The History of Caribbean Food & Entertainment

The Caribbean Islands are a tapestry of different cultures woven together which create a unique blend of flavours and cuisines known the world over for being fresh, healthy and delicious.

Sugar was the main crop of the West Indies and the reason why the African people were en-slaved in the Caribbean to work on the Plantations, along with many other crops which we now see in our supermarkets today
This in turn brought the British, Irish, Dutch, Spanish and French all in search of their fortunes.

What really defines Caribbean food is its wonderful array of herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables used in everyday cooking and which add exotic flavour to ordinary dishes. For example Jerk seasoning which is commonly used to flavour meat before cooking was used primary for the preservation of meat before refrigeration.

There are currently fruits and vegetables that has been introduced to the Islands that had become as common as the clear blue skies and aqua marine water.

One in particular is the advocado which originated in Mexico. Unlike most vegetables did you know they contain up to 17 % of fat. Weight watchers beware.

Another introduce fruit that is commonly used is the breadfruit which was introduced from the Pacific Islands. This fruit is now one of the most common trees now seen on the islands and constitutes a cheap staple meal for the less fortunate.

Below are a few recipies for you to try. Hope you enjoy the taste of the Caribbean

Pumpkin Soup,

1/3 cup spilt peas
4 cups ham or chicken stock
1 half cups chopped pumpkin
1 onion chopped
1 slice of bacon fried and crumbled
salt and pepper
mixed herbs
parsley chopped

Soak the spit peas overnight,rinse the split peas and add them to the stock with all the other ingredients except the parsley. Simmer until the pumpkin and split peas are tender the liquidise. Serve and garnished with parsley serves 6 Enjoy

Banana Chicken

4 chicken pieces
2tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
4tsp curry powder
oil for frying
2 bananas
1 cup 6 oz rice
2/3 limes

Mix the flour ,salt and curry powder and coat the chicken, with it.Fry the chicken in the oil until golden brown and then reduce the heat,cover and cook for a further 15 min until tender. Halve the bananas and add them to cook for 5 mins,meanwhile cook rice in boiling salted water,for about twenty mins until tender adding half a lime.To serve spread the rice on a serving dish,add the chicken and banana pieces and garnish with slices of lime. serves four Enjoy

Caramelised pineapple with tamarind ice cream
serves 4
four egg yolks
10oz caster sugar
1 half pint of milk
1vanilla pod
4oz tamarind puree
2 measure of rum
1 half pint of double cream
1 small fresh pineapple
8oz butter
3 sprigs of fresh mint

To make the ice-cream, whisk the yolks with half the sugar until double in volume. Boil the milk and add the vanilla pod.Whiks into the yolk mixture, return to a clean pan and put on a very low heat. Add the tamarind and rum. Add the cream and place in and ice-cream machine. Churn and leave to freeze.

Meanwhile, peel the pineapple, take out the hard core and slice into 3cm thick pieces. Place the remaining sugar in a pan with the butter and cook until the mixture starts to caramelize, then add the pineapple. When it is nicely coated place in a serving bowl, put a generous scoop of ice-cream on the pineapple and garnish with mint. Enjoy

Rum Punch

serves two
juice of 2 limes
juice of 3 oranges
juice of 1 pineapple
3 double whots of white rum
mixed fruit
crushed ice
strawberry syrup

mix the fruit juices and rums and chill,dice the fruit and add to the punce so it can soak up the flavour. Finish with crushed ice and a splash of strawberry syrup. Enjoy