Monday, April 15, 2019

Cooking St. Kitts Caribbean, part 4

Mount Olivees and part of the botanical garden at Fairview Great House, St. Kitts.
Caribbean cuisine, thy name means jerk - spices, that is - for rubbing on any edible critters that go on a dinner plate. Every cook, neighborhood, village, city and island has a distinct version ranging from tingly to scalding.

Chef Cheviour Lake, instructor of Caribbean Cooks classes at Fairview Great House and Botanical Garden on St. Kitts, shared hers for pork and chicken. We had the chicken and it was delicious.


Jerk Pork Loin or Chicken Breasts

Six servings

2 lbs. pork loin or comparable amount large, boneless chicken breasts

Jerk rub for seasoning

1/4 cup ground allspice
1/2 cup brown sugar
8 cloves garlic
4 hot peppers (jalapeno or scotch bonnet peppers will work)*
2 bunches island herbs, garlic chives aka green onions
1 tsp. cinnamon powder
Grated nutmeg to taste
Lime juice

Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

*To make a mild rub, use de-seeded jalapenos; for spicier, leave the seeds in. Scalding? Scotch bonnets. Not sure? Go mild and serve with a bottle of hot sauce.

Apply rub to meat.

Heat a non-stick pot/skillet on medium for 15 minutes. Place meat into pan and sear for 2 minutes per pound on each side.

Let meat sit for juices to settle then slice.

Friday, April 5, 2019

Cooking St. Kitts Caribbean 3


You can't have a Caribbean style meal without fish.

Chef Cheviour Lake, teacher for the Caribbean Cooks classes at Fairview Great House and Botanical Garden on St. Kitts, provided a recipe that can be used for almost any fish. Chef used grouper but any white fish will work.


West Indian Steamed Fish

Servings for six

3 large fish fillets of your choice (more if the only protein dish served)
1/2 cup diced fresh tomatoes (leave seeds in for extra juice)
1/2 cup  diced green bell peppers
1/2 clove garlic
tomato paste (optional)
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig parsley
1/4 cup grated carrot
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS lime juice
1 cup water or stock
1 TBS vegetable oil

Seasoned fish with salt, pepper, herbs (thyme, bay leaf, garlic) one-half hour in advance.

In a hot pan add olive oil and vegetable oil. Lightly saute onions, garlic and green bell pepper until golden brown. Add grated carrots, water/stock and lime juice.

Bring to a boil and let simmer. Submerge fish fillets in pot and reduce liquid by half to intensify flavor. This should take 6-7 minutes. Add butter to finish.