Recipes
TRADITIONAL BAJAN RECIPES
REGGAE BOYS SALAD
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 packet elbow macaroni
1 medium sweet pepper
1 small onion
2 medium carrots
1 Tbs. soft margarine
1 can green peas
1 can whole kernel corn
¼ cup white cane vinegar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
250 grams tasty cheese (mature, hard cheese)
10 lettuce leaves
1 Tbs. cooking oil
Preparation:
Cook macaroni as directed on package and drain. Chop sweet pepper and onion and sauté in hot margarine. Cut carrots in strips, shred cheese and set aside.
Place macaroni in a bowl and add sautéed onion and sweet pepper, peas, whole kernel corn, carrots, vinegar, salt and pepper and mix well. Add cheese and mix.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve on a bed of lettuce.
COO-COO
Ingredients:
4-6 medium okras
2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 cup cornmeal
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 piece of cooked salt beef
Preparation:
Slice okras, cut salt meat in small pieces add one cup of water, stir, and boil until soft.
Mix the cornmeal with one cup of cold water, and stir into the boiling liquid. Cook until thick and smooth, beating all the time. If desired, turn into greased mould.
Notes:
Coo-Coo is usually served with fried fish or fish stew.
CREAM OF PUMPKIN SOUP
Ingredients:
½ lb pumpkin
1 pt water or stock
Shallot, celery, thyme
Salt
White pepper
2 cups milk
2 oz flour
2 oz margarine
Preparation:
Cut the pumpkin into pieces. Put shallot, celery and thyme tied together, into water or stock and bring to a boil. Add the pumpkin, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer.
Make a white sauce using margarine, flour and milk. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove the stock from the heat. Remove the bunched seasonings from the stock, and pass the remainder through a sieve.
Add the stock to the white sauce. Adjust the flavour and consistency, adding more milk if too thick.
Serve hot with croutons.
GRILLED SMOKED SNAPPER
Ingredients:
1 snapper, cleaned, washed and de-scaled
Butter, melted
Lemon slices
Yam chips
Parsley
Preparation:
Brush the fish over with melted butter or drippings, and put it on the bottom of the greased grill pan. Cook under a hot grill, for about 20 minutes. Do not turn.
Serve immediately on a hot dish garnished with lemon slices, yam chips, and parsley butter.
FISH CAKES
Ingredients:
½ lb cooked fish
¼ to ½ lb yams, mashed
½ oz margarine
1 Tbsp chopped shallot and celery
Pepper and salt
Lemon juice
Pinch of nutmeg or mace
1 egg (for coating)
1 egg (to bind)
Dried bread crumbs
Preparation:
Remove the skin and bones from the fish and break up the remainder finely. Add the yam, shallot, celery, salt, pepper, lemon juice and nutmeg. Add margarine to the mixture, with enough egg to bind it together.
Turn onto a floured board. Shape into a neat roll and cut into 6 equal portions. Reshape the slices into neat, flat, round cakes. Coat the cakes with the beaten egg or batter and dried bread crumbs. Fry in oil and drain well when golden brown.
Serve garnished with fried parsley.
PEAS & RICE
Ingredients:
½ pt peas (pigeon peas, or split peas, or black-eye peas, or soya beans)
½ lb salt beef or pig tail
1 small dry coconut
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp oil
1 pt rice
½ cup shrimp, fresh or dried, if desired
Preparation:
Wash the peas and soak in 2 cups of water -- overnight if necessary.
Grate the coconut, pour 2 cups of water over the grated flesh, and squeeze well to extract all the flavour. Remove the cous-cous (grated coconut bits) and discard, saving the “milk” remaining.
Cut the salt beef or pig tail into small pieces. Wash to remove the salt. Chop the onion finely. Heat the oil, and fry the onion and meat for about 15 minutes. Add the peas, stir and leave to sauté for about 5 minutes.
Add about 1½ pt of water, and cook until the peas are partially tender.
Add the rice, coconut milk and salt to taste. Stir, cover the pot and allow to boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently for about 30 minutes or until rice is dry. Stir once or twice to prevent burning. Put in shrimp about 15 minutes before the rice is finished. Serve hot.
Notes:
Adjust the quantity of water carefully as the target consistency is a moist rice, which is neither soppy nor dry like fried rice.
BAJAN BEEF STEW
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients:
3 lbs of lean beef stew, cut in smaller ½ inch bites/cubes
4 medium carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cut in small cubes
4 celery branches, sliced
1 large onion, cut in med/large chunks
1 pack of fresh white mushrooms (8 oz), sliced
1 Tbsp Bajan seasoning*
1 Tbsp chopped garlic in vinegar (replace with 1 Tbsp of chopped fresh garlic)
Some flour
(*This is a hot seasoning mix found in West Indian stores; you can replace by a sprinkle of Tabasco sauce and some beef stew seasoning mix & fine herbs or even add some peppers. But if you like your stew mild do not add any of this.)
Preparation:
Put everything in a large stewing pan (veggies first and meat on top). Sprinkle the meat with some flour and mix with a big spoon. Mix together the following ingredients and then pour over top of the meat/veggies:
2 cups of water
2 large cubes of Maggie’s beef flavour cubes (You can substitute the above by 2 cups of your favourite beef broth)
A bit of Worcestershire sauce (to taste)
Some Maggie’s liquid browning (to taste)
Thyme leaves to taste (We like a lot of thyme here)
1 can of cream of Mushroom soup
Salt and black pepper to taste (to adjust the recipe to your liking). Cook on medium heat on stove top for a few hours. Delicious over rice & peas!
FRAGRANT LAMB STEW
Serves 8
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (thinly sliced)
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 lbs. lamb, cut into stew-sized cubes, and carefully trimmed of fat.
4 lbs. cooked tomatoes (2 large cans)
3 bay leaves
Lemon juice
1 Tbsp Hungarian paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne
Dash allspice
Dash cinnamon
1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed and trimmed
Preparation:
In a stew pot, sauté onion in olive oil on medium-low heat until golden brown. Add garlic in the last 2-3 minutes. Add lamb cubes and sauté until brown. Add tomatoes, and simmer until meat is tender. Keep an eye on the liquid; add water or red wine if it becomes dry. Add bay leaves, lemon juice and spices. Simmer on low heat for at least 2 hours. About 1/2 hour before pronouncing it done, add the green beans. Serve with plain yogurt and pita bread.
BAJAN FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 2 ½- to 3-pound frying chicken cut into pieces
2 cups vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup or more seasoning (chopped)
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp cornmeal
2 tsp poultry seasoning
Salt and black pepper to taste
Preparation:
Wash and clean the chicken pieces and pat them dry on paper towel. Heat the oil to 375 degrees in a heavy skillet (cast iron preferably). With a sharp knife, score the chicken pieces and fill each slash with a bit of seasoning poling to ensure that it is well inside the chicken. Mix the flour, cornmeal, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper in a paper bag. Place the chicken pieces in the bag and shake until they are well coated. Place the chicken pieces in the hot oil and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure that they are golden brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain it on paper towels. Serve hot.
BAJAN SWEET BREAD
Ingredients:
2½ cups grated coconut
½ cup melted butter or margarine
4 cups flour
1 Tbsp shortening
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 egg - beaten
1¼ cup evaporated milk
1 tsp almond essence
Preparation:
Grease loaf pans with shortening and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix flour, baking powder, salt, coconut, sugar and the raisins together in a bowl. Add egg, evaporated milk, margarine and almond essence and mix together well until you have a firm dough. Divide dough in half and fill loaf pans.
Mix 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 tablespoon of hot water and brush mixture over the loaves. Bake in centre of oven for about 1 hour or until skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Let cool in the pans before removing and serving.
BAJAN RICE & STEW
Ingredients:
8 oz. stew beef
1 large carrot - peeled and sliced
2 medium potatoes - peeled and quartered
2 Tbsp Bajan seasoning
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1 Tbsp gravy browning
2 Tbsp tomato ketchup
1 cup water
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 cups long grain rice soaked in water for 2 hours
1/2 cup pigeon peas soaked in water overnight - if possible use the canned variety and then you will need 1 cup.
1 oz. salt pork
1/2 tsp thyme
4 cups water
Preparation:
For the stew:
Wash and cut beef into bite sized pieces then rub with the Bajan seasoning and tomato ketchup. Heat the oil in a skillet and stir fry the meat for 10 minutes. Pour in the gravy browning and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the water, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in the carrot and potatoes, adjust the seasonings with a little seasoned salt, and cook for another 15 minutes. Add a little more water if necessary. The meat should be tender after 45 minutes of cooking but if not go a while longer.
For the rice:
Place the peas, salt pork and the thyme in a pan with 4 cups water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until peas are tender.
Wash and drain rice and add to the pan. Pour in enough water to just be level with the rice and peas mixture. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to its lowest level, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until done.
CHICKEN ROTI
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
3 boneless breast of chicken
1 medium onion, chopped chunky
1 green pepper, chopped chunky
1 large carrot, peeled sliced thinly
2 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 can chicken broth
1/2 cup water
2 cloves crushed garlic
2 Tbs. curry powder
2-3 tsp Blind Betty Original Recipe
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped parsley
4 large flower tortillas
1 jar mango chutney or fruit salsa
Preparation:
In a large skillet sauté garlic, onion 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and sauté till cooked but tender add green pepper and carrots. Sauté 1-2 min. Add chicken broth, potatoes and as much water as needed to cover everything. Simmer till potatoes are very tender and begin to reduce broth. Add all spices and flavourings to taste.
Cover and turn off. This can now stand until just before serving time. It will thicken a little as it cools. At suppertime heat the roti mixture to a boil stirring with a wooden spoon. You want a nice thick curry stew. Reduce more if too runny. Warm tortillas, place on plate, put generous portion of roti in centre of tortilla. Fold into flat tube with ends folded under. Serve with chutney on top. Serve with salad and rice.
TRADITIONAL ITAL RECIPES
RASTAFARIAN CUISINE
ITAL OMELETTE
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 Green Bananas
1 Medium Sized Onion
½ pt Water
1 Tbsp Wholemeal flour
½ tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg
3 Tbsp Vegetable oil
Preparation:
1. Slice the ends off the bananas and cut them in half crossways.
2. Using a sharp knife slit through the skin to the flesh along the length of each banana half; prise off the skin using your fingers. You may want to rub your hands with oil to prevent staining green stands on your hands.
3. Place the bananas in an electric blender or food processor and blend until smooth adding the water a little at a time to produce a soft consistency.
4. In a bowl, mix the bananas with the peeled and finely chopped onion.
5. Stir in the wholemeal flour and nutmeg.
6. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy frying pan, pour in the banana mixture and fry on both sides until golden brown.
7. Divide into portions and serve garnished with salad.
ITAL SOUP
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
1 lb yam
½ lb sweet potato
1 lb pumpkin
1 lb callaloo
½ small cabbage
½ lb carrots
1 cho cho
1 green pepper
2 cloves garlic
2 medium-sized tomatoes
3 spring onions
4 cups water
Preparation:
1. First prepare the vegetables: peel yam, sweet potato and pumpkin and cut into large die, removing the seeds from the pumpkin.
2. Carefully wash the callaloo, trimming away any thick stems and chop.
3. Coarsely chop the cabbage having carefully discarded the outer leaves, peel and slice the carrots.
4. Peel the cho cho, cut it lengthways into quarters and remove the heart.
5. Roughly dice the cho cho and green pepper, peel and chop the tomatoes and slice the spring onions.
6. Place the pumpkin and root vegetables in a large saucepan with the water.
7. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Add to the pan the callaloo, cabbage, cho cho, pepper and finally the chopped tomatoes and spring onions.
9. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and simmer for twenty minutes or more until cooked.
ITAL STEW
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
1 lb yam
1 lb pumpkin
1 lb coco
½ lb cassava
½ lb breadfruit
4 cups vegetable stock
1 Hot pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
Plain or cornmeal dumplings
3 green bananas
Juice of ½ lime
Preparation:
1. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin. Wash and peel the yam, pumpkin, coco and cassava
2. Slice the breadfruit into wedges, peel and cut out the heart.
3. Chop all the vegetable into fairly large pieces.
4. In a large pan bring the stock to the boil. Add the vegetables, the hot pepper and black pepper. Turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, mix the dumplings and add to the pan, turn up the heat and cook until the dumplings are done.
6. In a separate pan boil the green bananas in their skins, having cut off both ends and split the skin deeply with a knife.
7. When cooked, allow to cool a little before peeling. Cut each banana into 3 pieces and add to the stew with the lime juice.
8. Remove the hot pepper once the stew has reheated.
ITAL COLESLAW
Serves 4
Ingredients:
½ cabbage or whole chinese leaf
½ cucumber
2 medium-sized carrots
3 medium-sized tomatoes
3 oz bean sprouts
3 Tbsp sunflower oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Wash the cabbage or chinese leaf, drain and shred finely.
2. Wash and thinly slice the cucumber, peel and grate the carrots and slice the tomatoes.
3. Arrange the shredded cabbage on a serving dish. Edge the dish with slices of cucumber.
4. Combine the grated carrots and beansprouts in a bowl.
5. Mix the dressing ingredients — oil, vinegar, and black pepper — beating with a fork until well blended, then pour over the carrots and beansprouts.
6. Toss together and arrange in the center of the dish.
7. Decorate with sliced tomatoes.
Bajan Breeze Guest House
Harts Gap, Christ Church, Barbados, West Indies
Phone: (246) 429 9608
http://www.bajanbreeze.com |
