. The goal is to fully cook the chicken and beans.

After about 15 minutes, this should be ready. However, you must personalize this a bit. Taste for salt and adjust and there will be a bit of gravy on the bottom of the pot. You may burn that off completely (with lid off) or leave it to pour over your rice. In my case I gave it 3 minutes with the lid off.. this is where I added the tomatoes to the pot as I didn’t want them to over-cook.

The perfect combo for this (besides hot Sada Roti) is hot rice.. steamed, boiled or done in your fav way. For me it’s boiled long grain par-boiled brown.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Vegan

Boiled And Fried Cassava (vegan | glutenfree)

May 28, 2025August 20, 2018Leave a Comment

Usually I do this re-fried cassava recipe with bits of salted cod, but with the amount of requests I get for more vegetarian/vegan dishes, I thought we’d rock it this way instead. Cassava, yucca, manioc, mandioca or whatever name you may know this ‘ground provision’ by, is one of those of those ingredients I just adore using/eating. It takes me back to a carefree time and place on the islands, I cherish more the older I get. Let’s get started.

You’ll Need…

1 package frozen cassava (about 2 lbs)
2-3 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large onion (diced)
2-3 cloves garlic (diced)
2 scallions (chopped)
2 bird’s eye pepper (optional)
2 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
2-4 sprigs thyme
8-10 grape tomato (any tomato will work)
1/2 teaspoon salt (for boiling the cassava)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Important. To avoid the emails/comments… yes the dish is 100% vegan but in the image above I did enjoy it with curry fish my mom sent for me.

I used frozen cassava in this dish as it’s the most convenient way to source it in Canada. Plus the cooking time is fast, cooks nice and soft EVERY-TIME and no work peeling the tough skin off fresh cassava. Boil according to the package instructions. Basically put the frozen (but raw) pieces of cassava in a pot with salted boiling water and cook till tender.

The package I used said to cook it on a rolling boil for 30 minutes, but in reality it took about 20 minutes. Take a pairing knife and go through a thick part of the boiling cassava.. if there’s no resistance, it’s fully cooked. Drain and set aside to cool. (yes, we use the salt mentioned in the list above for boiling the cassava)

As the cassava cooks, heat the olive oil in a wide pan over low heat. Then go in with the garlic and onion and cook for a couple minutes on low. After which you can add all the other ingredients (except the cassava), stir and cook for 3-5 minutes on low.

After the cassava is cool to handle, you’ve got to do two things (watch the video below for help). First you’ll see a sort of tough string running down the middle of the cassava, you’ve got to remove that and discard it. It’s vine-like and tough. Then cut the cassava into bit sized pieces.

Now add the pieces of cassava to the pot and stir well.

Cook on low until everything is heated through and mixed well – about 4-5 minutes. Please taste for salt and adjust as we only salted the cassava while it cooked. I didn’t add any further salt. You may cook this on higher heat after adding the cassava and for a bit longer to form a slight crust (very tasty).

Yea this is a simple one pot dish, which can be enjoyed on it’s own or as a side to any meat or fish dish.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Meat & Poultry

Simple Herb Roasted Chicken.

May 27, 2025August 19, 2018Leave a Comment

There’s something so comforting from not just the taste of a succlent oven roasted (say ‘bake’ chicken in the Caribbean) chicken, but that scent that permeates through your entire house originating from the kitchen. I remember being in Jamaica on vacation and roasting-off a chicken on the 4th floor of the condo complex we were staying in, and 4 floors below on the pool deck one would get the alluring whiff depending on the direction of the gentle Caribbean breeze. So simple, yet so tasty!

You’ll Need…

1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon parsley (chopped)
1 tablespoon sage (chopped)
1 tablespoon rosemary (chopped)
1 tablespoon thyme (leaves)
2 cloves garlic (crushed or diced)

For stuffing..

4 sage leaves
2 sprigs rosemary
2 scallions
4 sprigs thyme

IMPORTANT! If doing this recipe gluten free, please go through the entire list of ingredients to ensure they meet with your specific dietary needs. If you wanted to kick things up, you can certainly add some Caribbean Sunshine (diced scotch bonnet) to the marinade.

Prep the ingredients for the marinade (dice, crush and chop). Clean and trim off any excess fat off the chicken (especially the tail area). Whisk the marinade and get ready to brush it onto the chicken.

But before we do, lets take the sage leaves, thyme, scallions and rosemary (no need to chop) and fill the cavity of the chicken. You may add some salt in there (not listed in the ingredient list), but I didn’t as I’m cutting back on the amount of sodium in my diet. Then liberally brush on the marinade over the chicken.

You may certainly marinate this in the fridge for a couple hrs and overnight would give you incredible results. However all I did was the 5 minutes or so the oven preheated to 400F. Then into the oven on the middle rack. I didn’t cover the chicken as it roasted, but you can certainly tent it with some foil if you want to protect the legs and breast from going dark too fast. I did use a low-side cast iron pan, but you may use any roasting pan you like. As explained in the video (see below) the cast iron distributes the heat nicely, plus the low sides means more surface of the chicken will be roasted.

This is what the chicken looked like after about 35 mins in the oven…

To keep the chicken moist, feel free to keep brushing it with the oil at the bottom of the roasting pan every 10-15 minutes or so. After 1 hour and 20 mins it was done, but I wanted a bit more of a golden color, so I cranked up the “broil” setting on the oven. I believe it’s about 525 F, but for 3 mins or so as it can BURN quickly at this high temp.

Tent with foil and allow to rest for a few minutes after you take it out the oven… before slicing through. Don’t recall mentioning it, but I did tuck the wings below the bird and a little kitchen string will be needed to secure the legs in one place. Enjoy!

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

Gluten Free Seafood Soups & Stews

Simple Coconut Stewed Fish.

June 2, 2025June 13, 20181 Comment

I’m a huge fan of fish and seafood in general, the same cannot be said for when I was a kid on the islands and had access to the good stuff, fresh from the ocean. Funny how life is yea! I try to eat fish as least once a month, so I’m always looking for creative ways to put it to use. Here’s a quick coconut stew putting some pieces of Haddock to use. Back to life and how funny it can get.. not only did I hate fish when I had access to it on the islands, I must now dig deep into my pockets to satisfy my fish cravings (such is life in Canada).

You’ll Need…

1 lb Haddock (boneless)
2 scallions – chopped
2 cloves garlic – diced or crushed
4 sprigs thyme
1/4 scotch bonnet pepper – diced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 lemon (juice / divided)
1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
2 pimento peppers (aka seasoning peppers) – diced

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

Cut you fish into 2-3 inch pieces and wash with the juice of 1/2 the lemon and cool water. Rinse and drain.

Heat the coconut oil (use any oil you may have or like using) in a deep pan over med/high heat. Then go in with the garlic, seasoning peppers (use bell peppers if you can’t source seasoning peppers) and the scotch bonnet pepper. Turn the heat down to as low as it can go and cook for a minute. Next add the thyme (little leaves), scallion and black pepper. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Turn the heat up to med, then gently add the pieces of fish (feel free to use any fish you like) and stir to coat with the flavors we started off with. Then add the coconut milk, salt and juice of the remaining 1/2 of lemon. Bring to a simmer. (don’t allow it to boil rigorously)

If you’ve got some roucou (annatto) liquid, you may add about a tablespoon for added color and flavor (not mentioned in the ingredient list). Cook on a simmer for about 5-7 minutes (depending on how thick your fish is), taste for salt and adjust to your liking… then the dish is done!

You may top it with some finely chopped parsley and serve with hot steamed rice (your choice), pasta, ground provisions or dip in your fav crusty bread. A quick and tasty fish recipe packed with flavors of the Caribbean. A dish which is sure to please the pescatarians in your life! Be mindful that the scotch bonnet pepper can make this spicy and to wash your hands with soap and water immediately after handling such hot peppers.

Do you own a copy of my cookbook ?- The Vibrant Caribbean Pot 100 Traditional And Fusion recipes Vol 2

gluten free

Classic Curry Chickpeas With Potato & Spinach. #Vegan

Caribbean Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms and Green Olives

Ingredient Guide

Shopping Made Easy

Cooking Notes from the Kitchen

Can I use boneless chicken for this recipe?

How spicy is this dish?

Can I substitute the coconut milk?

What can I serve with this stew?

Caribbean Stewed Chicken with Mushrooms and Green Olives

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

Caribbean Ginger Stewed Chicken With String Beans.

Boiled And Fried Cassava (vegan | glutenfree)

Simple Herb Roasted Chicken.

Simple Coconut Stewed Fish.

Recipe Card

Coconut Stewed Haddock

Description

Ingredients

Instructions

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