Saint Kitts

Isn't it great that there are so many islands in the Caribbean that claim their own nationality?  I certainly think so, and our house guests don't seem to mind it much either.  Saint Kitts is another of those wonderful cultural mash-ups that make up the many nations of the Caribbean.  I could give you a full history lesson of the place, but I'll just go ahead and recommend looking at the Wikipedia page or suggest you talk to that one relative you have whose cruise scheduled a stop there.  Nice beaches, lots of fruit, sunny skies, bars on the beach blah blah blah...  I'm really just jealous I haven't been to a tropical place in a good while. 

The important thing here is we've gotten lazy and haven't posted meals in a while so I'm going to be streamlining these next several posts to catch the blog up.  This post is dedicated to my good friend Hudson Kingston, one of our most faithful readers whose life has been shattered by the lack of posts on this site.  Enjoy, Hudson, your long dark winter is over. 

Pumpkin Fritters with Chili Cinnamon Mayonnaise 

Some people think we must spend a fortune on frying oil when they see the amount of fried things we serve at every meal.  Well that's just silly!  I've learned to do as the rest of the world does.  After every large batch of deep fried food, allow the oil to settle while you eat dinner and then funnel the cleared oil from your wok (or whatever you fry with) into a large mason jar.  Be sure to leave the burnt crispy stuff in the pan as you do this.  You can continue to do this until the oil looks dark and gross.  Here is one of the many things you can do with  the frying oil.

2 pumpkins deseeded, peeled, and grated
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt or more to taste
Oil for frying

For the Mayonnaise:
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp ground red pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup olive oil

1. First make the mayonnaise by combining everything but the olive oil in a food processor.  Grind it all down to a smooth consistency and slowly add the olive oil in a thin and steady stream until a thick mayonnaise is rendered.  Set aside covered in your refrigerator.
2. Combine the grated pumpkin with all the ingredients and form into small balls in your palms.  Heat the oil in a wok or fryer and fry at high heat until nicely browned on the outside.

Plantain Salad

Think of this dish as a more tropical potato salad without the potatoes. Perfect for bringing to a family picnic.  Unless your family hates plantains.  Then you might want to bring a standard potato salad and avoid ruining what was supposed to be a lovely day.

1 cucumber skinned and diced
3 stalks celery chopped
2 avocados chopped
1 red pepper seeded and sliced
1/2 red onion chopped and rinsed under cold water for 3 minutes then drained
1/3 cup lime juice
1 serrano chili
1 mango skinned and chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1/2 cup olive oil
3 green plantains peeled and chopped into half inch pieces
Oil for frying
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a wok or fryer, deep fry the plantain pieces in hot oil until they are crisp and lightly browned (about five minutes).  Set aside on paper towels and allow to cool.
2. Once cool combine everything in a huge bowl.  Adjust seasoning and dressing to your taste.  Serve at room temp.


Goat Stew


I did a lot of the shopping for this meal at Amy's least favorite grocery.  It's a little place in uptown called the Old World Market that specializes in West African and Caribbean foods.  I love the place because it has a great selection of foods that I've never heard of, and some of the best deals on meat in the city.  Amy hates it because it's constantly jammed with uptown locals that have no concept of personal space.  But goat meat is something we're both willing to get shoved about for; especially when its as cheap as this place sells it.

3 lbs goat meat (preferably leg) cut into 1 inch chunks.  You should have a butcher do this for you since the meat tends to be in bony chunks
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 lb tomatoes chopped
1 tsp gravy browning solution (optional but can be included for authenticity
2 medium yellow onions chopped
1 habanero de-seeded, run under cold water for 1 minute, then chopped
1 liter water
1.5 lbs green papaya grated
2 cups flour
1 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
Salt to taste

1. Toss goat meat with flour and a bit of salt.  Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot over medium heat and brown the goat pieces.
2. Add the onions and gently cook another five minutes until they soften.  Then add the tomatoes, browning, habanero and water.  Raise to a boil and cook covered at a simmer for 2 hours.
3. Add the grated papaya continue cooking another 30 minutes.
4. While you wait make a thick batter of flour, milk, baking powder and salt.  After the time has elapsed, drop spoonfuls of batter into the boiling stew and cook the stew down until it has reached the proper thickness.

Conkies

I would call these things dessert Tamales.  They taste almost like a rice pudding, but with many more flavors involved.  They take a very long time to make, but are well worth the effort.  The texture might be a bit too odd for some to enjoy, but the good news is these keep in the fridge for at least a week.                  

                                          

                                  

2 cups corn meal

1/2 cup flour
2 cups grated pumpkin
1 stick butter softened
3 cups grated unsweetened coconut
1 tsp salt
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup raisins
Banana Leaves thawed if frozen
Condensed milk and chocolate for garnish

1. Combine everything into a thick batter.
2. Steam banana leaves for 40 minutes and allow to cool.
3. Wrap 1/2 cup portions of the mixture into banana leaves.  Tie them as little packages and steam them for 1 hour.  Allow to cool in the refrigerator and serve covered in condensed milk and chocolate.  They can be eaten right off the unwrapped leaves.

Rum Punch

This is exactly what it sounds like.  The standard boozy sugary concoction that gets served at every resort and weird Chinatown cocktail bar.  The sweetness is a bit much for me, but they must be popular for some sort of reason.  It might have tasted better if it had been warm outside, but as you can see by the photo below, we pretty much killed the jug.

1 pint grenadine
1 cup lime juice
3 cups rum
2 cups pineapple juice
2 cups orange juice
Orange and Pineapple Chunks for garnish

In a huge punch bowl combine everything.  Serve with a ladle into cups of ice.  Or if you plan on drinking it quickly, fill the jug of booze with that ice. 

In Conclusion

This was one of our more simple meals that involved very little effort in the kitchen.  The food processor did a great deal of the work for many of the dishes.  Everyone seemed to agree that the pumpkin fritters were most excellent while mixed opinions were held on the goat stew.  Personally I love the strong flavors and smells that come from stewed goat, others don't find it as pleasant.  And everyone agreed the punch was way too sweet, but proceeded to drink too much of it anyway.  As usual a good time was had by all. 

Cuba

Cuba is a beautiful country filled with decadent food, and we Americans can never directly go there. Oh sure, we can legally go to Canada and then to Cuba, but still it's so spatially close but in reality, so far out of our reach. I don't really feel the need to go into Cuba's history too thoroughly, because everyone is aware of Fidel Castro and the embargo. All I will say is that they are doing amazing things with pork down there, and it's a shame that we cannot fully join in.

Cuba's cuisine is a mix of Spanish and Caribbean flavors. There is a lot of filling and savory food floating around and of course, some refreshing drinks filled with booze and fresh fruit juice. Like most Caribbean countries, they do not eat many vegetable dishes, but when they do it is usually fried, covered in olive oil or thrown in as an afterthought (ex. in a pilaf). I feel like what we came up with as a full dinner turned out to be sort of like a Cuban picnic.

Plantain Chips

This is a quick simple snack that fries up very quickly. The result is a sweet, crisp chip that is definitely more filling than your average potato chip.

Plantains

Canola or corn oil for frying

Salt

Peal the plantains and slice them into rounds as thinly as you can with either a knife or a mandolin (way easier with the mandolin). Heat enough oil over high heat for submerging large batches of the slices. When the oil is hot fry them in batches and set them aside on paper towels to dry. Salt to taste.

Moros y Cristianos

This dish literally translates to Muslims and Christians. Although the name of this dish has its origins in Spanish history, the dish itself is completely Cuban. The white rice and the black beans are supposed to represent the Christians and the Muslims, which yes, does seem a little racist, but it happens to be a delicious pilaf made with chicken stock.

1.5 cups dried blackbeans, or for the big spenders: 32oz canned black beans

1/4 cup olive oil

1 large red onion diced

2 large green bell peppers seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp ground pepper

3 tbsp vinegar

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 cups long grain rice

6 cups chicken stock

Salt to taste

1. Soak the dried beans at least 8 hours and drain them. Place them in a deep pot and cover them with 6 cups of water. Raise this to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook them for 1 to 1.5 hours or until the beans are tender. Drain the beans again and set them aside. Or just be a lazy bourgeois cook and open a can.

2. Rinse the rice in a colander under running water for two minutes. In a large pot (perhaps the same one you used for the beans) heat the olive oil over medium heat then add the onions, garlic, and peppers.

3. Sauté these for about two minutes, then add the tomato paste, beans, vinegar, and spices. Stir these together for about five minutes or until a lovely sauce begins to form.

4. Add the rice and the stock. Taste the broth for salt. Raise the whole mess to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes over a low flame.

5. Taste the rice to be sure it's fully cooked. If not don't panic just add a bit more water and continue cooking until it is tender.

6. Serve it hot with lots of pork.

Pork Roast

We made this pork roast in order to make some Cuban sandwiches. The pork that we used was from a very happy pig raised in Indiana that we purchased from one of my college friend's family owned butcher. If you are ever around Fort Wayne, Indiana, you should definitely drive a few miles out to Columbia City and visit Krider's Meat Processing. I promise it is worth the trip and they only use local pigs that are killed on site and Grampa Bob will be happy to tell you anything you would want to know about the shop.

Pictured below is some of the things we put on our Cubanos including some of our homemade pickles. There is also a cilantro mayonnaise and some olive oil and garlic mixture. Of course you don't have to make your own pickles or mayonnaise to make a Cubano, but it's not as hard as you may think and it does taste a bit better.

5 lb pork shoulder in one piece

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp whole peppercorns

4 cloves garlic minced

2 tsp salt

1 tbsp dried oregano

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup sherry

1/3 cup lime juice

4 tbsp olive oil

1. Toast the cumin and peppercorns on a skillet until they are fragrant. Pound them in a mortar and pestle with the garlic and salt until you have a gooey paste. In a bowl large enough to hold the pork, mix this paste with the rest of the ingredients (except the pork).

2. Cut hexagonal slits into the fatty side of the pork shoulder, place the pork into the bowl with the prepared marinade, and gently work the marinade into all the crevices with your hands.

3. Refrigerate the pork 24 hours flipping it once or twice during the process.

4. Preheat the oven to 325 f and roast the pork with all the marinade for about 3 hours in a large roasting pan making sure to baste the meat every 20 minutes or so. When an internal temp of 150 is attained the roast is ready to be removed.

5. Allow the roast 15 minutes of rest on a cutting board before carving into it.

Here is the Cuban all put together with the side dishes. I apologize for the poor form of using a paper plate for the plating picture.

Polvorones con Canela

These cookies were oddly the lightest part of the meal. The lack of flour in them make them very light and crisp. A little tasty treat that I think would go really well with some coffee or hot chocolate.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1-1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or brandy
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup finely ground pecans or walnuts
1 tsp ground cinnamon (cassia)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat the butter in a bowl with an electric beater until creamy. Add the 1/2 cup of powdered sugar and vanilla, and continue beating until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour and salt very gradually, a tablespoon at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Add the nuts with the last of the flour. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill thoroughly. Using your hands, form the dough into 3/4" balls. Place on an ungreased baking pan about 1 inch apart.

Bake in a moderate oven about 15 minutes, or until the edges turn pale gold. Place the remaining cup of sugar in a shallow bowl or plate with the cinnamon.
Remove the cookies from the oven and, while still hot, carefully roll each in the powdered sugar mixture. Set aside until cooled completely and roll them again in the sugar, shaking off any excess.

Mojitos (made by the pitcher)

No Caribbean country meal would be complete without a little boozy refreshment on the side. I'd like to thank our friend Ben for bringing us rum and mixing up some lovely mojitos. I would also like to thank our landlords for growing mint in our backyard, it has really benefited us.

1 cup mint leaves

1 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed is important for this)

1.5 cups rum

2/3 cup simple syrup

3 cups club soda

Ice

Take one 64oz pitcher and place all the mint leaves in it. Crush the mint leaves together with a muddler or an empty beer bottle to release their oils. Pour on everything else and stir. Fill glasses with ice and serve. Obviously you can add more booze to this recipe if you're trying to have that kind of evening with your friends.

Conclusion

The Cuba meal was one of our bigger success stories, as far as Caribbean countries are concerned. Tom was very happy that he got to make a pork roast and everything turned out right. The issue we seem to always have with Caribbean countries are the lack of recipes or that the recipes we find do not always turn out because of unavailability of certain ingredients or missing steps. Cuba was our exception thus far and it was apparent that Cubans take great pride in preparing their meat.

Next is a very special New Zealand dinner. Until then, Salud!

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

At first glance, St. Vincent and the Grenadines sounds like it would be an obscure reggae group from the mid seventies.  Instead, it is yet another Caribbean island nation with a wonderfully turbulent history that is the byproduct of the waves of colonization that swept the region during the 18th and 19th centuries.  Originally peopled by native Caribs, the island became a refuge for runaway slaves during the 17th and early 18th centuries until it was brought under French control and later ceded to the British.  The island did not declare independence from Britain until 1979; though it still retains commonwealth status.

The food is quite similar to many other Caribbean islands involving a mix of African, British, Indian, and native cuisines.  You might think all of these islands would start getting a bit redundant to us, but the wealth of Caribbean recipes out there seems pretty endless.  This meal was a bit smaller than our others, mainly because we needed a break after the giant food orgy that was our Malta dinner (see previous post).  

Black Eyed Pea and Mustard Green Salad

While most of what we consider to be beans are indigenous crops of the Americas, the black eyed pea is an old world legume native to West Africa.  The great thing about old world legumes is they cook so much faster than their American counterparts.  We were in a bit of a hurry to get this dish out so we used the pressure cooker and were pleased to find the peas came out nice and tender without any broken skin.   The resulting dish is a classic blend of West African and Caribbean flavors, and was a big hit at the dinner.

1 lb black eyed peas soaked overnight

2 cups sautéed corn kernels (frozen is fine) 

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar

1 lb mustard greens blanched and choppped

2 red peppers seeded and chopped

1 large red onion cut in half and finely sliced

1 bunch cilantro chopped

1 serrano chili minced

1.5 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper

Salt to taste.

1. Combine the soaked beans with a pot of water and simmer covered for 30-40 minutes or until they are just tender.  Or skip the soaking altogether and pressure cook them for 30 minutes with three times their dry volume in water.

2. Run the beans under cold water in a colander until they are cool to the touch.   Set the beans aside in a sink to drain for five minutes.

3. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and and gently toss together.  Salt the salad and serve chilled or at room temp.

Stuffed Cucumbers

This makes a great picnic dish.  It takes minimal prep, few ingredients, and tastes great at room temperature or chilled.  

4 medium cucumbers peeled.

1 cup cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped red onion

1/2 serrano minced (optional for those who like heat)

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup minced cilantro

1 cup grated parmesan

1. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and, using a spoon, scrape out the middle section of seeds and pulp.  You should end up with eight canoe shaped objects.

2. Now mash together the remaining ingredients for the filling, which is everything but the parmesan and cilantro.

3. Spoon ample amounts of the filling into each of the cucumber halves, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

4. Cut the chilled pieces into serving portions and garnish with parmesan and cilantro.

Chicken and Porter Stew With Dumplings

Anyone familiar with Southern U.S. cooking knows about chicken and dumplings.  This is a nice variation on the same concept.  The porter gravy most likely comes from British influence, but the spicing is similar to most Caribbean sauces and shouldn't taste too strange to anybody who loves the standard southern version.  

For the Stew

2 lbs thigh or breast meat (boned) cut into 1 inch chunks

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

5 tbsp canola oil

12 oz bottle of porter or other dark beer

1 cup chicken broth

1 red onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1.5 cups chopped red bell pepper

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup chopped parsley

For the Dough

2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp butter softened
3/4 cup milk

1. First mix all the dry ingredients for the dough.  Then mix in the butter gently with a wooden spoon.  Gradually add the milk until the dough forms a firm paste.  Set the dough aside in the fridge and begin to make the stew..
2.  Cover the chicken pieces in flour and salt.  Heat the oil in a large heavy sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the coated chicken pieces and cook them for five minutes or until all sides are crisp and browned.  Remove the chicken and set aside on paper towels.
3. Add the onion, red pepper, and garlic.  Cook for five minutes or until softened.
4. Add the tomato paste, thyme, pepper, cayenne, and beer.  Raise to a boil.  Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile raise a pot of water to a boil and drop tablespoon sized portions of the reserved dough into the water and boil for two minutes or until they float at the top.
6. Raise the heat on the chicken until the sauce becomes a thick gravy.  Cut the heat and salt it to taste.  Serve the chicken and sauce over prepared dumplings and garnish with chopped parlsey.

Doughboy Failure

We tried to make a sweet pastry dessert called doughboy.  Aside from being made out of dough, I'm not sure why it is named that.  We only found one recipe and despite several attempts at varying the ratios, nothing seemed to make it work.  It kept turning into a large overly dense monster that tasted like a bad cookie.  Here's a picture of Amy looking sad about our failure.  To accentuate her sadness she chose to wear a wet towel on her head.  We were so disappointed in our failure that we could not to include a recipe.  Sorry but we were out of ideas on how to save this one.  We hope you liked the dinner portion of the meal. 

  

Conclusion

Despite the doughboy failure, I still have to say the meal was a reasonable success.  True it was much more casual than some of our giant feasts, but I think we deserved a casual cheap dinner.  I was excited to again cook food that I'm mostly familiar with.  It made the prep work a great deal less stressful and the meal that much smoother. This was the last meal in our former apartment, from now on all meals will be photographed with a large dining room table in a proper dining room.

St Lucia

Here we are with yet another Caribbean island. Don't worry there's still plenty more of them coming up. St. Lucia's history is very similar to many other East Caribbean islands and involves a succession of French and British colonial rule from the 17th to 20th century eventually leading to autonomy in 1979. This messy colonial history brought a great deal of distant people and cultures to the island (of course not all did this by choice). Today St. Lucia is a popular cruise ship stop and a strong exporter of bananas. The island's food is pretty much what you'd expect from that region of the Caribbean. Fruit, fish, and beans play a dominant role in the dishes whose influences come from just about every corner of the globe.

Cucumber and Avocado Salad

In today's busy world, people seem to forget that cucumbers are actually subtly sweet melons. This salad is centered around the cucumber's sweetness. When eaten without the standard accompaniment of lots of lettuce the cucumber provides a refreshing side to any meal.

2 lbs cucumber peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb avocado roughly chopped
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup cilantro
1/3 cup pistachios chopped
1 orange pepper cut into strips
1/2 red onion thinly sliced and soaked for 10 minutes
1 clove garlic minced

Soak the onion and drain it after it loses its bite. Then simply mix everything together in a large bowl, allow to rest for ten minutes, give another stir and serve.

Lentil and Cheese Soup

Simplicity is key to this dish. Beans and cheese are always a crowd pleaser. But it's also quite easy to make way too much of this stuff, but that's ok. It keeps well in the fridge the provided me with a lunch at work for the rest of the week.

2 cups lentils
2 quarts water
4 sprigs thyme
Salt to taste
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp chives chipped
1/2 cup sour cream
Handful of chopped parsley
Whited cheddar cheese grated

1. In a large pot combine the lentils, thyme, and water. Raise to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 45 minutes or until the lentils have become tender.
2. Blend the lentil mixture or pass it through a food mill adding more water to thin the mixture if needed.
3. Stir in the butter, chives, and sour cream. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and garnish each bowl with your desired quantity of cheese and parsley. Serve.


Fried Biscuits

I was shocked by the simplicity of these biscuits. No yeast or waiting is involved, instead baking powder provides them with a fluffy texture and frying them in oil ensures they'll be delicious.

1lb flour
3 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 oz lard or butter chilled and cut into thin squares
1 tbsp sugar mixed with 1/4 cup water
Oil for frying

1. Combine everything in a food processor and blend into a gooey ball adding more flour or water if neccessary.
2. Pinch off about a golf ball sized piece of the dough and pat it into a 3 inch diameter round.
3. In a large cast iron frying pan, pour 1/4 inch of cooking oil and heat it over a medium flame.
4. Fry the biscuit rounds in batches about 3 minutes aside or until each side is golden brown. Allow ten minutes to cool and serve.

Green Fig (Banana) and Fish Pie

I guess the big surprise with this dish was that it wasn't disgusting. Still I wouldn't exactly call it tasty. Bananas, fish, and cheese tasted exactly as I thought they would. I guess it's best to say that I'll never make it again. Nevertheless here's the recipe, and you can try for yourself. The green bananas are more starchy than sweet and taste somewhat like mashed potatoes. I'd imagine plantains would make a better substitute. After eating this, you may find yourself wondering why anybody would make this their national dish.

2 lbs green bananas
1 lb tilapia
1/2 lb mozzarella or other melting white cheese
1/2 cup milk
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 red peppers
2 tomatoes thinly sliced
1 medium red onion thinly sliced
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil the bananas in their skins for 20 minutes and set aside to cool.
2. When cool, peel the bananas and mash them in a bowl. Sprinkle the lime juice onto them to prevent them from darkening.
3. Heat another pot of water until it boils, and poach the fish for two minutes. Remove the fish and shred it.
4. Butter a deep pan and smash half the mashed banana on the bottom. Sprinkle half the onion, cheese, tomatoes, and pepper on the banana. Place another layer of banana over this and sprinkle with the remaining toppings putting the cheese on top.
5. Top the pie with breadcrumbs soaked in milk and bake for 40 minutes in a 375 oven or until the surface has evenly browned. Serve.

In Conclusion

When all was said and done and everybody had eaten their fill, there was a lot of untouched green fig pie. I made the mistake of putting cheap swiss cheese on it which I'm sure didn't help this poor dish. I'm sure if a skilled hand made it I might change my mind. Maybe it just needed bacon. Everything else, however, went down quite well and the beans tasted even better throughout the week. Amy actually just requested I make another pot of lentils to get us through the current work week. Up next is the mighty nation of Turkey! Until then, cheers!

Dominica

Dominica, aka "Nature Isle of the Caribbean", was named by Christopher Columbus after he spotted the island on a Sunday (dominica in Latin, domingo in Spanish...you get the idea). This lush island contains volcanoes, which are still forming the land, the second largest boiling lake and rain forests. Like most other Caribbean nations, Dominica's history includes a long spell of European rule that they became independent of in 1978.

In 1981, a particularly interesting event occurred in Dominica wherein an American named Perdue and a Canadian called Droege, attempted a coup. Now, it failed miserably and was stopped by the FBI before the ship even left American soil, but the plan involved overthrowing the government, misleading many mercenaries into going to Dominica, and, oh yeah, it was initiated by members of the KKK. It was called Operation Red Dog formally, but the media called it the "Bayou of Pigs" after the most notorious fail at the time, the "Bay of Pigs".

Now, the cuisine of Dominica is very similar to many other Caribbean nations we'll be covering. They do have a national dish known as mountain chicken, which is actually made of a giant toad indigenous to the island. Sadly we weren't able to legally purchase any large toads in the Chicago area. We did, however, have access to a goat butcher which provided us with the centerpiece of our meal.


Pigeon Pea Pumpkin Soup


This soup is easy to make and gave us probably one of our last tastes of fall (*sniff).

2 small onions, chopped
1 clove garlic
8 oz. can of tomato puree
1 medium size green pepper, chopped
1 lb. of pumpkin, cubed
2 pints water
1 1/2 pints of chicken stock
1 lb. can of green pigeon pea (with their liquid)
salt
pepper

1. Throw a bit of butter in a large, heavy soup pan.
2. Add onions and garlic over moderate heat for 5 minutes to make them transparent, but not browned.
3. Add the tomato and green pepper and simmer for 5 minutes
4. Drop in the pumpkin, pigeon peas, chicken stock, and water.
5. Bring to a boil at a high heat, then reduce heat and cover for 20 minutes, or until pumpkin gets soft.
6. Puree the soup and season to taste.
7. Serve!


Shrimp Salad
We could not make an island country complete if we did not do some sort of seafood dish. This dish is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also has a wonderful blend of tangy, fresh and a little bit of spice in flavor.

1 lb medium shrimp shelled (reserve the shells for stock)
3 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
2 tbsps butter
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb fresh spinach (washed and dried)
8 radishes thinly sliced
1/2 red onion thinly sliced

1 mango cut into 1/4 inch pieces
1 green bell pepper cut into strips
1/2 cup cilantro chopped
2 avocados
1 habanero seeded and thinly sliced (you may even want to run cold water over this for a bit to cut down the spice level)
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Salt the shrimp and set aside for five minutes. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for two minutes being careful not to burn it. Toss in the shrimp and cook for 2-3 more minutes until the shrimp are firm and pink. Remove and dust shrimp with the paprika.
2. Make a dressing by whisking the olive oil, cumin, vingegar and soy sauce together. Salt and pepper it to taste. In a bowl combine the shrimp with everything but the avocado and spinach. Pour the dressing over the shrimp and vegetables and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes or until you are ready to serve.
3. When you are finally ready to serve. Slice the avocado thinly and gently toss with the marinated shrimp and vegetables.
4. On a large platter arrange the spinach in a ring and scoop the shrimp and vegetables in the center. Serve.

Goat Curry

Dominica is really into their lamb, goat and chicken dishes. Since we have not had a meal with goat yet during this project, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to make a dish with one of our favorite unsung meats.

3lbs cubed goat shoulder (easiest to have a butcher do this with a mechanical bone saw)
1/4 cup corn oil
2 medium yellow onions thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic
1 can coconut milk
1/2 pint water
2 tbsp curry powder or make your own for less heat: 1.5 tsp turmeric, 1.5 tsp cumin, 1 tsp peppercorn, 1 tsp ground ginger, 1/2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp allspice ground
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1. In a deep pot, gently fry the onions in the oil until they are translucent
2. Add the goat and saute for five minutes.
3. Add the spices and saute for yet another five minutes.
4. Add the water and coconut milk and cook over low heat covered for 3 hours.
5. Squeeze lime juice in at end. Serve curry in small individual bowls garnished with the cilantro.


Yellow Rice and Pigeon Pea Risotto

I think the best part of this dish was the utilization of our shrimp shells from the salad to make the stock. It added a nice note to the risotto and tied the meal together perfectly.

1.5 cups short grain rice
1 can pigeon peas drained
5 cups shrimp stock
2 tsp turmeric
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp butter

1. Make a stock by boiling the leftover shrimp shells in a large pot of water with a few carrots and an onion. Boil 30 minutes. Strain and reserve.
2. Melt half the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the rice and cook stirring frequently until the grains become translucent.
3. Add the turmeric and stir for another minute. Begin to add the stock 1/2 cup at a time maintaining a very low heat. Allow each half cup of stock to be absorbed by the rice before adding more. Stir frequently as you do this. This takes about 30-40 minutes so grab a beer and get comfortable by the rice. This can get very boring if you are by yourself so try and keep company around you as you tediously stir.
4. 2/3 of the way through this process add the pigeon peas.
5. When the rice is creamy and cooked to your preference (I like to have a bit of a bite to the center) add the rest of the butter and serve.

Ginger Beer

I must admit that when Tom mentioned he wanted to make ginger beer for this meal, I cringed a bit. The only exposure I've had to it in the past has been in commercially packaged 2 liters, which I have never enjoyed. Just remember this is a taste you cannot buy in the store, put the bias away and add rum if you like.

1 lb ginger chopped into 1/2 inch thick discs
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
1.5 cups sugar
1 gallon water
Juice of 4 limes

1. Boil everything except the lime for 30 minutes covered.
2. Pour into a large jug
3. Squeeze in the lime juice and refrigerate overnight or until ready (it gets stronger the longer you leave it)
4. Strain the brew and server chilled over ice.
5. We decided at the last second to make cocktails out of these and our good friend Carl ran to grab rum from the grocery. Pour in a couple shots of dark rum into each glass to make everyone a dark and stormy.



This being our first randomly picked country was in a way a cruel irony. Had we gone in alphabetical order, the Bahamas would have been next and we would have eaten Caribbean cuisine anyhow.

Either way, we enjoyed having a taste of the tropics, as we lose our sunlight around 4:30 these days. This meal also provided us with our very first ceremonial end of meal drawing of a random country. Tom is very excited that it will be Guatemala: the first country we'll have done that he's actually been to! We've already bought the turkey! Until then...uh...cheers!

Antigua and Barbuda

No, we are not cheating and doing two countries at once. Although they are separate isles, Antigua and Barbuda (not to be confused with Barbados) is a single country, much like Trinidad and Tobago. Originally inhabited for the sole purpose of a sugar plantation, the history of this Eastern Caribbean country is a tale of slave trade and European rule. They have only been independent of British rule since 1981.

This just happens to be our first tropical island country, so we naturally centered all the courses around fresh fruit, vegetables and of course, seafood.

Macaroni Pie


1 pound dried macaroni
1 large red onion, chopped
1 habanero pepper, seeded
1 pound of grated cheddar cheese
3 eggs
1 pint of half and half
salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil macaroni until cooked and drain.
2. Combine cheese, onions, habanero, half and half and eggs in a large bowl. Add macaroni and mix thoroughly.
3. Put contents of bowl into a greased 2 quart baking dish.
4. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 1 hour.

Coconut Encrusted Tilapia Fillets with a Mango Habanero Chutney

Tilapia:
1 tilapia fillet per guest
Shredded coconut
1 tablespoon of thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs

1.Combine coconut with thyme, salt and pepper.
2. Coat tilapia with beaten eggs and place on baking sheet.
3. Apply coconut mixture on top of the fillets.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Mango Habanero Chutney:
1 mango, fully ripened and chopped
half of a red onion, chopped
1 habanero, seeded and minced
1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
salt and pepper

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Simply serve on top of the tilapia.

Red Cabbage and Avocado Coleslaw

1/2 large head of red cabbage, thinly sliced
4 carrots grated
2 medium yellow onions sliced
1 habanero, seeded and minced
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 handful cilantro chopped
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

1.5 tablespoons sugar
Flesh of 2 avocados roughly chopped

1. In a large bowl combine the chopped cabbage with the salt. Smash the cabbage with a potato masher. I used the bottle from a beer I just finished.
2. Let the cabbage sit for 15 minutes allowing the salt to draw out the moisture. This makes the cabbage less tough.
3. Add the remaining ingredients except for the avocado, mix, and chill until you are ready to eat.
4. Before eating, chop the avocados and fold them into the coleslaw. Taste for salt and serve.

Papaya Pie

Pie Crust:
*Make this the night before. You can actually make this up to a week in advance, if you so choose.

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into about 8 pieces
about 3 tablespoons ice water
1 egg yolk

1. Combine flour, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse once or twice.
2. Add the butter and process until the mixture looks grainy
3. Combine the yolk and water together.
4. Turn the processor on and add the water and yolk. Process until mixture balls up.
5. Wrap in saran wrap and place in refrigerator.

Baking the crust:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2. Roll out dough on a floured surface so that it fits nicely into your pie pan.
3. Take a piece of foil and place it into the pie pan and put either dried bean, rice, a pie weight or a tight fitting saucepan on top of the foil. (for this step, you can improvise. For example, I used wax paper and a few small plates that fit snug into my pie pan)
3. Bake this for about 12 minutes and remove from oven.
4. Remove the weight and foil and reduce the heat to 350 degrees
5. Bake another 10-15 minutes until the crust is brown. Remove and cool before filling.


Papaya filling:
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups fresh papaya cut into cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

1. Whisk together brown sugar and sugar. Toss the papaya in this mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes.
2. In a heavy saucepan, simmer the papaya and it's juices for 10 minutes.
3. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and salt to the papaya and cook for another 10 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and let the mixture stand until it is lukewarm.
5. When it has cooled, mix gently with the beaten egg. Try not to break the fruit.
6. Pour filling into the pie crust and bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. Let it cool before serving.

We neglected to take a photo of the Red Cabbage salad, but you can see it here on the plates. We also provided our guests with some papaya with some sugar and lime juice. Papayas are quite large and you need less than half of one for the pie.

Conclusions

Antigua turned out to be a fairly simple meal to put together. The preparation time for each dish was swift and then you just sit back and relax while everything bakes up in the oven. This gives a wonderful opportunity to sit with your guests and relax and even nosh on some papaya. The only thing that takes a bit of time was the papaya pie, which turned out more like what we would consider a tart than a pie.

Every dish was wonderful in it's own way and we had plenty of macaroni pie to enjoy the next day. All in all, Antigua turned out to be quite a pleasant treat because of all the different flavors paired together. If you have never tried habanero and coconut together or avocado in cole slaw, you are in for quite an experience. So far, this was my personal favorite.

Argentina is up next!