Yummm! Bajan Fried Fish

That's right folks, we're going to Barbados!!! I will try very hard to minimize my Bajan pride in this post, but if I start to bubble or gush, please know I cannot help it! LOL



Coo-coo and flying fish is the national dish of Barbados. Breaded and fried flying fish is a popular snack or meal, considered very popular based on the unique and delicious Seasoning.

Bajan Fried Fish

Recipe Courtesy of Totally Barbados

Ingredients:

Fish fillets to serve 4
2 limes (use one if they are large and juicy)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons Bajan seasoning (See Below)
1 egg
1 cup 5oz/155g extra fine breadcrumbs
1 cup 5oz/155g flour
Salt and white pepper to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fish multi purpose seasoning (optional)
Oil for frying (Canola or Olive are reputedly healthier)

Squeeze the limes into a bowl with ¾ cup of water, add the salt and place the fish to soak for about ½ hour. Remove the fish, rinse and pat dry.

Whisk the egg in a medium bowl with some salt and white pepper and if you are doing fish, the seasoning. Put the fish into the egg and seasoning mixture. It is best if the fish is allowed to sit in the egg for an hour or so to allow the flavours to permeate.

Mix the flour, breadcrumbs, white pepper, paprika and a little salt. This is one of those occasions when you can add various seasonings out of your kitchen cupboard like fish magic, onion and garlic powder, dried herbs or whatever takes your fancy.

Heat very shallow oil for fish, in a large frying pan over a medium/high heat. Shake off excess egg, coat in the breadcrumb mixture, shake again and place in the oil when it is hot enough (It should sizzle slightly when the item is placed in it). Fry the fish over the medium/high heat for a couple of minutes on each side. Fish needs very little cooking and is overcooked very easily. If frying flying fish place it skin side up first.

Drain on absorbent paper and place on a warm dish.

Bajan Seasoning
(This will keep in the fridge for up to six months)

Ingredients:

1½ cups vinegar
2 oz thyme
2 oz parsley
1 lb onions
5 oz green onions
2 oz marjoram
4 Scotch Bonnet peppers or habanero (add more to make it hotter)
4 oz garlic
½ oz ground clove
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp black pepper
4½ tbs salt

Directions:

Remove the stems from the thyme and marjoram and place in a blender with vinegar. Liquefy.
Place the onions, green onions, parsley, peppers and garlic in a food processor and process for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Blend this together with the seasoned vinegar in a mixing bowl.
Stir in the salt, Worcestershire sauce, ground clove and black pepper. Bottle and refrigerate.
Leave it to stand for one week, before using as required.

Yummm! I-tal ("Is Vital") Stew Peas

After a terrific time last week in Trinidad and Tobago, I am super excited to head on over to Jamaica!!!!!



Our recipe this week is for I-tal Stew Peas, a dish that is DELICIOUS and so good for you!!! Ital or I-tal (pronounced "eye'-tall") is food often celebrated by those in the Rastafari movement.

The word "I-tal" derives from the English word "vital", with the initial syllable replaced by i. This is done to many words in the Rastafari vocabulary to signify the unity of the speaker with all of nature.

I-tal ("Is Vital") Stew Peas

Recipe Courtesy of Jamaicans.com

Ingredients:

2 cups red peas (kidney beans)
2 whole scotch bonnet peppers (if you like it hot cut the pepper up)
¼ cup water
2 cups coconut milk
bay leaves
10 pimento grains (allspice)
cloves garlic (1 crushed and 3 whole)
3 chopped scallions
1 small onion chopped
3 sprigs of thyme
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon natural sea salt (sold in stores)
2 potatoes (Irish), cubed
1 sweet potato, cubed
3 carrots, sliced
Veggie spinners/dumplings (See Recipe Below)

Directions:

Soak the peas in water for a least 10-12 hours in the pot
Place coconut milk, bay leaves, scallion, pimento grain, whole garlic and whole pepper in the pot.
Slowly boil and simmer for 1 ½ hours or until the peas are tender.
Season by adding the onions, crushed garlic and thyme.
Add carrots, spinners and potatoes
Let simmer for 30 minutes
Remove the scallions, bay leaves and hot pepper before serving.
Serve hot with white rice.

Veggie Spinners

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour
Enough water to bind

Directions:

Place flour in a medium bowl.
Work mixture with hands while adding enough water to bind, making a stiff dough.
Roll into 1 inch long pieces, drop into boiling stew peas or soup.
Boil until they float or add them during the last 20mins of the cooking process.

If you have a Caribbean recipe you'd love to share, be sure to email me!

Yummm! Pelau Chicken

Happy Friday!! Our journey is far from over, as we leave Cuba for Trinidad and Tobago (Trini Massive, stand up!!)...



This week's recipe is an Indian/Caribbean hybrid of a dish that is one of my favorite Trini dishes!

Pelau Chicken

Recipe Courtesy of Island Flave

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs chicken (breasts or thighs)
2 limes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 cloves garlic -crushed
4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp oil
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups hot water
2 cups coconut milk
1 can pigeon peas (or green peas)
2 cups carrots
2 cups rice (NOT INSTANT!)
1 hot pepper (optional)

Directions:

Rinse chicken and rub with lime.

In a large bowl: add salt, black pepper, garlic, half of the brown sugar, and half of the Worcestershire sauce to chicken, then set aside (the longer you let it sit, the better the flavor!).

Heat oil in large deep pot. When hot, sprinkle in remaining brown sugar. Once sugar begins to bubble, add chicken and coat well until chicken is nicely browned.

Add carrots, rice, hot pepper, water and coconut milk. Mix well. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat 30-45 mins until rice is almost fully cooked. Do not stir while cooking.
Add pigeon peas. Continue cooking on low heat 10-15 mins until rice is fully cooked. Add additional Worcestershire sauce to taste.

If you have a Caribbean recipe you'd love to share, be sure to email me!

Yummm! Picadillo

After a DELICIOUS trip to Aruba, we mosey on over to Cuba this week, where our recipe will be for Picadillo, which is a traditional dish in Cuba that is similar to hash. It is made with ground meat (usually beef), tomatoes (tomato sauce may be used as a substitute) and various seasonings.



Often accompanied with rice, the name comes from the Spanish word "picar," which means "to mince" or "to chop".

Picadillo

Recipe Courtesy of Recipe Island

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
450g lean minced beef
60ml sherry
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/8 tsp salt
pinch of ground chilli pepper
45g raisins
160g diced pineapple (fresh or tinned)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
50g red bell pepper, chopped

Directions:

Add a little oil to a large pan over medium heat and use to fry the minced beef, onion and garlic until the onion is tender and the meat is nicely browned (about 8 minutes). Drain off any excess fat then add the remaining ingredients (except the bell peppers). Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Stir-through the peppers and allow to warm through (about 2 minutes). Serve immediately with rice.

If you have a Caribbean recipe you'd love to share, be sure to email me!

Yummm! Pastechi Di Carni

This week, we're island-jumping from the Dominican Republic to Aruba... no passport needed!



A traditional favorite for breakfast in Aruba is pastechi. It's similar to an empanada or a turnover.

Pastechis are available at roadside snack trucks and huts as early as 6:30 a.m. Pastechis are even available at such fast food places as Burger King, McDonald's, and Wendy's during breakfast hours on Aruba. But pastechis aren't just for breakfast. They're popular throughout the day.

Varieties include seafood ['pastechi di pisca'], cheese ['pastechi di keshi'], or this week's recipe, ground beef with raisins ['pastechi di carni'].

Pastechi Di Carni

Recipe Courtesy of Visit Aruba

Ingredients:

4 cups of flour 1 tbs. of baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. sugar
2 tbs. vegetable shortening
2 tbs. margarine
1 egg beaten
1 cup of water

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a large bowl except water. Mix well. Add water, a little bit at a time to form dough. When the dough is pliable, knead it well.

Prepare the meat filling as follows:
1 lb. finely chopped beef without fat
1 tbs. margarine
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small green sweet pepper, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 tbs. raisins
1 tbs. piccalilli Hot red pepper, finely chopped, to taste; preferably Madame Jeanette Soy sauce, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, nutmeg, to taste

In large frying pan combine all ingredients except beef. Cook over medium heat, stirring till well combined and onion and celery are soft. Add beef and cook till well combined while stirring.

Roll the dough into a very thick sheet, then cut out circles about three inches in diameter. Place one tablespoon filling in the center of one pastry circle. Top it with a second circle. Lightly moisten edges and press the circles together. Fold or roll the edges over slightly and flute them as pie crust. Fry the pastechis in deep, hot vegetable oil until golden brown.
They may be prepared in advance and heated in the oven just before serving.

If you have a Caribbean recipe you'd love to share, be sure to email me!

Miss Moon's Musing About: Baby, Let's Cruise (My Vacay - Part One!)

So, this last week marked my first time at International Travel, my very first cruise, and my first vacation in a SUPER DUPER LONG ASS TIME!!! LOL

Coming back, I found myself with dozens of pictures that I want to share, but since I am back to work, I do not have the time to post every single one of the photographs with a background behind every picture. Not to mention the videos that Chris and I both took! And truthfully, I don't know if you all would want to look through them all in one sitting!! LOL Suffice to say that this first post will feature images from the first few days of my trip aboard the Carnival Valor! Enjoy!!


This was a picture of a beautiful sunset in Miami, as my honey and I waited on the Panorama Deck for the ship to set sail. I am a cynical New Yorker through and through, but I must admit the ship made me go "Gol-ly" a la Gomer Pyle a few dozens of times... Did y'all know they got a whole floor with stores on the ship?!?!? Gooooollllllllly!!!


Here's my honey, already getting his relaxation on!!! We got up super early, but were so excited to watch the ship take off, we missed our first dinner on board! LOL


Chris and I on the ship... isn't the sky behind us absolutely gorgeous? I was wearing my hair in my tried-and-true braid out, pulled up in a little puff. I wore my hair like this a lot on the ship.. its a great hot weather style, I discovered!!


Moon over Miami.... I'm corny, I know! LOL


Here is the boat finally taking off... I was so excited to actually start moving. I felt like we were waiting for hours on the deck for the journey to begin!


Day Two aboard the Carnival Valor was a Sea Day, so when I woke up in the morning (despite being on vacation, I woke up obscenely early every morning! lol) this was what I was greeted with.


This is Chris the next morning during breakfast. The choices for breakfast foods was ker-azy!!! Since we were at sea, we opted to spend the day chilling at the pool. Chris wasn't a big fan of the pool as I was.. but he loved the hot tubs!!


This is me after spending hours getting my Esther Williams on in the pool... during the trip and from constantly wearing my hair in a wet-and-go style, I discovered I wasn't so anxious about the shrinkage I experienced... Once the weather warms up in NYC, I think I am going to start rocking more wash-and-go styles.


This was our room... our little home away from home on board... There are super-fancy rooms aboard the ship, but truthfully... the bed was comfortable as HELL... the shower sublime... and if you could save money getting a inside cabin, get one, because I didn't miss not having a view in the room at all!!!


Okay, not my coolest moment... but I got insanely dorky about these little towel-creatures!! When I came back into the room and saw that they put my sunglasses on this one, I took like 27 pictures of it. When I gushed to the guy responsible for this creation he gave me an "Okay Crazy Lady" look! I almost didn't want to remove it from the bed, but I had to quickly twist my hair and off the bed, for the next morning, we approached Grand Cayman Islands!!! My first port and the first place outside of the U.S. I've ever visited!!


I brought my Carol's Daughter Loc Butter with me instead of my Winter Steady, Healthy Hair Butter... so my hair was super shiny when I woke up in the morning and did a quick twist-out puff.

During breakfast, I was so excited to spy this Pirate Ship... The Pirate Sistah in my had to yell out a mighty "Aaaaargh!!!", which startled a lot of people seated nearby! LOL

After breakfast, we met up with Chris' folks (Our hostesses with the mostest-ses for our sea cruise!!) to board the tender to Grand Cayman!!! The ride was beautiful, but super windy... check it out!!



These are Chris' wonderful parents, Deacon Ray and Pat Defendorf... doesn't Mrs. D look gorgeous?!?!? They both are, in the words of Outkast, cooler than Freddie Jackson sipping a milkshake during a snowstorm!!!

Grand Cayman was an unofficial Pirate island, and EVERYWHERE I looked we were surrounded by statues of Pirates, Pirate Flags, and loads of Pirate Booty! Suffice to say, I was LOVING IT!!!!!!!!








This was the tale of a Pirate who lived and possibly made Grand Cayman his home. Of course I took one look at his name and started laughing Beavis and Butthead style.... LOL


Here are Mr. and Mrs. D. with a statue of Big Black Dick (snicker, snicker!!!)

We opted to walk around the port instead of finding a taxi to take us to the local beach. The island had a gazillian super high-end (or as I call them "chi-chi foo-foo") shops (which we promptly avoided! LOL), but there were a bunch of great shops that sold reasonably-priced goodies. I spotted a beautiful topsy-turvy rag doll, but it was a bit pricier than I could afford, so I opted not to purchase it. It was difficult, but silver lining - found a some more reasonably priced dolls online! lol


After a wonderful time on Grand Cayman, we set hopped aboard the Carib Goddess (You KNOW I was loving that name!!!) and headed back to the ship to continue our journey.

Next post will be all about Cozumel, Roatán (Bad weather prevented us from seeing Belize, so Chris and I stayed on the ship that day.) and the voyage home.

Yummm! Southern Fried Jerk Chicken

My Mother is the daughter of a Bajan woman and My Dad is a Good Ole Boy from North Carolina... so I grew up eating Curry Goat and Collard Greens, ya know? I won't get started on the influence from the Jewish man who married my Bajan Grandmother..... LOL

I saw this recipe and my heart just started to SIIIIIING.... because this recipe is a great way to honor my Southern and West Indian roots simultaneously.... not to mention get my grub on Yum Yum-style!!! Tee Heeeeee!

Southern Fried Jerk Chicken
Recipe Courtesy of Jamaicans.com

INGREDIENTS:

1-Cup Buttermilk
⅔ cup Red Stripe Beer
8 Drumsticks
1 cup yellow Cornmeal
1 Cup all Purpose Flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup Dry Jerk Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Paprika
2 Tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
Vegetable or Peanut Oil for frying

METHOD:

Combine the Red Stripe Beer and Cup Buttermilk in a large glass bowl.
Add Chicken to the bowl and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, jerk seasoning, cornstarch, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix to combine.
Drain the chicken and discard the marinade.
Toss the Chicken lightly one at a time to coat them. You can use a zip lock bag with the breading mixture to do this.
Place the breaded chicken on a large baking sheet lined with wax paper. Be sure they do not touch each other. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Pour oil in 2-3 inch deep skillet. Heat oil to approx 355f (check with frying thermometer).
Add the chicken 2 at a time. Fry each for about 4 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown
Remove each piece of chicken and place on paper towel to drain oil. Transfer to an oven safe platter once oil is drained.
Place in an oven set at 200f to keep warm. Once all the chicken is cooked, it is best to serve immediately.

And I think that a good accompaniment to this is a delish oven-baked sweet potato fries!!


Sweet Potato Oven Baked Fries Recipe
Recipe Courtesy of RecipeTips.com

Ingredients

- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon course kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic pepper, adjust to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika


Directions

Preheat oven to 450ºF.
Generously coat baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray or olive oil.
Peel sweet potatoes.
Cut into 1/2-inch thick sticks that are approximately 4 to 5-inches long, or cut into wedges.
Place potatoes into a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with *seasonings and stir until potatoes are evenly coated.
Place potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet. Potatoes may need to be baked in 2 separate batches.
Bake approximately 10 minutes.
Remove and turn potatoes over, return to oven.
Bake potatoes an additional 20 minutes or until done.
Season to taste and serve hot.

*Any combination of your favorite seasonings can replace those listed in the ingredients.

Yummm! Bajan Oxtail & Coo-Coo

Cornmeal Coo-Coo

4 pints of water
12 fresh okra pods
4 tablespoons of butter
1 pound of yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon of salt (optional)
1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1 Rinse the okra in cold water, cut off the stems
and slice in round shapes. Combine the okra and
the water in a large saucepan and bring it to a
full boil, stir in the butter with the salt and
pepper.

2 Remove okra from the heat, stir in cornmeal
until all the lumps is dissolved and the mixture
is nice and smooth.


3 Return back to the heat, using a wooden spoon
stir till mixture is well blended, slightly stiff
and comes away from the sides of the pan.
Use a spoon to fill in the lightly buttered bowl,
let it sit for at least 30 minutes until it sets.

4 Cover the top of the bowl with a platter, invert
to transfer Coo Coo to the serving platter.

Stewed Oxtail

Ingredients
MARINADE
2 lbs oxtails, jointed
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Trinidadian green seasoning
1 1/2 onions, very thinly sliced
1 green pepper, very thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soya sauce

STEW
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons browning sauce (optional)
2-3 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
4 stalks fresh marjoram
8 stalks fresh thyme
2 beef bouillon cubes
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced

Directions

1 Marinade: put the clean oxtail in a large bowl and add all the ingredients to the meat so it is completely coated. Cover bowl, refrigerate and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2 Stew: Heat vegetable oil and brown sugar on medium in a large pot until the mixture turns a light brown. Add the oxtail and brown them for a few minutes per side. Add browning sauce and stir.

3 Add water so that meat is almost covered. Turn heat up and add bay leaves, scotch bonnet pepper (make sure this doesn't break!), cloves and herbs. Cover pot and bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 3 hours, or until meat is extremely tender. Stir every 30 minutes and add hot water whenever necessary: meat should always be mostly covered.

4 Remove scotch bonnet pepper carefully after about 1 1/2 hours of cooking. After 3 hours, or when the meat is done, add beef bouillon, ketchup, potatoes and carrots. Cook for another 30 minutes.

5 Taste and see if you need to add anymore spices or salt. It should be perfect at this point. If the sauce needs thickening just add a teaspoon of cornstarch or flour. Serve with rice and peas coo-coo and a side of coleslaw. Enjoy!

Yummm! Jerky Jerk Recipes

I am a jerk fanatic... I truly believe that if I could make jerk cornflakes without spending the rest of the day in the bathroom, I would!! LOL

Grilled Jerk Shrimp

INGREDIENTS :

1lbs Jumbo shrimp (peeled & de-veined)
2tbsp Jerk Seasoning
2tbsp Olive oil for Brushing
1 Ripe Plantain

METHOD:

Marinate shrimp in mixture of Jerk seasoning.
Place in refridgerator for 30 minutes
Peel Ripe Plantations and cut in thick slices (long way)
Thread on skewers with Shrimp and Platating.
Brush with Olive Oil and Grill for 3 minutes on each side.
Serves 4

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

1 tablespoon Ground allspice
1 tablespoon Dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground sage
3/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons Garlic powder or fresh
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/4 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Soy sauce
3/4 cup White Vinegar
1/2 cup Orange juice
1 Lime juice
1 Scotch bonnet pepper (habanero)
3 Green onions -- finely chopped
1 cup Onion -- finely chopped
4 to 6 chicken breasts

Seed and finely chop Scotch Bonnet pepper. Trim chicken of fat. In a large bowl, combine the allspice, thyme, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, garlic powder and sugar. With a wire whisk, slowly add the olive oil, say sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice.

Add the Scotch Bonnet pepper, onion, and mix well. Add the chicken breasts, cover and marinate for at least 1 hour, longer if possible.
Preheat an outdoor grill. Remove the breasts from the marinade and grill for 6 minutes on each side or until fully cooked. While grilling, baste with the marinade. Bring the leftover marinade to a boil and serve on the side for dipping.

Note: Scotch Bonnet peppers are the hottest of the capsicum peppers, they're truly incendiary. Substitute Serranos of Thai Bird Chiles if you can't find them.

Jerk Pork

3 chile peppers, seeded, diced
2 onions, finely chopped
1-inch piece ginger root, peeled, chopped
4 tablespoons chile paste
1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons water
3 pounds pork fillets
Place the peppers, onions, and ginger in a jar of a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the chile paste and oil and blend. Then add the allspice, oregano, and water. Rub this mixture all over the pork. Marinate overnight. Barbecue pork fillets or roast in a 400 degree oven.

Jerk Steak

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs beef sirloin steaks, Trimmed and discard excess fat from steaks
olive oil
2-3 teaspoons jamaican jerk spice (Jamaican Jerk Seasoning)
Directions
1Rinse steaks and pat dry. Let steak sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Sprinkle lightly all over olive oil.
2Spread jerk seasoning over both sides of steak.
3Lay steaks on grill 4 to 6 inches above heat; close lid on gas barbecue. Cook until done to your liking, 4-6 minutes for medium-rare, turning once with a wide spatula or tongs halfway through cooking.
4Transfer to a board or platter and let rest about 5-10 minutes before serving. To allow the juices to redistribute.

Dry Jerk Seasoning

Yield: 3 tablespoons

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pimento (allspice)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons dried chives or green onions

Method:
Mix together all the ingredients. Store leftovers in a tightly closed glass jar. It will keep its pungency for over a month.

For a time-saving and equally delicious alternative, try Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning!!!