Category: Caribbean

One Pot Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes

Note: I was sent an 11-Inch NanoBond Skillet from Hestan Culinary in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

Before I get to this awesome recipe for One Pot Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes, I wanted to share with you a new addition to my kitchen that I’m madly in love with. One of the most important tools in any cook’s kitchen is a skillet. I use my skillets more than any other pot/pan in my house (although my Dutch oven gets a pretty good workout too). So having a good, sturdy, evenly cooking skillet is super important. I’m not exactly kind to my pots and pans… they get frequent use, and my husband isn’t the best at remembering not to use metal utensils on my non-stick cookware (sigh)… so having a skillet that can put up with some abuse is really important to me.

Which is why I’m so excited to share the 11-Inch NanoBond Skillet from Hestan Culinary, handcrafted in Italy. Not only is it beautiful, the NanoBond technology makes this skillet darn near indestructible.

Here are some of the features:

  • Molecular titanium bonds thousands of nanolayers for a lifetime of beauty
  • 400% stronger than stainless steel
  • 35% better heat conduction than aluminum-clad cookware

Additionally, the skillet is high-heat tolerant to 1050°F! So it’s perfect for searing meats or even cooking right on the grill.

To test out my new skillet, I wanted to make something I’ve been craving for a while now: Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes.

This one pot (or skillet) wonder simmers chicken and potatoes in a seasoned curry sauce until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs and drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Jamaican mild curry powder (I used Jamaican Choice)
  • 1 habanero pepper
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold Potatoes, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs, plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • cooked rice, for serving

Continue reading One Pot Jamaican Curry Chicken and Potatoes

Soup Joumou (Haitian Beef and Squash Soup)

Happy New Year! There are a bunch of traditional dishes around the world to help usher in a new year. In past years, I’ve shared a Black Eyed Peas Hash, Black Eyed Peas with Collard Greens, and a bunch of recipe for what to do with the leftover champagne (assuming you have any), like this Champagne Risotto Primavera and these Honey Citrus Champagne Cupcakes.

Some traditional dishes eaten on New Year’s Day have less to do with the new year and more to do with a country’s history. So this year, I’m sharing my adaptation of an Independence Stew from Haiti. Celebrated every January 1, Haiti proclaimed independence from French colonials on New Year’s Day 1804 following a 13 year revolution. Soup Joumou, a comforting stew traditionally made with beef, pumpkin, pasta, and a bunch of veggies and spices, has become a New Year’s Day dish to commemorate Haiti’s independence.

I adapted this recipe from Epicurious, scaling it down quite a bit and swapping butternut squash for the pumpkin because I couldn’t find any pumpkin that wasn’t already pureed.

 

Ingredients:

Marinade:

  • 1/2 small onion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bell pepper (any color), coarsely chopped
  • 1 scallion, coarsely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/4 cup parsley leaves
  • 1 basil leaf
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

Remaining Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup plus 1/2 tablespoon distilled white vinegar, divided
  • 1 pound stew beef cubes
  • 7 cups chicken or beef broth, divided
  • 2 beef bones
  • 1 pound butternut squash, cut into cubes
  • 2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), finely chopped
  • 1 large carrot, sliced
  • 1/4 small green cabbage (about 1/2 pound), very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 small onion, sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, finely chopped
  • 1 small turnip, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon habanero chile hot sauce, or to taste
  • 1 cup uncooked rigatoni
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 parsley sprig (optional)
  • 1 thyme sprig (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (omit to make dairy free)

Continue reading Soup Joumou (Haitian Beef and Squash Soup)

Coquito

‘Tis the season for coquito! If you’ve never had coquito before, it’s a bit like eggnog.

Coquito means “little coconut,” and gets its flavor from coconut milk, cream of coconut, rum, and spices. For my version, I also used a coconut spiced rum to really up the flavor!

Coquito is a traditional Christmas drink that originated in Puerto Rico, but there are versions of it throughout the Caribbean. It’s absolutely delicious, plus it’s really easy to make!

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (8 oz) white rum (I used a coconut spiced rum)
  • 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 (15 oz) can cream of coconut
  • 1 (13.5 oz can) coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
  • cinnamon sticks, for garnish

Continue reading Coquito

Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane with Coconut Rum Glaze

I live in an apartment that has no outdoor space, so we clearly do not have access to a grill, which is causing me to only want grilled food! Luckily, I have a grill pan so I can get my fix, and I’ve been using it nonstop!

 

 

A really simple weeknight favorite of mine is to grill up some shrimp and serve over rice. This recipe is quick and easy to make, but delivers on flavor! Blue Chair Bay Rum sent me a bottle of their Coconut Rum that I knew would be perfect for a glaze on grilled shrimp. The glaze caramelizes beautifully, adding a nice char and sweetness to the shrimp.

 

I adapted this recipe from a Cooking Light recipe, adding more hints of coconut to play off of the Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • the juice of one lime
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 24 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 6 sugarcane swizzle sticks, each cut into 2 pieces
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup Blue Chair Bay Coconut Rum
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Cooking spray
  • Coconut rice, if desired

Continue reading Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane with Coconut Rum Glaze

Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk

Next week, many Philadelphia restaurants will be participating in Caribbean Cuisine Week.

The week, held from April 8th – April 10th this year, helps raise funds to send over 700 high school athletes from Trinidad, Jamaica, St. Vincent and Grenada to attend the 2015 Penn Relays.

 

The Penn Relays is the largest track and field meet in the United States and draws over 110,000 people to Philadelphia each Spring.

 

 

CCW partners with restaurants throughout Center City by encouraging the Chefs to prepare Caribbean inspired dishes and offer as specials. The restaurants will donate 5% of food proceeds from the three day period to help bring the students to Philadelphia.

 

The list of participating restaurants can be found here. One of the restaurants participating, 48th Street Grille in West Philly, invited some local bloggers to check out their offerings. 48th Street Grille is a Caribbean-American restaurant led by Executive Chef Carl Lewis Sr. who is originally from Jamaica and brings the flavors and spirit of his home to his food.

 

 

Appetizers included garlic roasted shrimp, jerk chicken quesadillas, 5 island wings, and my personal favorite, conch fritters.

 

Garlic Roasted Shrimp
Jerk Chicken Quesadillas
5 Island Wings

Fried Conch Fritters

 

We were also treated to quite a few of their entrees, including sweet chili glazed salmon, jerk chicken, and savory curried chicken, which were all amazing. I am fairly certain I had dreams about the curried chicken sauce that night (I loved it so much, I didn’t even take a photo! boo), while my fiance was wowed by the flavors and tenderness of the jerk chicken.

 

Chili Glazed Salmon
Jerk Chicken

 

In case we weren’t full enough, we were also served mashed yams with scallions, green beans, and braised cabbage.

 

Mashed Yams with Scallions
Green Beans
Braised Cabbage

 

I wanted to share with you a Caribbean-inspired recipe given to me by CCW, in case you don’t live in the area and can’t participate next week.

I turned this recipe for Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk into a main dish by serving it over coconut rice, but it also would work well as an appetizer.

Ingredients:

  • 2 (14 oz) cans lite coconut milk, divided
  • 1.5 cups uncooked rice (or about 1 can full)
  • 2 tablespoons margarine
  • 1 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons curry
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers, diced (I used an assortment of green, red, and orange peppers)
  • 1/2 cup plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Continue reading Curry Shrimp in Coconut Milk

Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

I have been in full on grilling mode recently. I can’t seem to get enough of recipes made on the grill! So as the end of summer continues to creep closer, I am trying to get in all of the grilling I can. As much as I would love to grill in the colder months, I’m a wimp and know I just won’t stand out in the cold.

 

 

I’ve used indoor counter top grills in the past and really wasn’t thrilled with the cooking results — it didn’t seem to heat up enough to get proper grill marks, all of the juices would flow out of the grill making for a very dry protein, and I’d always under or overcook the meat.

 

Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/

 

So when I was contacted to test out the T-fal OptiGrill as part of T-fal’s OptiGrill Blogger Bash, I had some reservations about if this grill would really live up to expectations. Well, I was really pleasantly surprised! What sets the OptiGrill apart is its Precision Grilling Technology that adjusts the cooking time and temperature depending on the type of protein and the thickness of whatever you’re cooking.

 

Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/

 

The T-fal OptiGrill has a cooking level indicator  with a color changing display that notifies you when your protein has reached rare, medium, or well-done. It also beeps when your food reaches each of the cooking stages. (Keep in mind that if you want your meat to rest before slicing, it continues to cook. So if you wanted a steak at medium rare and planned to let it rest for 5 minutes, you should probably take it out when the OptiGrill hits the “rare” notification.)

 

Source: https://optigrill.t-falusa.com/

 

The grill comes pre-programmed with 6 settings that adapt cooking temperature and times for different types of food: burger, poultry, sandwich, pork/sausage, red meat, and fish/seafood. There is also a frozen food function button so that you can cook your protein even when frozen; just push the snowflake button and then one of the 6 pre-programmed buttons.  The grill will defrost and cook the protein in one easy step! When cooking fruits and veggies, just use the manual mode, which allows you to determine when the food is done cooking. The OptiGrill also takes into account the thickness of your food using an integrated thickness sensor so that the protein is fully cooked correctly.

 

 

The grill is made of brushed stainless steel with die-cast aluminum plates with a non-stick coating. The plates are removable for easy cleaning and are even dishwasher safe. The plates are angled so that drippings can flow into the removable drip tray, which surprisingly doesn’t leave the meat tough, dry, or chewy.

 

 

Want to see the grill in action? I decided to test it out with a yummy recipe from Cooking Light that uses both chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Chicken is so easy to overcook leaving a dry meal so I thought it would be a perfect way to test what this grill can really handle. This recipe also includes grilled pineapple so I was able to test out the manual setting as well. I made the marinade from this recipe for Jerk-style Chicken and the salsa from this recipe for Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa.

 

 

I also am giving away one T-fal OptiGrill to one lucky reader, courtesy of T-fal OptiGrill! Details below the recipe.

 

 Note: I was sent a T-fal OptiGrill to test for this review. T-fal is also offering one I Can Cook That reader the chance to win their own T-Fal OptiGrill. All opinions are my own.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon grated lime rind
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice plus 1 tablespoon, divided (about 3 limes)
  • 1 tablespoon ground allspice
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (substitute 1 tablespoon molasses to make paleo)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1  1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
  • 3 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 2 (1-inch) slices fresh pineapple
  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/3 cups sliced green onions

Continue reading Jerk Chicken with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

Cooking Light’s August issue had a recipe for Pickapeppa Chicken and Mango Kebabs (that I plan on making soon) that required me to buy a bottle of Pickapeppa sauce. I had never heard of this sauce before and I was intrigued. It’s a Caribbean condiment referred to as “Jamaican ketchup” that is basically a sweeter A1 sauce, made with tomatoes, onions, mangoes, peppers, and other spices.

I thought this sauce sounded like it would be great on shrimp, so I decided to incorporate it into another Cooking Light recipe from the same issue: Gazpacho with Shrimp.

Ingredients:

  • 1 (10-ounce) container grape tomatoes, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups sliced English cucumber, divided
  • 1 cup diced red bell pepper, divided  (about 2 peppers)
  • 3/4 cup diced Vidalia or other sweet onion, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 5/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes, drained
  • The juice of one lemon
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ cup pickapeppa sauce
  • 20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 8 ounces)

Continue reading Gazpacho with Grilled Pickapeppa Shrimp

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