POPEYE'S SPICY CHICKEN

3 eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup hot red pepper sauce
4 cups flour
2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoon paprika
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 quart buttermilk (optional)
Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder (to taste)
1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
Peanut Oil, for frying

1. Place cut-up chicken in a large bowl, and cover with buttermilk. Cover and chill for two hours, or overnight. This is an optional (but recommended) step.
2. In a large bowl, add eggs, water, and red pepper sauce. Whisk until combined.
3. In a large gallon freezer bag, mix flour, pepper, paprika, and cayenne.
4. Remove chicken from buttermilk (if marinated) and sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
5. Place all chicken pieces in freezer bag with flour mixture. Shake until all pieces are evenly coated.
6. Remove chicken pieces one at a time, shaking excess flour. Dip each piece in the egg mixture, and return to bag of flour. After all pieces of been dipped in the egg mixture and put back in the bag, give it a second shake to coat chicken pieces again.
7. Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pan to 350 degrees. Working in batches, drop each piece of chicken into the hot oil. Fry for 15-18 minutes, or until golden brown, turning occasionally if oil does not completely cover chicken. Keep in mind that dark meat chicken takes longer to cook than white meat. Watch your wing segments, as well; these will finish cooking first.

Eggnog

3 cups (700ml) whole milk
1 cup (240ml) heavy or double cream
3 cinnamon sticks
1 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds removed
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
5 eggs, separated
2/3 (130g) cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup (175ml) Bacardi Dark Rum, or bourbon

In a saucepan, combine milk, cream, cinnamon, vanilla bean, vanilla seeds, and nutmeg. Bring to the boil over a medium heat. Once boiling, remove from the heat and allow to steep.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg yolks and sugar until combined and thick ribbons form when the whisk is lifted. Slowly whisk in the milk and continue to mix until the mixture is combined and smooth. Add bourbon or rum, and stir. Refrigerate overnight or for up to 3 days.

Before serving, beat the egg whites in a large bowl or stand mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into eggnog until combined. Serve and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Gingerbread cheesecake

All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/4 recipe of the dough for Molasses-Gingerbread Cookies
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6 gingerbread men (see above)
DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap exterior of a 9-inch springform pan in 2 layers of foil.
On a generously floured piece of parchment, roll dough to a 13-by-10-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Brush off excess flour. Slide dough and parchment onto a baking sheet. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 14 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. Break into large pieces, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground.
Combine butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 cups cookie crumbs in a bowl. Press mixture firmly and evenly into bottom and one-third of the way up sides of prepared pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and the vanilla, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in molasses, salt, spices, and lemon zest. Pour filling into cooled crust.
Place cheesecake in a large, shallow roasting pan. Transfer to oven, and carefully add enough hot water to roasting pan to come about halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, 60 to 65 minutes. Carefully remove springform pan from roasting pan, and let cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).
Before serving, run a hot knife around edges of cheesecake to loosen, and remove sides of pan. Arrange gingerbread cookies in center of cake in a circle (with heads facing inward and arms touching, alternating light and dark

Punch à crème

12 eggs
6 tin condense milk
2 tins carnation milk
4 tbs bitters
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
2 tsp nutmeg
2  lime
1 bottle rum/vodka/punchline  (located in Asian shops)

In a large bowl, beat eggs with 1 entire lime skin peel until frothy.  Remove lime peel from eggs and transfer to blender.  Grate 1/2 tsp lime peel into eggs and blend. Add milks, spices and rum last. You can use 1/2 bottle first then add to your peference. Blend well. Shake bottle before serving. Chill and enjoy.
(Please make sure to blend your ingredients well before adding your rum. Also, if you plan to keep for long period,  please shake bottle every week at beginning. )

It is very important to use clean and sanitised equipments and bottles. This recipe makes approximately four 750ml bottles.

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
​
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.)