Okra and Saltfish Video

Here is a simple recipe for those who love Okra.

Cassava Bread

This goes great with many gravy dishes

Ingredients

1 cup fresh cassava meal
2 tablespoons counter flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 egg

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together all the dry ingredients in a large bowl then add egg and milk to produce a thick batter. Stir in oil and lime juice.
2. Pour one half of batter into well greased non-stick frying pan.
3. Cook on moderate heat for about 5 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Jamaican Music Video I did

Interesting Jamaican Meatloaf Recipe

I found this interesting Meatloaf recipe at Jamaica Travel and Culture.

Ingredients - coco bread casing 2 packets yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
1 medium egg
1 cup warm milk
1 tsp salt
3.5 cups white flour
1/2 cup melted butter

Ingredients - filling

1lb ground beef
1 medium onion
4 scallion (or 1 more medium onion)
2 stalks fresh thyme or 2 tsps ground thyme
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 scotch bonnet pepper (or 1 tbsp curry powder / chilli sauce)
2 cloves garlic
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation - coco bread casing

Follow the instructions for making coco bread, up to the point where you roll out the dough

Preparation - filling

Follow the instructions for making the filling for patties.

Combining the coco bread and the filling

Place 1 tablespoon of the filling on one side of each dough circle










Moisten the edges of each meatloaf with water and fold pastry over to make a crescent shape.
Seal the edge of each meatloaf by crimping with a fork

Cooking

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Place folded pieces on a well greased sheet and place on the bottom rack of the oven.
Bake until golden brown (this should take around 15 minutes).

Jamaican Foods at Penn Relay

Jamaican Lady sells food at Penn Relay at Pennsylvania.

Steamed Cabbage-Jamaican Style

I have been neglecting my sites for awhile, due to my moving again. However, like my life right now(fast paced) I found something quick and easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS :

• 1 medium cabbage
• 2 tablespoon margarine
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper (cut up and add for spicy)
• 2 sprig tyme
• 1 crushed garlic or 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 or 3 small slices of a sweet green pepper.
• 1 medium chopped onion or 2 table spoon onion powder
• black pepper
• salt to taste
• 1/4 cup water

METHOD:

1. Wash cabbage
2. Cut up/slice cabbage leaves in pieces.
3. Sauté onion, garlic, pepper, tyme in margarine.
4. Add cut up cabbage water and stir.
5. Cover saucepan and cook cabbage are tender.
6. Add whole scotch bonnet pepper
7. Sprinkle with pepper and salt.
8. Simmer then serve with avocado pear.

source: Jamaicans.com

Jamaica Curry Stew Beef

1 tablespoon of curry powder or more to taste
2 lbs. Stewing beef cubed
2 tbsp. Oil
4 tbsp. Sugar
2 large onions, sliced
1 bottle beer (12 oz) (red stripe)
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce (or pickapeppa sauce)
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. Soy sauce
1 tsp. Basil
1 small carrot chopped up
salt & pepper (and optional hot pepper, of course) to taste

METHOD / DIRECTIONS:

In a heavy frying pan or skillet, heat oil, add sugar and allow to burn until dark brown. Add seasoned beef and stir well to coat pieces of meat; cook for 6-8 mins., stirring constantly. Add onion and cook for 5 mins more Sprinkle in the curry powder, Stir in beer, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, hot pepper and basil. Bring to the boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender. If potatoes or taro root are desired, cut them into small pieces and add them just before beef is tender.

Server over rice

Pigeon Peas Soup

The pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan, syn. Cajanus indicus) is a member of the family Fabaceae. Other common names are arhar (Bengali), red gram, toovar/toor (Hindi/Gujarati/Marathi/Punjabi), toovaram paruppu ( Tamil),togari (Kannada), Kandi (Telugu), gandul, guandul, Congo pea, Gungo pea, Gunga pea, and no-eye pea.

(source: Wikipedia)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 c. cooked and sieved pigeon peas.
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch or arrowroot
• 3/4 c. stock (chicken or beef)
• 3/4 c. Milk
• salt and pepper to taste

METHOD / DIRECTIONS:

1. Add stock to peas and bring to the boil.
2. Meanwhile, mix milk and cornstarch and add to peas; add salt and pepper and continue to boil for a few minutes.

Brown Stew Fish Recipe

This is another recipe I found for Brown Stew Fish at Jamaica Travel and Culture.

Earth Day Dish-Jamaican Spinach Soup

Okay, strictly "Green" food for this Earth Day.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, minced
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 cups chopped zucchini
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 red bell pepper, minced

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, celery, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Cook 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Season with salt, turmeric, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix in potatoes and zucchini, and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
2. Remove soup from heat, season with cayenne pepper, and stir in spinach. Using a hand blender, blend soup until smooth. Garnish with red bell pepper to serve.

Fish Baked in Banana Leaves

If you are not able to get banana leaves, then substitute with parchment paper. This is a wonderful recipe.

Banana leaves or parchment paper
Salt and Pepper to taste
6 6-8 ozs fillets of grouper, snapper or any fish that is very firm
2 tomatoes, peel seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallion (green onions)
1/2 cup of coconut cream
A sprig of thyme
Couple of pimento seeds (about 4)

Method

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the banana leaves into rectangles, large enough to fold over the fish or cut the parchment paper the same. Sear the leaves (hold over a flame) over a glass flame, until they are limp and pliable. (do not sear parchment paper if you are using that)

Place each fillet on a piece of banana leaf, parchment paper, or foil. sprinkle the fish with the salt and pepper, chopped tomato and chopped (scallion) green onion. (i add regular onion too). Spoon on some coconut cream. Fold the warapping to enclose the fish and fillings and seal the edges by folding over twice. Fold over the ends in the same way. (if using banana leaves ties with string).

Bake each packet for about 10 to 15 minutes. Everyone you serve can have their own little fish bundle.

Red Pea Soup

I found this recipe courtesy of Jamaica Travel and Culture. This is a soup that can be eaten all year long. You can use many substitute as the meat in this dish.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

It is a long time I did not do any soup recipes. Here is a very simple one. I found this one on Jamaicans.com

INGREDIENTS :

• 2 tbs. butter
• 3 tbs. flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups boiled pumpkin (1lb.)
• 1 tsp. sugar
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Melt butter and fry onion in it.
2. Add flour, salt, pepper and sugar and cook well.
3. Add milk slowly, stirring so butter and flour are well blended with milk.
4. Stir until smooth and thickened. Combine pumpkin with mixture, stir well. Simmer for 5 minutes and serve hot.
5. Serves 4. The cream of pumpkin soup tends to get very thick, you can add a bit more milk if that happens.

Chicken and Papaya Stir Fry

This is not a contemporary "Jamaican dish" but it does have a fun flavor. If you like Papaya then you will love this dish.

2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
1 garlic clove,minced
1 tablespoon minced peeled gingeroot
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow, orange, or green pepper
chopped
2 1/2 lbs boned, skinned chicken
breasts, cut it up
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 dash habanero sauce
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp cumin
1 cup 1 inch papaya cubes (use fresh papaya if possible)

In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and peppers.Then stir fry for about 3 minutes. Remove the vegetables an set aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Next add the chicken and all other ingredients (except the Papaya). Stir fry until the chicken is cooked through and lightly browned. Add the vegetables and papaya, continue stirring for about 5 minutes. Serve with white rice

Grilled Lamb Chops with Creole Sauce

1 cup of walnuts
4 garlic cloves, (chopped)
1/2 tsp hot pepper (and sauce will do)
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbls white wine vinegar
2 tsps sugar
1 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 cups olive oil
12 small loin lamb chops

Toast the walnuts in an ungreased skillet over moderate heat, shaking them occasionally, until they release their aroma. Chop half the nuts and set some them aside. Put the remaining nuts in a blender or food processor,and add the garlic, pepper, salt, vinegar, sugar and tomato paste. Blend well. Add the olive oil and continue blending until mixture is smooth. Grill lambchops one side for 5 minutes and then turn them over. Continue until they are done. Serve with the Creole sauce and sprinke nuts over them for garnish.

Beef Short Ribs in Coconut Cream

I don't know for some reason people think Jamaicans do not eat beef. I think they see Jamaica as more a fish cuisine country. Jamaica does have cows though. This dish can be served on Callaloo leaves that have been stir fried with oil, garlic and ginger.

3 tbs vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 green onions, chopped
2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1/2 teaspoon minced Scotch Bonnet (or habanero)
2 lbs beef short ribs
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
3/4 cup coconut cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a skillet, and saute the garlic, green onions and peppers for 2 minutes. Add the meat an spices, and brown the meat over high heat. Brown the meat over high heat. Add the cilantro and coconut cream, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Garnish with red onions an serve.

Jamaican Pork Pot Roast

This recipe is coming to you by way of Jamaica Cooking. It is pot roast loin of pork. Pork is not one of the main staples of Jamaica, but it is more eaten in the countryside then in Kingston. It will never take the place of Goat meat.

3 lb. loin of pork boned, skinned, rolled and tied 275ml chicken stock 1/2 cup of red wine Olive oil for frying 1/4 cup of butter salt black pepper to taste 15g pack of thyme 2 medium onions, sliced 2 garlic cloves, sliced 3 tablespoons creme fraiche 6 figs quartered Directions Preheat oven to 200°C, 400°F. Roll the pork in the seasoning and thyme. Place pork in frying pan and fry off the onions and garlic in a couple of lugs of olive oil. Cook on medium heat for roughly 4 minutes until softened and tender. Push the onions to one side, add 1/4 cup of butter and fry off the pork until lightly brown. Add the quartered figs and 1/4 cup of wine, mix with the onions, add the rest of the butter, and cover with an appropriately sized piece of wet greaseproof paper. Cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. After 20 minutes, turn the pork in the juices and add the other 1/4 cup of wine. When the pork is cooked remove to a plate and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Whilst waiting, finish the sauce by adding the chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Check the seasoning and add the creme fraiche. Slice the pork as thinly as you want and serve with the sauce.