Things to cook this weekend

I have titled this column "Things to cook this Weekend" because in an ordinary year this would be a very long weekend on our twin islands. The holiday and partying atmosphere would resonate through the week, with Monday being the Indian Arrival Day holiday and Thursday being Corpus Christi, making it two long weekends. We love to add-on days to make every mid -week holiday into a long weekend, it’s in our DNA.

But this is not an ordinary year and these are not ordinary times, so for you this week, I’m thinking on things I would love to eat, especially if I were entertaining.

My cassava pops recipe is ideal for a snack, the accras are the perfect breakfast or brunch item, especially delicious if you swap out the wheat flour for cassava flour.

Pepper squid is a great favourite of mine, and an addictive cutter. The watermelon and mint granita is a refreshing and delicious ending to any meal.

Enjoy your cooking this week, these recipes are a wonderful additions to your recipe collection.

Cassava pops

1 lb peeled 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 spoonfuls into hot oil.

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

Remove and drain.

Serve with tamarind sauce or chilli sauce.

Serves 4 to 6 as a snack

Watermelon, lime and mint granita

4 cups cubed watermelon, seeds removed

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tbs fresh lime juice

Fresh mint for garnish

Have ready a chilled 9x9x2 inch pan.

Place watermelon and sugar and lime into a blender.

Process until smooth. Pour into pan and freeze.

After one hour stir the mixture and scrape and mash frozen bits.

Freeze again and repeat until you have all flaky crystals.

Cover with foil and stir once again before serving.

Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Makes 6 servings.

Cassava flour saltfish accras

½ lb salted cod, washed and soaked overnight in lime

1 lime

1 large onion, grated

1 pimento pepper seeded and chopped

½ cup chopped chives

2 tbs French thyme

1 tbs chopped celery

1 cup cassava flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp allspice powder

½ cup milk

Wash salt fish in lime juice and water, strip and squeeze.

Place in a mixing bowl, add onion, pepper, thyme, chives, celery, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add flour, baking powder, and all spice .mix.

Add enough milk to make a thick batter, add more milk if needed.

Preheat oil and drop by spoonfuls the size of a small egg.

Fry until golden, drain.

Makes 15

For regular accras swap out the cassava flour for all-purpose flour.

Pepper fried squid

1 lb squid tubes or tentacles

1 lemon or lime

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp pepper powder, scorpion or habanero

1 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 cup milk

Coconut oil to fry

2 onions cut into strips

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1 or 2 hot peppers, thinly sliced

3 pimento peppers thinly sliced

¼ cup coconut oil

½ cup chopped chives and chadon beni or cilantro .

Rinse squid well, squeeze a bit of lime or lemon juice into a bowl of water and immerse squid, rinse quickly.

Combine flour with pepper powder, salt, garlic and onion powder, place in a plate.

Place milk in a shallow bowl.

Heat oil in a deep fry pan to about 2 inches.

Dredge squid pieces in flour mixture then in milk and then in flour mixture .

Deep fry in hot oil until golden.

Drain.

Meanwhile heat oil in a wok or frying pan.

When smoking add the onions, garlic and peppers.

Stir and fry until tender and fragrant.

Add the fried squid and stir and fry briefly to combine all the ingredients and coat the squid with the peppery oil and aromatics.

Remove to a plate and garnish generously with chopped chives and chadon beni or cilantro.

Serves 6 as an appetiser.