recipes of the day 05/03/04.....what do they eat in the caribbean?

lobster salad (or you could use crab)

Caribbean food is so tasty! Try this fresh salad with lobster for a delicious lunch.

1/2c mayonnaise
2 T fresh lime juice
1/4c celery, chopped
1/4c onion, chopped
1/4c green pepper, chopped
1/4c cucumber, diced
12oz cooked lobster, diced
Salt, pepper, hot pepper sauce to taste
1 head lettuce

Blend the mayonnaise and lime juice. Now toss in the vegetables, lobster and spices until well coated. Chill. Serve over lettuce.

you can wash it down with one of these:

frozen papaya cocktail:

2 c White rum
1/2 c Coconut rum
1/2 c Fresh limejuice
2 1/2 c Ripe papaya, skin, seed, cut into chunks
1 tb Sugar
2 c Crushed ice

Blend white rum, coconut rum, limejuice, papaya and sugar in blender. Add ice and continue to blend unt smooth. Freeze one hour before serving.

 

Doubles - Trinidadian Favorite

Doubles

This is a Trinidadian favorite and is very very good. Doubles consists of curried channa (chick peas) between two Baras (a type of bread).

Dough for Bara

2 cups flour
½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Saffron powder
½ tsp. Ground cumin (geera)
1 tsp yeast
1/3-cup warm water
¼ tsp. Sugar
Oil for frying
Additional water

In a large bowl combine flour, salt, saffron and cumin (geera). Put aside. In another bowl place warm water, sugar and yeast. Let sit for about 5 min. until the yeast and sugar are dissolved. Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture with enough water to make slightly firm dough. Mix well. Cover and let rise for about 1-½ hours. Punch the dough down and let it sit for another 10 – 15 min.

To shape Bara, take about 1 tbsp of dough, pat with both hands to flatten to a 5”circle. If dough sticks to hand moisten palms with some water. Fry in hot oil, turning once until cooked. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

Channa Filling

½ lb dried channa (chick peas) soaked overnight
1 ½ tbsp. Curry powder
3 cloves garlic, minced/crushed
1 onion (sliced)
Salt to taste
Hot pepper to taste
1 tbsp. Corn oil
Pinch of ground geera (cumin powder)
Pepper Sauce (to taste)

Boil soaked channa (chick peas) with salt and ½ tbsp curry powder until channa is tender. Drain. Mix 1 tbsp curry powder with ¼ cup water. Heat oil in a large skillet and add the garlic, onion, and curry powder mixture. Sauté for a few min. Add the channa. Stir to coat well with the curry mixture and cook for about 5 min. Add 1-cup water, geera (cumin), salt, and pepper. Cover, lower heat and let simmer until the peas are very soft. Add more water if you need. Channa should be soft and moist. Add more salt if needed.

Finishing – Putting the two together

Put about 2 tbsp. cooked curry channa on a Bara. Cover with another Bara. You can also add mango chutney, tamarind chutney or pepper sauce before putting the second Bara on top.

ENJOY!!!!

 

Banana Fritters

Banana Fritters

Try these wonderful fritters as an appetizer or snack

1-½ cups flour
2 tsp. Baking powder
¾ tsp. Salt
¼ tsp. Chopped hot pepper
2 eggs
1 tbsp. Melted butter or margarine
½ cup milk (or more)
2 cups ripe banana (cut in small pieces)

Shift flour, baking powder and salt together. Beat eggs until fluffy. Add beaten eggs, hot pepper, melted butter or margarine, and milk to flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in banana (batter should be of a dropping consistency). Add more milk if desired.

Drop by spoonfuls into preheated oil. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until evenly browned. Serve hot with or with out a dip.

Variations
Corn Fritters: Omit milk and banana and add 1½ cups cream style corn.

Pumpkin Fritters: Add 2 cups cooked, crushed pumpkin

 

Anguillan Chicken Salad

Country: Anguilla

INGREDIENTS

2 oz Chicken Breast
4 oz Chicken Breast (cleaned and flattened)
2 oz Crayfish Meat (crawfish! )
1.5 oz Chorizo Sausage (ground)
1 oz Ginger (julienne)
1 oz Leeks (julienne)
1 oz Carrots (julienne)
2 tbs Heavy Cream
2 Garlic Cloves
1 oz Onion
1 tsp Celantro (chopped)
2 tbs Sesame Seed Oil, Salt & Pepper

METHOD

In a medium sauce pot, saute vegetables and ginger with sesame seed oil for 2 mins, then add crayfish and chorizo. Season to taste with salt & pepper, retain and chill. In a food processor, mix 2 oz chicken breast with 2 tbs heavy cream to a smooth paste. Then mix with crayfish mixture and add chopped celantro and adjust seasoning. Season remaining 4 oz chicken breast with salt & pepper, spoon in some of the mixture, and roll in plastic wrap. Steam and braise till golden brown. Do not overcook. Serve hot.

 

Avocado Guacamole

Country: Jamaica

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fork-mashed ripe avocado
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup pimento (optional)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 Tbs. GRACE HOT PEPPER SAUCE
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup fresh lime juice

METHOD

Be sure that the avocado is of good quality (smooth and ripe). Grate onion and chop pimento.
Add all other ingredients to the peeled, mashed avocado, gradually testing frequently, until the mixture meets your approval of flavour.
Reduce lime juice if juicy, less piquant mixture is desired and ideally stir in the pimento (if used) at last minute. Chill, covered for at least 2 hours.
If any discoloured part appears on surface, mix thoroughly, prior to serving.

 

Chicken Curry In Coconut Milk

Yield: 6

2 large onions
6 medium tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsps. GRACE VEGETABLE OIL
2 tsps. tumermic
2 tsps. curry powder
1 tsp. cumin seeds
500 grams chicken breast
2 tsps. GRACE HOT PEPPER SAUCE
1½ Tbsps. lime juice
½ cup GRACE COCONUT MILK
2 Tbsps. GRACE TOMATO KETCHUP
½ tsp. salt
½ cup chicken stock

Grate onions, chop tomatoes and garlic. Cut chicken into strips. Set aside.
Heat oil. Gently cook onions and garlic until softened (do not burn). Stir in tumeric, curry powder and cumin seeds. Fry for 3 minutes then add chicken and cook for 7 minutes.
Stir in hot pepper sauce, lime juice, Grace Coconut Milk, tomatoes, ketchup, salt and stock. Bring to a boil, stirring ocassionally for 10 minutes or until thickened.
To Serve: Combine cooked rice and red beans. Arrange as a ring. Spoon in curry chicken in the centre.

 

Beer Batter Fish

Serves: 4
Country(ies): Cayman Islands
Submitted by: Scott

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs. fresh fillets (snapper or grouper)
1 tbs. fresh lime juice
1 cup flour
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 can beer
Flour

METHOD

Fill deep fryer or a deep saucepan about 3/4 full with oil or fat for frying. Heat to 375 degrees. Cut fillets into serving size pieces and brush with limejuice. In bowl mix flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add the beer, beating until the batter is smooth. Put the extra flour on a plate. Coat each piece of fish with flour and dip it into the batter, coating well. Fry for seven or eight minutes, turning once. Drain on paper towel or brown paper.

TO SERVE

Serve very hot with fried potatoes and Cole slaw.

 

Belizean Potato Salad

Country(ies): Belize
Submitted by: Scott

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds potatoes (peel, dice and boil until tender, drain & cool)
1 pound of frozen mix vegetables, cooked per package instructions. (May also use canned mix vegetables)
5 eggs (hard-boiled) - diced
¾ cup miracle whip salad dressing
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
Salt & ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

Let potatoes and mix vegetables cool before handling. Place potatoes, mix vegetables, and eggs in a bowl, and toss. Season with salt and black pepper to taste (remember you can always add more seasoning, so start with about ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper). Add 1-tablespoon mustard to ¾ cup miracle whip salad dressing. Stir until mustard is mixed in with salad dressing, and add to potato mixture. Stir. There are several variations on this potato salad: add diced onions and bell (green) pepper, or cooked macaroni, or canned mix vegetables and/or green peas, or try different salad dressing or mayonnaise.

 

Black Bean Chicken

Country(ies): Guadeloupe

INGREDIENTS

1 Cut up chicken (3 1/2 lbs)
1 Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbs. Olive oil
1/2 cup Onion - chopped
1/2 cup Green pepper - chopped
1 Jalapeno pepper - seeds removed & chopped
1 large clove Garlic - minced
1 teaspoon Cumin - ground
1 medium Tomato - peeled & chopped
1 tbs. Lemon juice
1 can Black Beans (15 oz)

METHOD

Sprinkle chicken with freshly ground pepper to taste. In a 12 inch skillet, sauté chicken in olive oil about three minutes on each side; remove from pan. To pan drippings, add onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper and garlic.

Cook two minutes, or until onions are softened. Stir in cumin, tomatoes, lemon juice and black beans. Return chicken to pan; cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until chicken is done and juices run clear, about 10 minutes.

TO SERVE

Serve with rice.

 

Callaloo Voodoo

Serves: 4-6
Country(ies): Haiti
Submitted by: Scott

INGREDIENTS

2 pounds fresh crab meat
3 tablespoons peanut oil
3 scallions, including the green tops, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 branches fresh thyme, crumbled, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 pound fresh spinach or callaloo greens, cleaned with stems removed
1 pound okra, topped, tailed, and cut into rounds
7 cups water
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 scotch bonnet-type chili, Pricked with a fork
Juice of 3 limes

METHOD

Brown the crab meat in the oil with the scallions, 1 teaspoon of the garlic, and the crumbled thyme.

In a stockpot, brown the diced bacon. Wilt the spinach in the rendered bacon fat. Add the okra, cover with the water, and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. When done, add the crab meat, remaining garlic, and chili that has been pricked with a fork. Continue to cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, add the lime juice, whisk it through thoroughly, and serve hot.