Caribbean Cuisine

[ilham778]

stewed oxtail (jamaican classic)

INGREDIENTS :


marinade
* seasoned salt and Black pepper
* 2 stalks green onions finely minced
* 2 clove garlic crushed
* 1 tbsp vinegar


* 1 oxtail about 2-2.5 lb. Cut up
* 2 tbsp. cooking oil
* 2 tbsp sugar
* 2 tbsp ground allspice
* 1 chopped tomato
* 1 clove garlic crushed
* 1 pint (16 fl. Oz) hot water
* 2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
* 2 medium onions sliced
* 1 can butter beans (Lima beans)


METHOD:
Trim away excess fat and place oxtail in marinade for min 1hr but overnight is best.

Heat oil in heavy skillet with the sugar until it turns dark brown and frothy and smoky even and use this to brown oxtail on both sides removing when brown.

Add onions to pot and fry gently until soft and fragrant, then add allspice stir for a while then add garlic and again stir for a few secs and then add tomatoes and thyme and again.....stir for a few seconds to combine then add browned oxtail and mix till all pieces are covered in sauce cover with lid and leave for 5-10 mins then add the hot water.

Cover and simmer gently for 3.5 to 4 hours or until oxtail is almost tender.

At this stage add more liquid if necessary and season.

Cover and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Add the butter beans and allow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.serve with rice or rice and peas or dumplings or bread.
serves 4

a pressure cooker or different type of oxtail can lessen the cooking time.

[Sandman...]

Yahoo! Thanks for this one, we'll give it a try. Since my wife and I left Ontario, we have not had a patty. We used to by them by the box at any grocery. Manitobans don't know what they're missing! Thanks again. Now, I am going to keep searching for a roti recipe.
A goat roti is one of my favorites.

[Kitchen Witch]

Curry Goat


* 3 pounds / 1.5 kg goat, cut into 1-inch / 2.5-cm cubes
* 1 lime
* 1 large onion, sliced
* 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons / 45 mL)
* 2 teaspoons / 10 mL salt
* 1 teaspoon / 5 mL black pepper
* 1 teaspoon / 5 mL thyme leaves
* ¼ teaspoon / 1 mL finely chopped Scotch bonnet pepper
* 2 tablespoons / 25 mL canola or vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon / 5 mL sugar
* 5 green onions, chopped (about 1 cup / 250 mL)
* 2 teaspoons / 10 mL curry powder
* 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch / 1-cm cubes

Method:
Squeeze the lime juice over the goat; let it sit for a couple of minutes and then rinse with cold water. Drain off excess water. Place the goat in a sealable container and add the onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme, and Scotch bonnet pepper. Wearing rubber gloves, rub the spices into the goat with your hands. Marinate, covered and refrigerated, for 1 to 2 hours.

In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and sugar, stirring until the sugar is brown. Add the goat with marinade, green onions, and curry; stir thoroughly. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer the goat slowly in its own juices, stirring occasionally, until the goat is nearly tender, about 30 minutes. If the meat is tough, pour ¼ cup / 60 mL of water at a time down the sides of the pot, not directly onto the goat (or you will toughen the meat).

Add the potatoes and ¼ cup / 60 mL water; stir thoroughly. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked but not too soft. Crush some of the potatoes to thicken the sauce, if desired. If there is not enough sauce, add ¼ cup / 60 mL water and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve with rice or roti and a salad.

[Kitchen Witch]

1.5 pounds goat or mutton, trimmed and cut into 1" cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 ounce lard or other cooking fat 1 onion, sliced
1/2 pint (1.25 cups) stock or water
2 chillies, de-seeded and chopped
2 large english (white) potatoes, peeled and diced
Method

* Season the meat with salt, pepper and curry powder, sifted together and rubbed into the cubes. Set aside for 1 hour.
* Heat the lard or fat in a saucepan, add the meat and onion and brown lightly. Add the stock or water and chillies, cover and simmer over a low heat until the meat is tender; the timing varies with the meat. Mutton, which is more often used for "curried goat", takes less time than goat.
* Add the potatoes and continue cooking for another 20 minutes or until they are soft and the gravy thickens.

[Kitchen Witch]

Roti

* 1 cup wheat flour (preferably from an Indian store)
* 2 tbsp. oil
* Salt and enough water to make dough



1. Knead the wheat flour, salt and water to make dough.
2. Let the dough stand for half hour.
3. Take small portions, knead again, dust with flour and roll out into a round shape.
4. Cook in (flat) griddle with a little oil (flip on both sides)
5. You can add many things to the dough and serve with Curry Goat.

[Kitchen Witch]

Caribbean Hot and Spicy Meat Loaf

* 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef

* 2 tsps. dry mustard

* 1 onion, grated

* 1 egg, lightly beaten

* 2 tsps. salt

* 1/4 tsp. thyme

* 1/2 cup bread crumbs

* 1 celery stalk, chopped finely

* 2 cloves garlic

* 1/2 tsp. black pepper

* 1/2 cup evaporated milk

* 2 tsps. hot pepper sauce



Combine beef with seasonings, add pepper sauce, and mix well. Add bread crumbs. In a separate bowl, beat egg lightly and combine with milk. Add to beef mixture, and mix well. Pour into well greased ovenproof dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes. Serve hot. A fresh cucumber salad makes a tasty side dish.

[Kitchen Witch]

West Indies Creole Chicken


2 White Onions (medium size)
4 Tomatoes (medium size)
2 Bell peppers (medium size)
4 Cloves garlic
8 Carrots (medium size)
2 Leeks (stems only)
1 Celery (stem only)
4 Whole Chicken Breasts
1 Tbsp. West Indies Creole Hot pepper sauce (add more for more heat)




Clean chicken, remove skin, de-bone, and cut into 1" cubes. Chop celery, leeks, garlic, and 1 onion. Blend celery, leeks, garlic, and onion in blender with 3/4 cups of water. Mix blended ingredients with diced chicken, add West Indies Creole Hot pepper sauce, and salt to taste.

Mix thoroughly and let stand in refrigerator for approximately fifteen minutes. Dice tomatoes, bell peppers, and one onion. (In separate bowl), cut carrots into 1/4" pieces. Cook chicken on medium heat for 25 minutes, or until done (do not overcook), add small amount of water as needed.

Cook diced carrots in a separate pot in a small amount of water until tender. sauté diced tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper in sauce pan with 2 tbsps. vegetable oil. Mix cooked chicken, carrots, and sautéed vegetables together, simmer for five to six minutes over low heat, stir frequently.

Serve with rice. A fresh cucumber salad makes a tasty side dish. Serves four persons.

[Kitchen Witch]

Caribbean Smoked Fish Pie

1 9" unbaked pie shell
1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1 cup smoked fish, flaked
1 cup tomato puree
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg beaten
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. West Indies Creole Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. fresh lime juice



Combine fish flakes, lime juice, onions, garlic, tomato puree, and hot pepper sauce in a large bowl, and mix well. In a separate bowl beat egg, and add to fish mixture. Place pie shell in ovenproof pie dish. Add fish mixture to pie shell and bake at 350 F degrees, for approximately 25 minutes. Serve with a fresh green salad on the side.

[Kitchen Witch]

Codfish Fritters (Accras)


1 lb. Codfish, cooked, shredded and washed with lime and water
1 lb. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
3 whole eggs
1 tbsp favorite cooking oil
1/2 liter milk
1 tbsp. finely chopped chives, thyme & celery
1 tbsp. West Indies Creole Hot Pepper Sauce
1 tsp. finely chopped onions and garlic
1 medium frying pan, with vegetable oil for frying.

In mixing bowel, combine all the above dry ingredients.
Slowly add eggs, milk and West Indies Creole Hot Pepper Sauce. Form the dough into 1 inch balls, carefully spoon into the hot oil for frying. When golden brown, remove and drain off well. Serve with West Indies Creole Hot Pepper Sauce.
Steamed rice and a vegetable salad make a tasty side dish.
Serves 4 to 6 people.

[crishtena]

Authentic Latin Caribbean recipes do not require a lot of strange ingredients with short shelf lives. However, as in all cuisines, there are some basic Latin Caribbean ingredients that you should stock in your pantry. You won't have to invest a lot of money and with proper storage the items should keep for some time. Here is a list of essential pantry items you can keep on hand for cooking your favorite Caribbean dish anytime.
1. Sofrito

If you were to keep just one item on hand, this would be it. Sofrito is a versatile, aromatic puree of tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, culantro, onions, garlic and sometimes ham. It can be added to just about any dish and usually is. Sofrito tastes best when it’s fresh. You can easily make your own sofrito.

# Storage: Refrigerate 1 week. Freeze 2 months.
# Availability: Commercial brands in jars or frozen.

2. Recaito
Recaito is basically Sofrito without the tomatoes. You can use it in place of Sofrito when you don’t want the color or liquid from the tomatoes to interfere with the appearance of the dish. I prefer to prepare my recaito with a little extra garlic and use it in bean dishes. You can easily make homemade recaito.

# Storage: Refrigerate 1 week. Freeze 2 months.
# Availability: Commercial brands in jars or frozen.

3. Adobo
Adobo is a garlic, herb and spice seasoning used to flavor meat, poultry and fish. You can make a wet version to use as a marinade or make a dry mix to make ahead and keep on hand for use at anytime.

# Storage: Sealed glass jar for several months (dry mix only).
# Availability: Commercial brands in a variety of mixes.

4. Sazón
Sazón is another blend of seasonings. It’s available in a box of small foil packets. Don’t let it fool you; one packet goes a long way. If you haven’t mastered making achiote oil for yellow rice, use sazón with annatto. It’s much easier.

# Storage: Until the expiration date on the package.
# Availability: Commercial brands in a variety of mixes.

5. Achiote Oil
Achiote oil, also called annatto oil, is oil that has been flavored and colored with achiote (annatto) seeds. The oil turns an orange-gold color and is infused with a mild nutty flavor. This oil is used to make yellow rice and add color to other dishes. It is very simple to make your own with olive oil and annatto seeds. Don’t confuse achiote oil with achiotina (lard flavored and colored with achiote seeds).

# Storage: Sealed jar up to three days at room temperature.
# Availability: Make your own.

6. Rice
In most of the Spanish inspired rice dishes, all that’s required is good quality long-grain white rice. For paella or rice desserts, use a medium-grain rice, risotto, or short-grain rice. If you haven’t mastered the art of making white rice from scratch, keep an instant variety on hand.

# Storage: According to package directions.
# Availability: Commercial brands widely available at grocery store.

7. Beans
Almost all varieties of beans are used in Latin Caribbean cooking. Beans are high in protein; low in fat, calories and sodium; and completely cholesterol-free. The most common in Latin cuisine are black beans, chic peas, pink beans, kidney beans, navy beans, and pigeon peas.

# Storage: According to package directions.
# Availability: Commercially canned or dried in any grocery store.

8. Tropical Produce
Most fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from the tropics have a short shelf life, therefore you should purchase these when you are ready to use or preserve them for later use.

# Storage: A cool dry place for only a few days.
# Availability: Commercially canned or frozen.

[geonerd20]

The island of Trinidad in the West Indies has a fairly large East Indian population. As a result of that, there is a strong East Indian influence on the cuisine of the island. Perhaps the most popular street food here is "doubles". One of the ingredients in doubles is a spicy garbanzo bean curry, or channa masala. This is a recipe for my version of channa masala.

Ingredients

1½ cups: Dried Garbanzo Beans, soaked overnight. If you do not have a pressure cooker to cook the beans, use 2, 16-oz cans of Garbanzo beans instead
2 tablespoons: Peanut or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon: Cumin seed
6: Cloves
¼-teaspoon or 4 whole pods Cardamom
1, 2-in piece: Cinnamon
2: Bay leaves
1-inch piece: Ginger, finely minced. I prefer fresh ginger minced on a cutting board, but you can use store-bought ginger paste too.
3 : Garlic cloves, finely minced. I prefer fresh garlic minced on a cutting board, but you can use store-bought garlic paste too.
2 : Medium sized onions, finely chopped or ground
3 tablespoons: Jamaican curry powder. Use 2 tablespoons if using regular curry powder.
1 teaspoon: Coriander powder
1 teaspoon: Garam Masala
½-teaspoon: Hot red chili powder (this is ground red peppers, not the mix of spices that you use to cook up a pot of chilli). Add more if you like.
½-teaspoon :Amchur. This is powdered, dried mango and it adds a slightly sour taste. You can find this in most Indian grocery stores.
½-cup: Pureed tomato. I use canned diced tomatoes, and puree them using a hand-held electric blender.
2 tablespoons: Chopped fresh cilantro

Process the beans:

Soak the beans overnight

Drain the beans and add them to the pressure cooker

Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste

Add bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon. Or you can tie these spices in a piece of cheese cloth (bouquet garni) and then add to the pressure cooker.

Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook until soft. This should be about 6 whistles of the pressure cooker, and about 30 mins.

Drain the beans and retain the liquid. Toss the bouquet garni.

Separate out about ½-cup of the cooked beans and mash them to a paste.

Pull it all together

Add 2 tablespoons of oil to a large cooking pot. I use a dutch oven or a deep fry pan.

Once the oil is hot, had 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds. Allow to heat up so that they turn brown, but do not allow them to burn.

Add the chopped or ground onions. Add the minced ginger and garlic. Sauté until the onions turn soft and translucent.

Add 3 tablespoons of curry powder, one teaspoon of garam masala, one teaspoon of coriander powder, and ½-teaspoon of amchur. Sautee until the spices release their fragrance, but do not allow them to burn.

Add the pureed tomato and the mashed beans, and cook over low heat for about 7 minutes. Stir frequently so that the mix does not burn.

Add the garbanzo beans along with 2 cups of liquid left over from cooking the beans in the pressure cooker.

Put a lid on the pan and cook on low for about 30 minutes. Stir every 5 or 6 minutes. Add more liquid if like the curry to be more runny, or cook with lid off to thicken the curry.

Adjust salt to your taste, and garnish with the chopped cilantro.