| JAMAICAN RECIPES |
| BANANA BREAD |
| INGREDIENTS 4 ounces margarine 1 cup brown sugar 1 large egg 1 large ripe banana 2 cups flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg pinch of salt 1 teaspoon lime juice |
METHOD *Cream margarine and sugar *sift flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt *Beat eggs add vanilla and add to creamed mixture *mash/puree banana and add line juice *Add banana and flour mixtures alternatively to the creamed mixture *Do not overbeat *Pour batter into a well greased and lined bread pan *bake in moderate oven 350 or mark 4 for one hour or until golden brown *Turn out unto a cooling rack and serve with your favourite dessert sauce |
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BANANA! BANANA! BANANA! |
| SALTFISH FRITTERS |
| INGREDIENTS 8 oz fried saltfish/salted cod 1 medium onion finely chopped 1 cup plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 egg lightly beaten (optional) 1/2 cup water 2 tsp butter/margarine, melted 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 chopped pepper oil for frying METHOD Saltfish is very salty so it should be soaked overnight or boiled three or four times (change the water) * drain fish and remove all bones and skin. * flake the fish * Heat cooking oil in pan and saute the onion and chopped pepper * Sieve flour, baking powder and salt *Add beaten egg(if used) and water, melted butter or margarine * Mix well * Add onion & pepper to form a thick batter * Heat oil in frying pan and drop by tablespoon into hot oil and fry until golden brown Can be eaten as is; with bread; or served with a dip or spicy sauce You can try this recipe using crab meat,sardines or canned corned beef instead of the saltfish |
| JERK PORK etc |
| It started with the Maroons, runaway slaves who gained their freedom from the British long before slavery was abolished. They preserved their meat- pork - by seasoning with spices and slow cooking over fire flavoured with pimento wood. If you ever visit Jamaica try to get to Boston in the parish of Portland, famous for its jerk pork and chicken. If you don't like your meats spicy, don't try it. Nowadays jerk seasoning is commercially available either in dry or wet form. Check this website for availability.- http://www.walkerswood.com It started with pork and chicken, but now jerk seaoning is used on a variety of meats and seafoods, including shrimp and lobster. The seasoning is VERY spicy- so hot it can bring tears to the eye, but the flavour- out of this world! JERK CHICKEN One whole chicken cut in half or quarters 0ne lime oil pinch of salt two tablespoons jerk seasoning Rub the chicken with the lime or soak in lime water for a while Mix the other ingredients and rub into the chicken. Let marinate for several hours Barbecue or oven roast the chicken until tender. You may want to adjust the amount of salt added or the amount of jerk seasoning used. It comes with practice. Enjoy!!! Treat pork and other meats in similar fashion TIP A dash of the dry jerk seasoning can add exotic flavour to other dishes as well. Try it with steamed vegetables. Just remember that it is HOT! |
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| A method of frying and pickling fish INGREDIENTS 1 lb fish (454 grams) (snapper is good) teaspoon black pepper salt to taste oil for frying 1cup vinegar 1large onion sliced 1 hot pepper pimento grains METHOD Clean fish with lime juice Dry and season with salt and blackpepper. Heat oil in frying pan and fry fish crisply on both sides. Mix vinegar, sliced onion, sliced pepper and pimento. Remove fish from frying pan. Pour vinegar mixture in frying pan while still hot and allow to boil. Pour over fish and leave to steep. Can be left overnight. Serve with hard dough bread. TIP Walkerswood sells a commercial escoveitch sauce. Just add onion rings to this sauce and heat. Pour over fish. Gives a slightly different taste to the fish. |
| ESCOVEITCH FISH |
| A real curry goat feed is a feast your palate will remember forever. This is a very popular dish in Jamaica where it is served with white rice or boiled green bananas. Goat meat is expensive so very often mutton is substituted for goat. Use up to 250 g or half a pound of meat per person. Goat meat is bony and can take long to cook. Best to pressure cook it until tender. Following recipe will serve six. This is a spicy dish. Use fresh herbs if possible. INGREDIENTS 3lb goat or mutton chopped 1tbsp salt crushed garlic juice from one lime/lemon 1 onion chopped 2oz curry powder 1hot pepper chopped thyme, black pepper and crushed pimento berries (Allspice) 2 stalks escallion chopped 1tsp ginger root rather than powder 2tbsp oil METHOD Wash the meat. Mix all ingredients except the oil and rub into the meat. Leave to marinate for a few hours or overnight Pick out meat from seasoning and fry in a large thick bottom skillet. Keep the marinade When meat is brown on all sides add the marinade and about 2 cups of water. Cover and allow to simmer until meat is tender. Add water if necessary as curry goat is served with a lot of gravy. Adjust seasoning to your taste and simmer a little longer. If using a pressure cooker, cook the meat until tender then add the marinade and simmer Note: Other meats and fish can be curried in similar fashion, except that fish and shrimps cook quickly so add to pot last. |
| CURRY GOAT |
| Fruit Cake Try this for Christmas |
| These are the fruits generally put to soak weeks before baking time: raisins, currants, seedless prunes and mixed peel in rum, port or a sweet heavy wine. If the fruits are soaked long enough they get tender. If you forgot to put them to soak, just simmer them in the wine for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, then allow to cool before using. Over time, each household develops its own version of the recipe. Fruit cake is hardly ever the same from each baker. Some persons prefer a dry heavy cake , some don't like too much of the fruits, some prefer a more puddingy outcome. Generally the mixture is baked (cakey) or steamed in a double boiler or pan of water in the oven (puddingy) in a covered aluminum tin. Just about now (November) the shops start stocking up on these popular baking tins for the Christmas cake. The fruits can be chopped or pureed in a blender to give a smother result. In the old days brown sugar was burnt in a pan to give the dark colour and flavour. Nowadays commercial 'browning' is available. HERE'S A QUICK RECIPE (please read the hints above) INGREDIENTS 1 lb butter 1 lb brown sugar 9 large eggs 3 cups flour 1 cup breadcrumbs (homemade) 1 cup of the soaked fruits half cup chopped nuts (optional) 1 tsp baking powder half tsp nutmeg half tsp cinnamon half teaspoon salt 1 tbs browning (optional- gives a darker colour) METHOD cream butter and sugar add beaten eggs add the fruits (and nuts and browning) stir in the flour mixed with breadcrumbs,baking powder, salt, spices mix well pour into baking tins lined with grease paper leave an inch of space at top then cover the tin bake in oven or steam (read hints above) until the cake or pudding shrinks from the sides of the tin Feel free to experiment until your preferences are satisfied For a fancy presentation serve (hot or cold) with a HARD SAUCE SAUCE half cup butter 2 cups sifted icing sugar 3 tbs brandy (optional) Cream the butter until light and fluffy add icing sugar a little at a timeuntil well blended pour in the brandy (if used) and mix refrigerate until needed |
| Jamaican Patties |
| The following recipe requested by a visitor to this page comes to you courtesy of Walkerswood Caribbean Foods http://www.walkerswood.com Pastry Use frozen puff pastry or shortcrust. If making fresh pastry, add a tsp of ground tumeric or annatto to give it the tradiitonal yellow colour Filling 300g/10oz minced beef or chicken 1tsp Walkerswood Jerk Marinade or 1/2 tsp WW Traditional Jerk Seasoning 1 onion finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1-2 tomatoes, finely chopped 2tsp breadcrumbs 1tsp Walkerswood One Stop Sauce Method Mix all filling ingredients and saute in a little oil until cooked. Set aside and let cool. Lightly beat one raw egg in a cup and set aside. Defrost pastry, roll out and cut out circles about 15cm/6in in diameter. Place small amount of filing in the middle. Paint edges with egg. Fold pastry over filling and press edges together with a fork. Place patties on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C/375 for about 20-30 minutes until golden brown Makes about 4-6 patties. |
| Rice and Peas |
| No Sunday dinner in Jamaica is really complete without Rice and Peas. Usually it's red peas(red kidney beans), but for Christmas dinner it just absolutely MUST be green gungo peas(pigeon peas). Like many other traditional dishes, each household develops its particular style of cooking this dish. Some prefer a lot of peas; some a very strong coconut flavour; some cook a piece of salted pig's tail or salt beef with the peas. Coconut milk is made from grating a dry coconut and squeezing in warm water and straining. The strained liquid is the 'milk'. (commercial coconut milk is now available) Here's a basic recipe: Ingredients 250g/1cup peas 2 cups coconut milk escallion thyme salt to taste 2 cups uncooked white rice 1 whole hot pepper Method Cook peas in a large heavy bottom pot until tender but still firm Add coconut milk and seasoning Wash rice and add to pot Add water if necessary Add whole pepper Bring to a rapid boil then steam until rice is cooked Remove pepper Fluff with a fork Do not stir while cooking Serves about 6 people Tip Liquid for final cooking should be approx 2 to 2 1/2 times as much as rice and peas. If too much liquid is in the pot when you add the rice, take out some and reserve. Add later if rice dries out without being cooked. If peas are overcooked before adding the rice the result will be a mushy pot (not nice) |
| YOUR REQUESTS |
| FRIED DUMPLING Like other traditional recipes, each cook has her/his own preferences. Start with a small amount of flour - say one cup and experiment until you get the texture and flavour you like. Ingredients flour 1 cup pinch of salt baking powder (1/2tsp) butter or margarine oil to fry water or milk Method sift together dry ingredients Add water or milk a little at a time and stir until mixture gets doughy. If too dry, add water; if too wet add flour Mix in butter and knead-don't over knead as dumpling will be tough. (Usually the mixing/kneading is done with the hands) Take small pieces of the dough and form into balls, flatten and fry in skillet/frying pan turning until cooked with a golden brown colour. |
| STEAMED FISH The success of this dish depends on the freshness of the fish. In the Caribbean fish can be had freshly caught. We steam a variety of fish- some with colourful names, Snapper is the preferred fish for steaming, but butter fish is also nice. also the telapia or pond fish is now quite popular. Use fresh seasonings thyme escallion hot pepper onion salt and black pepper Method Season the fish and allow to marinate for a while Place in pan with water, ( half to one cup) Add additional escallion and onion ,a dab of butter and cook over slow heat. Fish will cook relatively quickly. Adjust liquid to your taste if necessary Okras, and crackers are sometimes added to the pot when the fish is almost done. |
| Ingredients 4oz/113g butter 8oz/227g castor sugar 4 eggs 4oz/113g plain flour 1tsp baking powder pinch salt 2tbls milk 6oz/170g dry coconut peeled and grated 1/2tsp lime juice Method Cream butter and half the sugar Separate eggs beat the yolks and add to the mixture Sift flour with baking powder Add salt and slowly beat into the butter mixture alternately with the milk line a 9 in baking tin with buttered paper Put in batter Beat egg whites very stiffly then add remaining sugar, the grated coconut and lime juice Spread over the cake batter in tin and bake for approximately 45 minutes |
| COCONUT CAKE |
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| Easter Bun Anyone? |
| Easter is not Easter in Jamaica without bun and cheese. Indeed in former times On Good Friday there would be no cooked meals only bun and cheese all day. This was glory for children. Easter bun is a fruit bun which it is believed has its origin in the hot cross buns from England. As children we would sing "Hot cross buns Hot cross buns One a penny, two a penny Hot cross buns If you have no daughters Give them to your sons One a penny, two a penny Hot cross buns" Possibly a street cry from sellers of hot cross buns??? Recipe You'll need approximately 4 oz or 125 grams each of raisins, mixed peel, cherries and currants. Soak in hot water to soften before use if desired. 1 pack dry yeast (20g) 1 cup warm milk (250ml) 1 cup butter (250g) 6 cups flour (900g) 1 cup brown sugar(180g) 1 tsp ginger 1 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp salt 4 -5 tbs molasses 1 large egg (beaten) METHOD Dilute yeast in a little warm water or milk sift together the dry ingredients Melt butter in milk Mix all ingredients in a large bowl add fruit Dough should not be sticky knead and leave to rise knead again shape into loaves (you can make large or small loaves) leave to rise about 1 hour or double in bulk bake in medium oven 300-325F Just before they're done, paint with a glaze made from molasses or sugar and water bake another 10 - 15 minutes And don't forget the cheese !!! |
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| JAMAICAN HARD DOUGH BREAD Ingredients: * 6 cups bread flour * 1 pack yeast (about 2 tablespoons) * 1 teaspoon of salt * 1 pt of warm water * 1/4 cups of sugar * 4 oz of shortening * milk or egg white for glazing Method: 1. Pour flour in warm bowl. 2. Add shortening to flour and cut in with knife. 3. Add yeast, sugar, and salt. 4. Add warm water. 5. Knead until soft and roll out. 6. Put in warm place to rise approx. twice in size. 7. Glaze with milk or egg white. 8. Bake at 350F until done. |
BREAD PUDDING This is a tasty way to use up stale bread. This pudding, I gather, came to us from war-days England when nothing could be wasted, so when sandwiches were made the edges which were cut off the bread were saved to make this favourite pudding. Ingredients � loaf stale bread (1/2lb or 250g) wholewhet can be used 2 � cups milk 2oz (50g) raisins 1 tsp vanilla � tsp grated nutmeg 2 egg beaten Method Butter the bread slices then break or cut into small pieces Place in a large bowl, cover with milk and soak until saturated Add raisins vanilla nutmeg sugar and stir well Add beaten eggs. Mix unitl smooth. Pour into an ovenproof dish Top with small cubes of bread, dab a few pats of butter on top Batter should be a bit runny if you like your pudding soft, or tighter if you like it firm Bake at 350 F for about 1 hour or until the top is golden brown. Nice served with ice-cream or whipped cream Watch the calories!!!!!! |
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| Potato pudding is a traditional dish much loved by most Jamaicans. The old method of cooking on a coal stove still seems to produce the best flavour and texture in the hands of an experienced cook. The mixture was baked over an old-time coal stove. A piece of zinc (tin) with live coals was placed on top of the pan so that the pudding was cooked below and on top at the same time. There is an old riddle which is applicable here. It goes: �Hell a bottom; hell a top; hallelujah in the middle� That�s not hard to figure out. INGREDIENTS *2lb(1kg or two large sweet potatoes) *� cup flour *4 cups coconut milk *1/2cup raisins *1tsp vanilla *dash nutmeg *sugar to your taste *small pinch of salt (Note sweet potato is naturally sweet so use the amount of sugar that satisfies your taste) METHOD *Peel and grate or puree potatoes in blender or food processor *Add flour and mix in the other ingredients until smooth. The mixture should not be too thick. *Pour into a greased baking tin and bake in a moderate oven for approximately one hour or until set. Note: A wettish, extra sweetish topping can be added by mixing 1 cup of coconut milk with � cup sugar pouring over the pudding and baking for an additional 30 minutes. The pudding is done when a knife or other tester comes out clean. **See Rice and Peas recipe for tips on how to make coconut milk** |
| SWEET POTATO PUDDING |
| Banana Fruit Cake Ingredients 2 large green bananas 2 cups flour � lb butter � lb sugar 5 eggs 8 tsp baking powder pinch salt 1tsp each mixed spice cinnamon nutmeg vanilla 1cup wine/rum or water 2 to 3 cups soaked dried fruits METHOD Peel and grate or puree bananas Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy Beat eggs and add Continue beating Add grated bananas and fruits and mix well Add flour, salt & baking powder Add wine/rum or water and mix well Mixture should be of dropping consistency Pour into greased and line cake tin and bake in moderate oven until done |
| Feeling adventurous? Try this version of a fruit cake!Good! |
| OXTAIL & BEANS with dumplings Tips This is another dish which can be prepared in different ways. Traditionally, the oxtail is browned in oil, but since the meat itself is fatty, I prefer to start it in boiling water to which I have added at least a part of the seasoning. Mostly it is cooked with broad beans, (you can used canned beans) but it is very delicious with red kidney beans. Also, instead of beans, you could add cut-up vegetables like cho-cho (christophene) and carrots or potatoes. Try variations until you get one that satisfies you. In the old days my mother used to go to the market and buy a whole tail, cut-up by the butcher; a different, more wholesome ??? taste than the packaged supermarket variety now available. The oxtail is very bony and needs to be cooked for a long time. Pressure cook the meat before adding the other ingredients if you don�t have time. Serve with white rice. INGREDIENTS 2lb(1(kg) oxtail 2 tbs oil (omit if you are not frying) water enough to cover meat 2 onions 1 clove garlic sprig thyme hot pepper salt Black pepper 1 cup broad beans 1 cup flour METHOD Wash meat and season Brown meat in oil and add water OR Put on water in large pot to boil then add meat and some seasoning Add fresh beans when meat is 3/4 done (Add beans later if using canned beans) Simmer until the oxtail and beans are tender, add more water if necessary Make little elongated dumplings (spinners) with the flour and add Put in the rest of the seasoning and adjust to taste Liquid can be thickened by adding a little flour mixed with water. Read tips above |
Rum Punch Basic recipe: 1 of sour - lime juice 2 of sweet- sugar or syrup 3 of strong-rum 4 of weak-water or fruit juice Mix and serve over crushed ice. |
| Give your child a glimpse of Caribbean life in these children's books ( 8-12 years) from CARLONG |
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