Trying new cuisines can sometimes be daunting. Here are 8 Caribbean recipes made easy to help make being adventurous a little less troubling.
Spicy Jerk Prawn Tacos
A Caribbean twist on a Mexican dish.
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 4
What you’ll need:
300g of raw peeled king prawns
1 1/2 tbsp of jerk chicken paste or powder
Can of black beans, drained
1/2 red onion, sliced
8 taco shells
2 Gem lettuces, shredded
A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
Method:
Stir the prawns and jerk paste together in a bowl and set aside.
Tip the beans into a bowl along with the onion and coriander, Warm the taco shells following pack instructions.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the prawns and cook for 2-3 mins or until cooked through.
To build the tacos, start with a handful of lettuce, followed by the bean salad, then top with the prawns.
Jerk Chicken
Traditional Jamaican jerk chicken. Perfect for a summers evening.
Cook: 30 mins
Serves: 6
What you’ll need:
12 Chicken thighs
1/2 a lime
1/2 an onion
Chopped spring onions
3 garlic cloves
Tbsp of thyme
2 tbsp of soy sauce
3 tbsp of brown sugar
3 scotch bonnet chillis (if you’re hardcore)
Method:
To make the jerk marinade, combine chopped spring onions,garlic cloves, onion, 3 scotch bonnet chillies thyme juice of lime, soy sauce and brown sugar
Taste the jerk mixture for seasoning – and more salt, chilli or sugar to reach the preferred taste
Make a few slashes in the chicken thighs and pour the marinade over the meat, rubbing it into all the crevices. Cover and leave to marinate for a few hours or even overnight the fridge.
When ready to cook, heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put the chicken pieces in a roasting tin with 1 halved lime and cook for 45 mins until tender and cooked through.
Rice and Peas
This Caribbean recipe goes perfectly with jerk chicken, and almost anything else.
Cook: 30
Serves: 4
What you’ll need:
200g of basmati rice
Can of coconut milk
2 cans of kidney beans, drained
Method:
Rinse 200g basmati rice in plenty of cold water, then tip it into a large saucepan
Add coconut milk
Season with salt, add 300ml cold water and set over high heat. Once the rice begins to boil, turn it down to a medium heat, cover and cook for 10 mins.
Add two 410g cans drained kidney beans to the rice, then cover with a lid. Leave off the heat for 5 mins until all the liquid is absorbed.
Rum Punch
Quick n easy to rustle up, but really packs a punch.
Cook: 5mins
Serves: a whole heap of people
What you’ll need:
2 1/2 cups of pineapple juice
2 1/2 cups of orange juice
1 cup of rum liqeour (ie Malibu)
1 cup of white rum (ie Bacardi)
1 cup of dark rum (ie Captin Morgan)
1/4 fresh lime juice
3 tbsp of brown sugar
Method:
Pour it all in a large mixing bowl.
That’s literally it.
Bonus tip: add some fresh fruit to garnish
Exotic Avocado Salad
A Caribbean recipe perfect for a fresh and fruity lunch.
Cook time: 20mins
Serves: 2
What you’ll need:
1 ripe papaya or mango
1 ripe avocado
A salad bag
A handful of fresh mint
Juice of half a lime
Tsp of olive oil
Method:
Peal and chop the mango or papaya and place in large mixing bowl.
Cut avocado into small chunks and add to bowl. Pour salad bag into the bowl.
Cook macaroni to package instructions, once cooked, drain and set aside
In a large bowl, beat eggs until fluffy. Add milk, pepper and salt.
Stir in 3 cups of cheese and the cooked macaroni
Pour mixture into baking dish and top with the left over 1/2 cup of cheese
Bake until firm for 35mins
Sticky Jamaican Ginger Cake
The Caribbean recipe for a perfect sweet and sticky dessert
Cook: 1hr 15mins
Serves: 5
What you’ll need:
200g of plain flour
3 tsp of ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
80g stem ginger, chopped
3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
125ml full fat milk
85g golden syrup
85g dark muscavado sugar
85g salted butter
pinch salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas mark 6
Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. Add the stem ginger and toss. Mix in the bicarbonate of sodaand the milk.
Heat thegolden syrup, sugar, salt and butter over a low heat, stirring regularly, until melted.
Add this to the flour and beat vigourously until smooth. Beat in the egg
Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake for 1 hr
Beef Patties
Typical Jamaican street food. A Caribbean recipe ideal for a little snack or light lunch.
Cook: 1hr 20mins
Serves: 7
What you’ll need:
Ready to roll shortcrust pastry
500g minced beef
1 1/2 chopped onions
3 cloves of chopped garlic
1 tsp of black pepper
3 teaspoons curry powder
1 tsp of dried thyme
1 tsp of paprika
2 chopped tomatoes, cut in small pieces
2 Scotch bonnet chillies, finely chopped
Method:
Add oil to pot and heat. Add onions, garlic and mince. When mince is browned add curry powder, thyme, paprika, salt, black pepper and scotch bonnet pepper and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes until tomatoes are softened.
Cut a piece of the pastry on a floured board and roll out flat. Pour the curried mince mixture onto half of the pastry andfold the other half of the circle over
Press the joined edges with a fork. You should now have half a moon shape. Prick the patties with a fork (2 to 3 times) to allow the steam to release.
Place in a pre-heated oven (180 C / Gas 4) for about 20 to 30 minutes.
I just know you’re going to enjoy these as much as I do. Be sure to send us in some pics of your take on these delicious Caribbean recipes.
