Beef Pelau

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs Beef
1 lb Rice
800 Grams Pigeon Peas
50 Grams Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Peanut Oil
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
15 Finely Chopped Pimentos (Seeds Optional)
1/2 lb Onions
1 Bundle of Chive
2 Bundles of Chadon Beni or 10-12 Leaves (Culantro)
1 Bundle of Thyme
5 Garlic Cloves
1/2 lb Pumpkin
1/8 Cup Soy Sauce (Optional)
2 Tbsp Golden Ray (Vegetable Cooking Butter)
1 Hot Pepper
Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)

METHOD

Cut and trim beef to desired size ensuring to remove connective tissue.
Clean, wash, drain and set beef aside.
Finely chop onion, pimento, chive, chadon beni and garlic.
Put beef in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper.
Add onion, pimento, chive, chadon beni and garlic and thyme leaves to beef.
Massage ingredients into beef until well incorporated.
Let marinate for 4-6 hours in refrigerator.
Heat pot over high heat.
Add oil and brown sugar.
As soon as sugar begins to melt stir constantly until all the sugar is dissolved.
(this ensures the sugar from burning and tasting bitter)
Add beef to pot and stir until well coated with melted sugar.
Cover and allow beef to brown for 10 minutes.
Add rice, pumpkin, coconut milk, peas and golden ray ensuring to mix until well incorporated.
Add enough water to cover.
Place whole pepper in center of pot.
Reduce heat to medium to low and let cook 30-45 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.
(checking every 15 minutes)
Remove whole pepper.
Check for salt and black pepper and add to taste.

SALTFISH STUFFED FRIED BAKES

SALTFISH INGREDIENTS

225 Grams Saltfish
1 Medium Onion
5 Pimentos
2 Garlic Cloves
Hot Pepper (to taste)
Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
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FRIED BAKE (DOUGH) INGREDIENTS

4 Cups Flour
4 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tsp Sugar
1 1/2-2 Cups Water
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METHOD

Boil saltfish until tender, strain and set aside.
Finely chop onion, pimento, garlic and hot pepper.
Heat saute pan over medium heat.
Add 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Saute onion, pimento, garlic and hot pepper for 5 minutes over medium to low heat.
Remove from heat.
Add saltfish and mix until well incorporated.
Add salt and black pepper to taste.
Set aside and let cool.
Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl. (Dough)
Mix until well incorporated.
Make a well in the center of bowl.
Add 1 cup of water.
Mix dry ingredients into water a little at a time.
If needed add 1/2 cup of remaining water but be careful not to add too much.
Knead dough until well combined for 10-15 minutes.
Using a rolling pin roll out each ball into a circle measuring 2-3 inches.
Place 1 tbsp of saltfish filling in the center.
Brush edges with water and seal.
Let rest 15 minutes.
Heat oil to 350 degrees farenheit.
Fry until golden brown.
Top with your favorite sauce. (Tamarind for us!)

Vincy Plantain Fritters

Ingredients

1 very ripe plantain
1 cup of plain flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1 teaspoon spice
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup of vegetable oil

METHOD
1. Peal the plantain, cut it up into small slices in a bowl and crush it using a fork.

2. Now that the plantain is fully crush, add spice, salt and sugar mix into the plantain. Mix until you get a soft paste.

3. Add the oil to the frying pan at medium heat. When the oil is a bit hot, scoop potions of the “paste mix” with a tablespoon and add it to the oil.

Fry until golden brown.

(Please keep an eye on fritters as they fry. Flip from side to side with a fork until golden brown.)

Vincy Tri Tri cake

Ingredients:

2lbs (900 grams) Tri-Tri, washed with a half of lime or Lemon and drained
1 1/2 ounces of chopped Garlic (fresh or one could use prepared garlic)
1 hot red pepper chopped finely (scotch bonnet)
1 1/2 tbsp. curry powder or how much to taste or omit the curry
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour (375 grams

Method:

Place the washed and drained Tri-Tri in a large enough bowl, add all the other ingredients together and mix together thoroughly. The consistency should be like a thick batter. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan ( or cast iron pot) very hot, drop small tablespoons of the batter mix into the oil, fry until slightly brown around the edges, turn and fry other side. When fried until medium brown, remove the cakes place on a paper towel lined platter and drain. Serve with favourite tipple or with roasted breadfruit and salad as a meal. This can also be made as a stew.

Jamaican patties

INGREDIENTS:

Below is a delicious recipe for Jamaican Beef Patties:

PASTRY

2 cups Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 tablespoon curry powder
1/4 cup Solid shortening
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine
1/3 cup Cold water

Sift the flour, curry powder and salt into a large bowl. Cut in the shortening and margarine until crumbly. Add the cold water to make a stiff dough. Lightly flour a wooden cutting board and roll out the dough until about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 8-inch circles. Cover with wax paper or damp cloth until ready to use. You can place the dough in the refrigerator overnight. If you do refrigerate, remove the dough at least 15 minutes before using.

MEAT FILLING

2 tablespoon oil
1 Small white onion, Finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Chopped Scotch Bonnet pepper
1/2 lb. Lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon Curry powder
1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Beef or chicken stock
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 cup Water

METHOD/DIRECTION

In a heavy skillet, melt the margarine and sauté the onion and Scotch Bonnet Pepper until they become limp. Add the ground beef, salt, pepper, curry powder and thyme and mix well. Brown the meat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the breadcrumbs and stock and combine all the ingredients well. Cover the skillet and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When all the liquids have been absorbed, the filling is ready. It should be moist but not watery. Remove the skillet from the stove and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Uncover the dough circles and place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling on half of each. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and fold the dough circle over the meat filling. Pinch the edges closed with a fork. Lightly brush the pastry with a mixture of the egg and water. Bake on a lightly greased baking sheet for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry are golden brown.

Carrot cake

INGREDIENTS

For the cake:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 pound carrots, peeled, coarsely grated
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegetable oil
For the frosting and assembly:
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Generous pinch of kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar
Candied Carrot Coins

PREPARATION

Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat two 9"-diameter cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat rounds with nonstick spray. If using raisins and rum, heat together in a small saucepan over low just until warm, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed and raisins are plump, 15–20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes; let cool. Combine carrots and buttermilk in a medium bowl. 


Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and thick, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and gradually stream in oil. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with carrot mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix until smooth. Fold in raisins, if using, and walnuts with a rubber spatula. Scrape batter into prepared pans.


Bake cakes, rotating pans halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 35–45 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack and let cakes cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around sides of cakes and invert onto wire rack; remove parchment. Let cool completely.

Make the frosting:

Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in vanilla extract and salt. Reduce speed to low and gradually mix in powdered sugar. Increase speed to high and beat frosting until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

Assemble the cake:

Place 1 cake, domed side down, on a platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting evenly over top. Place remaining cake, domed side down, on top. Spread top and sides with 1 1/4 cups frosting and chill 30 minutes to let frosting set. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides, swirling decoratively.

Butter cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon milk

Garnish: coarse or sanding sugar*; or melted chocolate (see cooks' note, below)

METHOD/DIRECTION

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a standing mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 6 with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then add flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Form dough into a 12-inch log (2 inches in diameter) on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll up dough in plastic wrap. Chill dough on a baking sheet until firm, at least 4 hours. (To roll cookies into balls, see cooks' note, below.)

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
Cut enough 1/8- to 1/4-inch-thick slices from log with a heavy knife to fill 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging slices about 1 inch apart (chill remainder of log, wrapped in plastic wrap). If garnishing with coarse sugar, sprinkle slices with it.
Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until edges are golden, 12 to 15 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer with a metal spatula to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

*Cooks' notes:
Dough log can be chilled up to 5 days or frozen, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, 1 month. If frozen, thaw dough in refrigerator just until it can be sliced.

Instead of forming dough into a log and chilling, you can roll tablespoons of dough into 1 1/4-inch balls, then roll balls in finely chopped nuts (about 1 cup) and coarse sugar. Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until bottoms are browned, about 15 minutes total.

To garnish cookies with chocolate, melt 3 1/2 oz chocolate and cool slightly. Transfer to a heavy-duty sealable plastic bag and snip a 1/16-inch opening in 1 corner. Pipe chocolate evenly back and forth over cookies. Let chocolate set before storing cookies.
Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week