Tasty Caribbean Cooking

"It is a well known fact that Caribbean cooking is amongst the tastiest in the world."
                                                                                                      M.Y.Rodwell

19th June 2010

ROASTED AUBERGINE

1 large aubergine/melongine/egg plant/baigan
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbl sp sunflower/coconut oil (optional)
1 chilli pepper, chopped fine
half lemon
salt

Method

- Heat oven to 180 C
- Grease a baking tin
- Wash aubergine and prick all round a few times with a pointed sharp knife
 - Place on tin and put in oven for about 30 - 45 mins, or until soft. (You will know, because aubergine will indent deeply when pressed.)
- Remove from oven and let cool a little for about 5 mins
- Carefully peal the skin off. It will be like paper, and the flesh very very soft and hot. (If the flesh is not very soft, put it back in oven till soft.)
- Cut off head and put flesh in a bowl
-  Mash with a fork and add garlic until very very mushy
- Add garlic, salt, oil, chilli and stir.
- Add lemon juice a little at a time and stir in, to taste.

You can eat this with flat bread, roti, pitta, French Bread or ciabata, as a dip, on toast, or as an accompaniment to any meal.

                            **********************************************

Tip for today: 31.3.2010

Wash meat with lime juice, especially chicken and fish.

                           **********************************************

Tip for Today: 1.4.2010

SHALLOW FRYING FISH - PIECES OR WHOLE:

dust with seasoned flour. Put a scoop of flour or more if needed, in a bowl, add salt, dried thyme, dried parsley, onion salt. Dust fish lightly and fry in a little oil and butter. Turn once when golden brown, or the cooking side is firm.

Squeeze a little lemon juice over fish before serving.



Another addition for a slightly different flavour, add some tumeric to flour to make the flour very slightly
yellow.

                                  ***********************************************

Tip for today - 5th April 2010
BASIC SEASONING for any meat: about 1lb or meat for 4 portions

4-6 sprigs of fresh thyme -chopped finely
handful of fresh parsley -chopped finely
fresh tomatoes -chopped finely
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic - crushed
1 med/large onions - chopped finely
1 tsp sea salt - flakes or fine
black pepper - ground

Mix all ingredients together, then pound in a mortar and pestle
Squeeze into cut up meat - chicken, fish, beef, lamb

Or spread over and inside whole chicken for roasting

Cover and leave for one hour minimum or overnight or in fridge. 
Cook according to any recipe.

                                  ***************************************************


CHICKPEA and POTATO CURRY - 6th April 2010

400g tin chickpeas (use soaked chickpeas if you wish)
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small bird pepper, chopped fine (or fresh chilli to taste)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled, cubed
a few sprigs thyme, chopped
two desert spoons curry powder
1 tsp tumeric
pinch of cumin
salt and black pepper to taste
table spoon olive oil

Method
Heat oil in a heavy pan.
Fry onions, tomatoes, garlic till soft.
Add chick peas with water.
Add thyme, cumin, curry powder, tumeric, salt, birds eye pepper, black pepper, potatoes
Turn down heat low, cover and cook for 15 -20 mins, until potato cooks and mixture thickens.
(Add some water as needed for sauce and bring to boil for a 3-4 mins)

Serve with boiled brown or white rice.
(Serves 2 or 3)

                                           **********************************************


Saturday 10th April 2010
YELLOW RICE
Makes 4 portions

Ingredients
6 ozs brown or white basmati rice
1pint water
1tsp tumeric
half tsp onion salt
1 tsp parsley
Kallo chicken or vegetable stock cube
2 tblsp olive oil
two handfuls frozen peas (optional)
1 med grated carrot (optional)


Method
Use a heavy/iron frying pan with a lid.
Heat pan and add oil. Add rice dry (do not wash)
Stir rice till opaque. Do not let it go brown or stick to pan.
Add water
Add all other ingredients and stir
When it comes to the boil, cover and lower heat very low to simmer.
Remove lid after about 15 mins and check that it is simmering, and adjust heat if needed
Stir and cook for about 30mins in all
Remove lid and stir.
If water has not been absorbed but rice is cooked, leave open and let rice dry out a little.
If rice is not cooked but no water left, add some boiling water and cover for another few minutes till cooke

                                          **********************************************

16th May 2010

RATATOUILLE
(makes 6 portions)

This is a quick tasty recipie that is tomato based.

Ingredients

3 medium courgettes/zuchini, chopped in half inch pieces
1very large onion or 2 med/large, chopped small
1 tin chopped tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, crushed
!
half tsp sea salt
ground blackpepper
1 sprig fresh rosemary
bunch of oregano
bunch of chives
(these herbs could be substituted for any other you wish, but the flavour will change)
1 tbl sp olive oil
a little water

Method

Use a heavy saucepan with a lid.
Heat the oil on a medium heat and add the onions. Fry till soft.
Add courgettes and fry for about ten minutes stirring regularly so as not to burn.
Add tin of tomatoes together with a little water and stir.
Add crushed garlic.
Chop herbs all together very finely, and add to saucepan.
Add salt and pepper.
Cover with lid, and turn down heat to lowest. Simmer for 3/4 hour to 1 hour.
Careful not to burn. If water dries out, add more.

(Other ingredients you could add - chopped up sweet peppers, chilli pepper)

Taste. Add salt if needed. Add a tsp sugar and/or a tbl sp tomato puree, if tomatoes are sour.

The mixture should be reddish and all ingredients should be quite soft.

Serve with pasta, meat, fish, potatoes -fried, crushed, mashed, jacket, salad, bread, couscous, etc.
                     
                                    *******************************************

22. May 2010

TIGER PRAWNS IN SHELLS
serves 4

Ingredients
20 Raw tiger prawns
3 med cloves garlic crushed
2 spring onions chopped
2 large tomatoes chopped
2 oz butter
1 tbl sp. olive oil or sunflower oil
sea salt
pepper

Method
Wash prawns and dehead if wanted.
Season prawns in a bowl with tomatoes, garlic, spring onions, salt, pepper. Leave to marinade for at least half hour, an hour or or two if possible.
Heat butter in a wok.
Add oil and heat.
Add marinated prawns, and stir.
Keep heat on medium and stir until prawns go pinkish red, cooking for about ten minutes.

Serve with rice, noodles, pasta or on own. Peel off shells while warm before eating.