Bright Caribbean flavours

Tired of eating the same thing every day? Looking for a change?

Why not look inwards to our very own Caribbean ingredients? You will be surprised at the taste sensations you can create simply by changing the way the ingredients are treated and flavoured.

A simple fresh fruit salad can be transformed by adding a brown sugar and passion fruit syrup, sweet potatoes can be mashed and uplifted with cheese and peppers, chicken can be spit-roasted and painted with a guava-based barbecue sauce and cornmeal can be fried up arepa style and topped with a luscious creamy crab for a fabulous appetiser. So, explore the beauty of our Caribbean ingredients and wow yourself in your home kitchen!

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 or 1 tsp shaved tonka

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

Arepa coins with creamy crab

2 cups yellow cornmeal

2 cups hot water

½ cup butter

2 tsp salt

½ cup grated cheese

½ cup chopped chives

vegetable oil to fry

Combine butter with cornmeal and rub into flour, add cheese, chives and salt, add water and knead to a soft dough.

Roll to ½-inch thickness and stamp out 1½-inch diameter pieces.

Preheat oil in frying pan and shallow fry until golden and cooked, about 5 minutes.

Drain and serve topped with topping of your choice. salsa, spicy shrimp, creamy crab.

Makes 32

Creamy crab

1 cup crab meat, picked over

⅓ cup mayonnaise

½ tsp pepper sauce

1 tsp fresh lime juice

salt to taste

¼ cup finely chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, chives and parsley)

Combine all the ingredients, spoon onto arepa coins and serve immediately.

For a lighter side: Use low-fat mayonnaise

Split roasted chicken with guava rum glaze

1 4½ lb chicken, split into two, washed and cleaned

Marinade:

2 tbs red wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic minced

2 tbs fresh oregano, chopped or minced

2 tbs minced chives

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbs olive oil

Combine all the marinade ingredients and rub onto the chicken, taking care to get the marinade under the skin as well.

Cover and refrigerate for about one hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place the chicken on a baking rack and place in oven, cook for about 40 minutes until browned on both sides.

Baste chicken with guava glaze, turn and baste other side.

Do not leave too long in the oven with the glaze it will burn easily.

Guava rum glaze

1 cup guava paste

2 tbs ketchup

4 tbs white vinegar

2 tsp yellow mustard

1 tbs brown sugar

1 tbs molasses

¾ tsp cumin

¼ tsp each allspice and nutmeg

2 tsp grated onion

2 tsp minced garlic

4 tbs rum

salt to taste

2 tbs vegetable oil

In a small saucepan, heat vegetable oil, add onion and garlic, stir to combine, add the rest of the ingredients, cook slowly until well combined and smooth.

Cook until bubbly.

Remove from heat and baste chicken.

Makes about 1 cup.

Refrigerate unused glaze, it would keep for up to 2 weeks.

You can use this on grilled mahi mahi or kingfish fillets or grilled steak as well.

Sweet potato mash

1 large sweet potato, 12- oz in weight

2 English potatoes

½ cup milk

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pimento pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ cup chopped chives

½ cup grated cheese, optional

Boil potatoes, peel and mash.

Add milk and salt and pepper.

Combine.

Heat oil in a small frying pan and sauté onions, garlic and pepper, for just one minute.

Add to potatoes, add chives and cheese if using.

Place in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with cheese if using.

Broil or grill until cheese is melted.

Garnish with chopped chives.

Serves 4 to 6

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