My favourite snacks

It’s party time right here right now. Lots of visitors and lots of liming with friends and family. There is always the need for shareable treats whether they are sweet or savoury. Here are some of my personal favourites and recipes I make over and over to share. Happy cooking and keep it local, remember if you have foreign visitors they always welcome treats with Trini flavour!

Brown coconut tart

Pastry

1¼ cups all -purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

4 ozs unsalted butter

¼-½ cup ice water

Filling

2 cups freshly grated coconut

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp grated nutmeg

shaving of tonka

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 cup full fat milk

3 beaten eggs

Combine flour with salt and sugar.

Make the pastry by cutting butter into flour until mixture resembles peas.

Add the iced water gradually until mixture can be pressed together with your fingers.

Bring all the flour mixture together, pat into a flat circle and refrigerate for one hour or more.

Place all filling ingredients into a double boiler, cook for 12 minutes, remove.

Preheat oven to 375F

Roll pastry to fit into an 8-inch pie plate.

Pour filling into pastry shell.

Bake for 40 minutes until deep golden in colour.

Super fudgy Trinitario cocoa brownies

Servings: 24 2-inch brownies

1 cup /8ozs unsalted butter

2¼ cup brown sugar

1½ cups unsweetened Trinidad cocoa

4 eggs, large

1 tbs Angostura cocoa bitters

1 tsp vanilla or grated Tonka

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp sea salt

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat to 350°F. Line a 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan with parchment paper (bring parchment up sides of pan so there is a slight overhang).

Melt the butter in a heavy medium-sized saucepan. Stir in cocoa powder and sugar, remove from heat.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl, stir in cocoa bitters vanilla or tonka.

Combine flour with salt and walnuts.

Add eggs to chocolate mixture and stir vigorously, add flour and stir gently to incorporate.

Pour the batter into the prepared. Bake for about 30-35 minutes, until the top has formed a shiny crust and the batter is moderately firm. Cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Cut into squares. Makes about 12

Cassava pops

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

1 tbs baking powder

1/3 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 chili sauce.

Serves 4 to 6 as a snack .

Lambie souse

2 lbs lambie, cleaned, tenderized and chopped

1 onion

1 cucumber

2 large limes, juiced

½ cup chopped parsley

¼ cup chopped cilantro or chadon beni

1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper.

1 lime sliced

Steam lambie for about 3 to 4 minutes, remove and drain.

Place in a glass bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and cover and refrigerate for about 3 to 4 hours.

Serve cold

Serves 4 to 6

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