Carnival food for the road

It’s Carnival weekend here in Trinidad and Tobago, lots to see, lots to do, lots to enjoy. It’s a time most of us look forward to every year whether it's for the feteing, the shows, soca music or pan; traditional and modern, young and old alike there is something around for everyone to enjoy.

It’s also a lucrative time for food vendors and fast food outlets, as they pull their portable kitchens roadside and peddle their wares so to speak. On Carnival Monday and Tuesday there’ll be no shortage of corn soup, boiled corn, shark and bake, Indian delicacies just to name a few.

If you’re not one to "eat off the street" and you’re going to do some serious liming this weekend, then you may want to take some portable and tasty snacks along with you.

Pies and accras are great snack foods and can be a light meal as well, you can even make them ahead of time and freeze them.The accra batter can also be frozen. Whatever your choice, take them (pies or accra batter), out of the freezer the night before you’ll need them and store them in the fridge. Dress them up with a little pepper or chutney if you wish and away you go for a fun loving time this Carnival! Happy Carnival, be safe, stay hydrated and enjoy!

Spicy Caribbean fish pies

1 lb boneless fish fillets,steamed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

½ tsp fresh lime juice

½ cup finely chopped mixed herbs (parsley, thyme,chadon beni, chives)

1 large potato, peeled, boiled and crushed

2 large cloves garlic, minced

oil for frying

Flake fish and remove bones, add all other ingredients.

Taste and adjust seasoning

Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

4 tbsp shortening

Make the dough by combining flour, with baking powder, salt and butter. Add water to make a soft but pliable and non-sticky dough.

Knead into a ball and let rest

Divide dough into 10 pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. Rest for 5 minutes.

Roll each piece of dough into a 5-inch circle, place about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling onto the lower portion of the circle, and bring the upper portion over lower portion to cover in a half-moon shape.

Seal and continue until all the dough and filling are used up.

Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry pies until golden brown.

Drain and serve.

Makes 10 pies.

Baked arepas

Dough

2 cups corn meal

1 cup flour

3 tsp baking powder

½ cup butter (regular or unsalted)

1 tsp brown sugar

½ tsp salt

water to knead

Combine all the dry ingredients, add butter and rub into mixture, add enough warm water to make a soft dough. Divide into 16 pieces, cover with a wet tea towel.

Filling

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 cup chopped fresh herbs, chives, thyme, celery, parsley

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 pimento peppers, chopped

½ hot pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 lb beef, ground

2 slices bread crumbled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in frying pan, add herbs, garlic, pepper and onion, sauté until tender about 4 minutes, add beef cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add a little water or broth to moisten if necessary.

If beef seems lumpy put it into your food processor bowl and process for 30 secs, just until fine.

Add crumbled bread and combine,

Season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste.

Cool.

Preheat oven to 375F

Have a small bowl with a little vegetable oil handy.

Form dough into balls, rub with oil.

Press to about 4 to 5-inch widths, fill, fold to a half-moon shape, seal with a fork and place on a lined baking sheet,

Brush arepas with oil and bake for 20 minutes.

Cool on racks

Makes 16

Aloo pies

Dough

2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 tbs butter or shortening

Filling

1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters

salt

1 small onion finely chopped

¼ cup finely chopped chive

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pimento pepper seeded and chopped

½ Congo pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)

2 tsp ground roasted geera

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

Make the dough by combining flour, with baking powder, salt and butter. Add water to make a soft but pliable and non-sticky dough.

Knead into a ball and let rest

Meanwhile boil potatoes with a little salt until tender, when cooked, drain and crush well with a potato masher.

Add garlic, geera, peppers, onion, chive salt and ground black pepper.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Divide dough into 8 pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. Rest for 5 minutes.

Roll each piece of dough into a 5-inch circle, place about 1-2 tablespoon onto the lower portion of the circle, and bring the upper portion over lower portion to cover in a half moon shape.

Seal and continue until all the dough and filling are used up.

Heat oil in a frying pan and shallow fry pies until golden brown.

Drain and fill with chutney.

Makes 8 pies.

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 flour

2 tsp baking 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 and baking powder, 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 1

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