New year cookup

AS I write this 2019 is quietly slipping away with the New Year a mere three days away. May God shower his blessings upon you for a safe, healthy, prosperous and happy 2020.

To celebrate today I have pulled a few of my favourite recipes through the years. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do and I hope you continue cooking right through 2020.

Cassava pops

1 lb peeled raw cassava, cut into 2 inch pieces, centre vein removed

1 tbs baking powder

⅓ cup all- purpose flour

1 egg

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp all spice powder

¼ cup finely chopped chives

1 pimento pepper, seeded and finely chopped

4 blades chadon beni finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp pepper sauce

coconut oil to fry.

Place cassava, baking powder and flour into a food processor, process until mixture resembles a paste. Add the rest of the ingredients and process only until mixture is

Fully combined.

Heat oil in a wok or deep pan.

Spoon mixture by small spoonful’s into hot oil.

Fry until golden and puffed, a few minutes per side.

Remove and drain.

Serve with tamarind sauce or chili sauce.

Serves 4 to 6 as a snack .

Sweet and sour Caribbean slaw

2 cups grated red cabbage

1 cup grated green cabbage

1 carrot grated

1 red onion, grated

1 bell pepper, julienne

1 tbs sesame seeds

Dressing:

1 cup vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

⅓ cup brown sugar

1 tsp sesame oil

Place all the vegetables into a salad bowl.

Bring the vinegar to a boil, add sugar and cook for one minute until sugar dissolves.

Stir in garlic and sesame oil.

Cool and pour onto salad and toss.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serves 6

Tropical fruit salad with brown sugar passion fruit syrup

1 small watermelon, flesh cut into chunks

18 cups assorted fresh fruit, cut into chunks (mango, papaya, carambola, pineapple, grapes, bananas)

Brown sugar passion fruit syrup

1 cup brown sugar

1 vanilla bean

⅓ cup water

⅓ cup passion fruit pulp

Slit vanilla bean into two, scrape seeds from the pod and place in a saucepan with sugar and water.

Boil until bubbly then continue cooking until sugar is dissolved and thick.

Remove, cool and add passion fruit pulp.

Place fruit into a large glass serving bowl, spoon syrup onto fruit and gently toss.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 20

Grilled lobster with a French Caribbean twist

2 lobsters live or frozen

⅓ cup butter

In a large pot, heat 3 quarts of water, add 2 tbs salt and bring water to a boil.

Plunge lobsters into water, head first.

Cover and heat to boiling, reduce heat and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove lobster and drain.

Place lobsters on their backs, cut into halves, lengthways with a sharp knife.

Remove stomach, which is just behind the head, and remove the intestinal vein which rund

from the tip of the tail to the stomach.

Crack the claws.

Place tails meat side up on the baking pan, drizzle with some of the melted butter.

Broil 3 inches from heat until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove and serve with sauce.

Serves 2 to 3

French Caribbean hot sauce

1 red onion, peeled and chopped

¼ cup chopped chives

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ hot pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ cup chopped parsley

juice of 2 large limes or 3 limes

2 tbs olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup boiling water

Combine the first 5 ingredients

Stir in the lime juice

Season with salt and pepper

Pour on the boiling water then cover and leave for 5 to 10 minutes

Serve spooned over the lobster.