Cooking Sense Dec. 2014

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DECEMBER 2014 •

COOKING SENSE

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Recipe:

`s Cynthia am H d e Bak Page 15

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Cover & Inside Cover- Jaryd Niles-Morris

4

Cynthia Nelson, Evan Atlas, Bren Herrera, Hannah Kaminsky,

COOKING SENSE •

SEPTEMBER 2014

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DECEMBER 2014

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DECEMBER 2014 •

COOKING SENSE

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10.

Feature 10. Ham to Perfection

21.

What's Cooking 16. Veg du Jour: All Hail Kale 22. Holiday Foods: What’s Nice, What’s Not

37.

Cooking Wisdom 28. The Secret to Baking Success 38. Pantry Basics: The Bajan Holiday Pantry 41. Substitutes Wanted: Holiday Edition 8

COOKING SENSE •

DECEMBER 2014

Con

57.

Recipe Box 46. Tastes of the Holidays, With Love From …

53. Restaurant to Home

tents

61.

Libation Station 58. Holiday Libations

64.

Cook’s Spot 64. Test Kitchen: Oh What A Crock!

DECEMBER 2014 •

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Feature

to perfection...

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COOKING SENSE •

DECEMBER 2014

Feature

Is that lovely aroma coming from our house? Admit it! The thought has crossed your mind when just around the corner from home; you catch a whiff of the unmistakable scent of baking ham.

You get home and sure enough, the delicious and familiar smell is wafting through the air.

You close your eyes and inhale.

Ah yes . . . it’s Christmas.

DECEMBER 2014 •

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Feature

C

ynthia Nelson’s neighbours probably get tricked all the time, as the culinary author is always whipping up something extra special in the kitchen during the holidays. This year, her ham will be crowned with her famous homemade sorrel glaze. “It has a little bit of tartness to go with it. I’ve also used guava jam instead of pineapple jam for that thick, glossy spread.”

But let’s get to the meat of the matter.

WHERE DOES THE

PERFECT HAM

BEGIN AND END?

Cynthia’s process for preparing the “perfect” ham

1DEFROST IT

The safest thing to do is let it defrost at the bottom of the fridge for at least 48 hours. Get paper towels and pat it all over.

2 SKIN IT

Remove the skin and leave on 1/4 inch of fat. As the ham reheats, the fat will melt, basting the ham and keeping it moist.

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COOKING SENSE •

DECEMBER 2014

3 SCORE IT

Score it "diamond score" or diagonally, about an inch apart like an "X" and then stud with cloves. Some people place cloves in the middle, or at the four corners of the diamond, but it is really a matter of personal preference.

4

COOK IT

The ham we get is already fully cured and fully cooked, so we are really "reheating" our ham. I usually do it at 350°. If you go online, you will see different temperatures.

Every place has its own food culture. You can average 20 [baking] minutes for every pound but you can let your ham go longer than that if you want to, at a lower temperature.

Feature

Down to the LITTLE THINGS THAT AREN’T SO LITTLE.

Glaze is to ha m what icing is to cake. It must be added at just the right moment – when baking is almost complete.

THE GLAZING – no mere trivality

Most Caribbean residents prepare ham the same way, but when it comes to the glazes and condiments, the possibilities are endless – from the traditional diluted pineapple jam glaze, to spicy dressings like kuchela (green mangos cooked with pepper, cumin and fennel seeds).

According to Cynthia, “A lot of people do the glaze before and the ham ends up looking burnt and black. Don’t forget that glaze has in sugar and sugar burns quickly.

Glaze the ha m half an hour before; fifteen minutes later add another coating of glaze, then another five minutes before you take it out. You want it to infuse the ha m.

Make enough of that glaze so you can serve it as a condiment to go with your ha m.

And if you’re thinking of giving into the temptation of slicing your ham right away, don’t. She notes that “When the ham comes out it is not ready to serve, it needs at least half an hour [to rest]. You can place foil over it to retain moisture.”

Ham Companion While ham is usually the "star" of the Christmas buffet, it can be just as filling served alone with a tall glass of ginger beer, a home-made fruit drink, or with any spirit of the season. “Ham is salt, so you need something on your palette vbut any white wine will go well with it, suggests Cynthia” Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com (246) 426-1369

SORREL JAM GLAZE You'll need: ½ cup sorrel jam 3 to 4 tablespoons tap water METHOD: Put the jam and water in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. Stir well and bring the mixture to a simmer; turn heat to low and cook until it coats the back of a spoon. The glaze should be thick and sauce-like but not watery.

Use according to your recipe for glazing ham.

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Feature

I prefer picnic ha m because it's cheaper!

C

Get it: Hanschell Inniss www.hanschellinnissltd.com (246) 426-3544

heryl Alleyne, one of Bim’s many ham fans, finds that

budget cooking is the way to go. For her it is sugar, water and mustard, and decorated with cloves, as she loves the aroma of the dried flower buds. But it is not just the glaze that makes Cheryl’s ham succulent; she also soaks it in Guinness and Banks beer overnight for a rich, bold flavour. And when it’s time to serve? While everyone is stuffing thick ham slices in Bajan salt breads, Cheryl enjoys her ham just the way it is, "Once it's complete just give me a knife. I will happily slice and eat all day long." Yet, she admits that a great ham cutter is hard to resist and she is very precise about how it should be: "A nice, soft salt bread with four slabs of ham, lathered in pepper and mustard."

J

amal Hall, owner of Bar Cutters, is no seasonal ham-boss, as his

establishment offers up traditional Bajan ham cutters year-round. It is very important to him that his ham maintains its moisture: “Baking

ham is great, especially for presentation, but when you’re selling,

boiling ham is the way to go because all the chances of drying out the ham are removed, and for the health [conscious] people, it removes some of the salt. I need to hammer home this point, though. No one, and I mean no one likes a dry ham. The softer the meat, the sweeter the cutter.” Having served many customers, Jamal is familiar with the latest ham-eating trends. “Hot sauce and ketchup are the usual preferences, sometimes mayonnaise. Our rum sauce gets ordered a lot too but hot [pepper] sauce is the most popular.” There are also those who can’t resist the temptation of a little bit of ham fat for that extra flavour.

“Most people like a balanced ham cutter, lean cuts with some fat; some people want no fat at all, not even a trace, and there are others who like "nuff’ fat."

Whether we prefer it fat or lean, sweet or salty, hot or cold, a moist, juicy ham is a Christmas staple that has captured the hearts of Caribbean people. As the "ham-boss", notes, “Many people grew up on them [ham cutters], especially around Christmas. So they usually remember those good times when they buy one. Every Bajan who eats ham has a great story about the biggest ham cutter they ever ate, how many times they could eat ham in a day, or how fast a ham disappears in their house. It is really an enjoyable meal.”

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DECEMBER 2014

Feature

HAITIAN BAKED HAM

Yield: 16 – 20 servings

You'll need:

1 9 – 10 pound smoked ham (bone-in) 2 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces 1 leek chopped 6 – 8 whole cloves 3 garlic cloves ¼ cup honey ¼ cup brown sugar 1 ½ tablespoons yellow or honey Dijon mustard ¼ cup dark rum (Rhum Barbancourt preferably) ¼ cup pineapple or orange juice Additional whole cloves

METHOD:

To a large stockpot add ham, whole cloves, garlic cloves, carrots, and leek. Fill up stockpot with water until ham is completely covered. Bring to a boil and boil for 40-45 minutes.

Let ham cool before removing from stockpot. Remove from stockpot and transfer to a roasting pan with a rack. Discard ham water. Remove ham skin and fat and discard. Score the surface with shallow diagonal cuts, making diamond shapes; insert cloves into diamonds.

Preheat oven to 350° F. In a bowl combine honey, brown sugar, rum, pineapple or orange juice, mustard and stir to mix. Brush ham with honey and rum mixture. Bake in oven for 40 minutes and brush ham after the first 20 minutes. Brush ham again with remaining mixture and increase oven temperature to 415° F; continue to bake ham for another 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on serving platter. Decorate with pineapple rings cooked in rum and sugar.

CYNTHIA’S BAKED HAM You'll need:

1 cured and fully cooked bone-in frozen ham, defrosted and patted dry Spicy or country style mustard Whole cloves ½ cup of your favourite jam 3 tablespoons tap water

METHOD:

Line the baking pan with aluminium foil, insert the rack and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove the rind (skin) from the ham by running a knife along the edge and peeling it back with your hands. Store the skin for use in other dishes. Slice off some of the excess fat but be sure to leave at least ¼-inch of the fat so that the ham can self-baste.

Score the top fat of the ham into squares or diamond shapes. Rub all over its top and sides with mustard then stud with the cloves. You can put the cloves in the centre of the diamond cut or at the edges of each square. Transfer the ham to the rack and roasting pan and place in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes per pound or until it reaches an internal temperature of 140° F. If your ham is 6 pounds, it will need to bake for at least 2 hours.

While the ham is baking, add the jam and water to a small saucepan, mix together and heat gently. You want the water to loosen the jam so that when mixed together it will become a thick sauce.

Half an hour before the ham is due to finish cooking, remove it from the oven and brush it with the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and bake for 15 minutes; remove it and glaze the ham again. Bake the ham for 15 more minutes.

At the end of the last set of 15 minutes brush the ham with any remaining glaze, and remove it from the oven. Let rest for 20 to 25 minutes before slicing and serving.

USEFUL HAM NOTES

• • • • •

The amount of jam and water needed to make the glaze would depend on how large your ham is. Use the suggested amount above for a 5 to 6 lb. ham.

Lining the baking pan with foil makes for easy clean up.

The skin of the ham can be added to rice and peas, soups or stews.

The excess fat removed from the ham can be saved also and be used as the “oil” to sauté vegetables – add it to a dry pan to render and then add your aromatics to sauté.

If you are baking a boneless ham, reduce heat to 325° F and bake for 18 minutes per pound, covered loosely (with foil). Remove the cover and glaze during the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking.

DECEMBER 2014 •

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What's Cooking

ALL HAIL

KALE FACTOID

A descendant of wild cabbage, it belongs to the Brassica family, more commonly known as cruciferous vegetables. Brassicas, or cruciferous vegetables, contain the highest number of disease-fighting nutrients per serving. Other popular members of the genus include Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage.

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DECEMBER 2014

What's Cooking

MEET KALE IT’S ALL THE RAGE

Even though kale has been around for a very long time, this wonder plant is presently enjoying the status of “most popular vegetable” around. Folks are calling it one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, actually.

But according to a recent study ranking fruit and vegs by their content of 17 critical nutrients; kale came in at number 15 out of 41. Watercress, Chinese cabbage, chard, beet, collard greens and spinach topped the list. The research was conducted by Jennifer Di Noia PhD, an associate professor of sociology at William Paterson University in the USA. The study was published in the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention Journal, “Preventing Chronic Disease”.

A NUTRITIONAL

SUPERHERO

Kale, cooked / 1.00 cup (130.00 grams) / Calories: 36

NUTRIENT

DRI/DV

NUTRIENT

DRI/DV

vitamin K

1180.1%

vitamin B2

6.9%

vitamin A

98.3%

iron

6.5%

vitamin C

71%

magnesium

5.8%

manganese

27%

vitamin B1

5.8%

copper

22.2%

omega-3 fats

5.4%

vitamin B6

10.5%

phosphorus

5.2%

fibre

10.4%

protein

4.9%

calcium

9.3%

folate

4.2%

potassium

8.4%

vitamin B3

4%

vitamin E

7.4%

This leafy green is a “powerhouse” vegetable. Not only is it one of the best sources of beta-carotene, but its antioxidant properties have been researched to fight at least five different forms of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, ovary and prostate.

It packs a powerful combination of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, supplying more

nutritional value on fewer calories, and is unusually high in fibre, which is a good thing. Fibre helps to create the bulk needed to feel full faster and keep full longer. No wonder some go so far as calling the veg a dieter’s dream food.

Registered dietician Wendy Lopes told

Cooking Sense that in terms of nutrient density, culinary flexibility and how easy it is to cook, kale tops the charts. “Kale is a cruciferous vegetable and is chock-full of fibre and antioxidants. It is rich in vitamin K, which aids in blood clotting and cell growth.

You should aim to include it in your diet three to four times a week,” she advised.

DECEMBER 2014 •

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5

What's Cooking

1.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF KALE

Strengthens immune system – kale contains more iron than beef. This, along with its concentration of nutrients strengthens the immune system and fights viruses and bacteria.

3.

Healthier hair, skin and nails – omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids keep the body strong, healthy and beautiful, and nutrientdense kale helps do just that.

5.

Eyesight and strength –vitamin A content in kale keeps the eyes from optical disorders that come with age and helps store vitamin A in the retina. Calcium and vitamin D keep bones strong.

Disease buster – kale’s abundant vitamin K content is important for bone health, which stalls the effects of osteoporosis before it even begins! Added to that, the folic acid and B6 provide cardiovascular support and prevent heart disease.

A WORD OF CAUTION Esther Selman, a registered dietician and health educator, cautions that although kale is packed with nutrients, like everything it should be used in moderation. “(…Since kale is a rich source of vitamin K, if you are on an anticoagulant medication/blood thinner, eating kale in large quantities might cause an interference. If you are on an anticoagulant medicine, [it is] important to enjoy kale after discussing this with your physician. Also, kale is naturally high in oxalates, which can interfere with calcium absorption. It is best to avoid eating a calcium-rich food at the same time as kale,” explains nutritionist and dietitian Vandana Sheth.

It is also recommended that persons with hypothyroidism avoid high intakes of leafy green and other cruciferous vegetables.

Cooking Sense suggests you contact your doctor or nutritionist before consuming large amounts of foods touted as “superfoods”.

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KALEVARIETIES

Detoxification and weight loss – for every cup of kale, expect 5 grams of fibre and zero grams of fat. The sulfur in kale aids with digestion and liver health while the vitamin C hydrates the body and increases its metabolism, leading to weight loss and healthy blood sugar levels.

2.

4.

POPULAR

COOKING SENSE •

DECEMBER 2014

Curly Kale

Dinosaur Kale

Dinosaur Kale

Selecting, buying and storing •

Kale is available in Barbados all year round and prices range from $4 to $10/kg. Choose kale with vibrant, deep-coloured leaves that feel crisp. If the leaves are yellow and wilting, they are not fresh and overripe.

•

Kale tends to become bitter the longer it is left at room temperature. It is best kept in the coldest part of the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag up to five days. Wash it just before using, as exposure to water will increase spoilage.

•

Kale is an ethylene-sensitive food and will decay quickly if stored with produce that emits this gas, including apples, cantaloupe and tomatoes.

What's Cooking

KALE

HOME-GROWING GUIDE

Shop seeds and seedlings of four varieties at Massy Trading.

Planting •

•

•

If sowing directly into your garden bed, choose a partially shaded area. Kale flourishes in rich, organic soil away from direct sunlight. too much exposure to the sun turns the vegetable bitter.

Sow the seeds into well-drained fertilized soil at least 2 to 4 inches deep and about 3 inches apart. This leaves ample room for the kale to spread out while still allowing air circulation.

You should see the first sign of germination after about 7 days.

THE

AWE SOME NESS CONTINUES…

Transplanting

Plants started in pots may be transferred to larger pots or beds 3 to 4 weeks after planting. By then they should have 2 to 3 sets of true leaves.

Care

Pesticides

(Available at Massy Trading) Avaunt /Actara/ Vertimec

Harvest •

Keep plants well watered. Moist soil helps keep kale leaves sweet and crisp!

•

Pests

•

Cabbage worms and loopers (pick them off at first sight).

Your kale should be ready to enjoy 8 to 12 weeks after planting, depending on your variety.

Cut off as many leaves as you need, starting with outer leaves or, Harvest the entire plant. Cut the stem about two inches from the soil. New leaves will sprout in 1 to 2 weeks.

Besides being exceptionally rich in nutrients and health benefits our veg du jour also tastes oh-so good, is super easy to prepare and can be used in a variety of recipes!

Try our tried and tested ways to enjoy kale.

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What's Cooking

Chickpea and Kale Sandwich Spread Yield: 4 to 6 (makes 2 to 2 1/2 cups)

You’ll need:

2 medium kale leaves (any variety), rinsed well 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into chunks 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked or one 15 to 16-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed) 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (optional, but highly recommended) 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise 2 teaspoons yellow mustard 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves or 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves 1 to 2 scallions, green parts only, cut into large pieces (optional) 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice, to taste 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, or more to taste 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, or more to taste Freshly ground pepper to taste

Method:

Combine the kale and carrot in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped.

Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until the chickpeas are evenly chopped and everything is nicely blended—don’t overprocess; leave the mixture a bit chunky. Transfer to a serving container and serve at once, or cover and refrigerate until needed.

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DECEMBER 2014

What's Cooking

Tempeh, Kale, and Sweet Potato Skillet Yield: 6

You’ll need:

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce 8-ounce package tempeh, cut into 1/4-inch slices crosswise 1 good-sized bunch kale (about 8 to 12 ounces) 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced 15- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes (try fire-roasted) 2 teaspoons good quality curry powder, or to taste Sriracha sauce or dried hot red pepper flakes to taste 2 thinly sliced scallions and/or 1/4 cup chopped cilantro Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1/2 cup cashew pieces for topping

Method:

Cook, bake, or microwave sweet potatoes until done but still nice and firm, allowing 2 to 3 minutes per potato. If you’d like to keep the skins on, scrub them well. Otherwise just rinse.

Once cool enough to handle, cut into large dice, leaving skins on. Heat half the oil and the soy sauce in a stir-fry pan. Add tempeh and stir quickly to coat. Sauté over medium heat until golden and beginning to turn crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove to a plate and set aside until needed.

Meanwhile, cut the leafy part of the kale away from stem, then coarsely chop into bite-sized pieces. Rinse well. Heat remaining oil in the stir-fry pan. Add garlic and sauté over low heat until golden.

Add kale along with about 1/2 cup water, the tomatoes, curry powder, and optional curry paste. Cover and cook over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, or until kale is tender but still bright green.

Stir in diced sweet potatoes, tempeh, scallions and/or cilantro and cook, uncovered, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with cashews and serve at once.

. . . don’t like tempeh? Use tofu, seitan, or a can of chickpeas or white beans instead. It’s great with chard in place of kale, as well.

DECEMBER 2014 •

COOKING SENSE

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What's Cooking

HOLIDAY FOODS:

What’s Nice,

What’s Not

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COOKING SENSE •

SEPTEMBER 2014

What's Cooking

Nice 8

Rating:

Oven-roasted Pork A Bajan Christmas simply isn’t Bajan without a slowly baked pork shoulder.

But why place “pork” and “good” in the same sentence? (Well, other than pork’s obvious deliciousness.)

A lean pork shoulder is a great source of protein. It is moderate to low in fat

and typical recipes for this dish are low in sugar. Even those that include a brown sugar glaze typically only contribute 2 to 5 grams of sugar per serving. This is the exact opposite of the norm for most holiday treats, which tend to be sugar and fat-laden, many easily contributing twenty times the aforementioned sugar load!

Stay Nice Tip: pair pork with small servings of carbohydrates (or alcohol), and large servings of vegetables. This is how most of my clients eat during the holidays, and the reason they seldom gain a pound during the season. Serving size: 4 to 6 ounces for males; 3 to 4 ounces for females.

Not Nice Rating:

3

Corey

Springer Barbados

Fitness Concierge Apollo Fitness Barbados & Utopia Lifestyle Management Services

Traditional (Biscuit) Stuffing Many people may not want to hear this, but there is absolutely nothing nutritious about stuffing. It is starch, and nothing else.

This wouldn’t be a huge issue if it didn’t compound an already starch-heavy, low-

activity lifestyle, as is the norm in Barbados.

Dishes like these, coupled with others that are primarily sugar, fat, alcohol, or a combination thereof, are the primary reason why so many dieters gain weight during the holidays.

Make-Nice Tip: if you must indulge, practise strict portion control. Keep servings to no more than half a cup, and pair with 1 to 2 cups of vegetables, and at least 3 ounces of lean protein. This combination will keep blood sugar stable, preventing the urge to binge eat.

DECEMBER 2014 •

COOKING SENSE

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What's Cooking

Nice Rating: Uber-nic e

10

Mashed or baked Sweet Potato When I want to turn my meals into a solid and satisfying fare, I go for sweet potatoes. This powerhouse food is a delicious alternative to traditional mashed or baked English potatoes. The natural sugars help stave off sugar cravings longer, a definite plus when considering the abundance of sweet offerings.

It tastes delicious, is satisfying and packed with nutrients: • High in vitamin B6, which reduces the chemical homocysteine.

• Good source of vitamin C, which

• • • •

produces collagen to keep us looking young.

Good source of Iron for adequate energy.

Good source of potassium and magnesium, the relaxation and antistress minerals. Who doesn’t need this during the holidays?

Not forgetting vitamin D, which is necessary for our immune system and overall health at this time of the year.

Those a rich orange colour are high in carotenoids like beta carotene.

Stay Nice Tip: Pair them up with some lean turkey protein, some healthy greens, and you will be set for the holidays with great energy and a good mood.

Not Nice

Marie Andrew Piazza, HHC, CPFT, St. Lucia

Rati Devi ng: lsh

10

Fruitcake Don’t be fooled! Even though it is a “fruit cake”, it’s high in gluten, simple carbs and fats.

Fruitcake is loaded with sugar, alcohol, fat and starch, a deadly combination for the waistline.

One slice alone may contain 310-plus calories, although it varies based on the recipe.

When it comes to fruitcake, I stop at one slice. I make sure that I am full from “food” first and pass up on the seconds. Then I work out like an athlete for a couple of days after.

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DECEMBER 2014

Managing Director Sportivo Fitness and Health Club & I Am Ready World Lifestyle

What's Cooking

Nice Rating: Uber-nic e

10

Turkey Turkey is an excellent source of protein and quite low in calories. Due to its high protein content and low fat, low cholesterol profile, choosing turkey over other meat will translate to a healthier holiday season with no loss of taste or convenience.

Additionally, it is nutritionally dense, containing a wide spectrum of vitamins and minerals such as iron, riboflavin, magnesium, selenium, phosphorous, niacin, zinc, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, essential nutrients for energy production and optimum health.

It is low in sodium and one of the more easily digested protein sources (making it an excellent option for older adults).

Turkey also provides a no-sugar, no-carb option for weight watchers.

Stay Nice Tip: once you remove the skin and avoid sugary accompanying sauces/ gravy, turkey is an unbeatable holiday option.

Ramon “Doddy”

Not Nice

Dodson Barbados

IFBB Pro, Fitness Professional, Owner of acclaimed FWD Training System, and model at GADAL Model Management Inc.

Rati Devi ng: lsh

10

Sweet bread/ Coconut Bread Sweetbread is a staple treat during the yuletide season. There are a variety of recipes for this traditional dessert but some things are common across the board: flour, sugar and fat (shortening/butter). These main ingredients make sweet bread one of the naughtiest food items during the holidays.

From a caloric perspective, sweet bread packs quite a punch, and with the calories coming largely from the saturated fat and sugar content, it can be a dieter’s nightmare. It is not nutritionally dense and thus the health benefits do not stretch beyond the limited minerals provided by the coconut.

DECEMBER 2014 •

COOKING SENSE

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What's Cooking

Healthy Food, Tastes SO Good! Four traditional recipes reinvented with a healthier you in mind.

Stir the Earth Balance into the potatoes until melted, then add the rice milk and mash until fluffy. Season with salt, cover, and set aside until needed.Preheat the oven to 400º F.

Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd’s Pie There are no words to describe this other than as a deep dish of absolute comfort. It’s a bit of a project, but not difficult, and definitely worth it for a special occasion meal.

Yield: 8 or more servings You'll need: 8 large or 10 medium potatoes 2 tablespoons Earth Balance or other vegan buttery spread 1/2 cup plain rice milk or other unsweetened nondairy milk Salt to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced Two 15-ounce cans lentils, lightly drained 2 tablespoons dry red wine, (optional) 1 to 2 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos 2 to 3 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning blend (such as Spike or Mrs. Dash) 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot 8 to 10 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves Freshly ground pepper to taste 1 cup fresh bread crumbs

Method: Peel and dice the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small mixing bowl.

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COOKING SENSE •

DECEMBER 2014

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and mushrooms and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Add the lentils and their liquid and bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in the optional wine, soy sauce, seasoning blend, thyme, and pepper.

Cook gently for 5 minutes. Combine the cornstarch with just enough water to dissolve in a small container. Stir into the lentil mixture.

Add the spinach, a little at a time, cooking just until it’s all wilted down. Remove from the heat; taste to adjust seasonings to your liking.

Lightly oil a 2-quart (preferably round) casserole dish, or two deep-dish pie plates. Scatter the breadcrumbs evenly over the bottom. Pour in the lentil mixture, then spread the potatoes evenly over the top. If using two pie plates, divide each mixture evenly between them.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes begin to turn golden and slightly crusty. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, then cut into wedges to serve.

Method: Beat the eggs with the vanilla. Set aside.

Boil dates and prunes in the one cup of Cherry Brandy or rum for 3 minutes.

Add the butter and raisins and let cool.

Sift the flour. Mix the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Add to the beaten eggs.

Mix well. Add the fruit mixture. Mix well.

Pour into a well greased baking dish. Bake at 350° F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Cranberry Slaw

This festive coleslaw is easy to make with preshredded cabbage (make sure to get the kind with added carrots), though you’re welcome to use a combination of fresh green and red cabbage, as suggested in the variation.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Sugarless Fruit cake You'll need: 1 cup dates, chopped 1 cup prunes, chopped 1 cup. raisins 1 cup cherry brandy or rum 1 cup. enriched flour 1 stick (4 ounces or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

You'll need: 6 cups thinly shredded white cabbage (use pre-shredded coleslaw if you’d like) 2/3 cup dried cranberries 1/3 to 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds or chopped cashews 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, optional

Method: Combine all the ingredients in a serving bowl and mix until well combined. Serve at once or cover and refrigerate until needed.

Use 3 cups each red and green cabbage for a more festive look.

“Vegg� Nog

Cashew butter gives a nice heft to this dairy-free version of the classic holiday beverage, without being overly filling.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings You'll need: 1/2 cup cashew butter* Two 32-ounce containers vanilla almond milk 1/4 cup agave nectar or maple syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste 1 cup rum, (optional)

Method: Combine the cashew butter in a blender with two cups of the almond milk (reserving the rest), agave nectar, vanilla, and nutmeg. Process until smoothly blended.

Divide the mixture between two pitchers, then divide the remaining almond milk between them. If using rum divide between the two pitchers. Stir well. Serve at room temperature.

*Homemade

Cashew Butter Yield: 1 to 1 1/4 cups You'll need: 2 cups unsalted cashew nuts (raw/roasted)

Method: Add cashew nuts to a heavy duty food processor (a regular one works fine too but takes longer), and process. The nuts will begin to clump together. Scrape down the sides and process again. Repeat this process until the mixture reaches your desired consistency. There is no need to add water to the mixture, it rwill elease its own oils. The longer you go the creamier it gets. Add salt or sugar to your taste, and based on what you use your butter for.

Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Cooking Wisdom

THE SECRET TO

Baking

Success

Anyone can achieve baking success whether it is a beautiful black cake with just the right texture, or a fluffly loaf of bread with just the right amount of chew.

The secret? It’s all in the chemistry. Understanding the role that each ingredient plays in baking, and how they work together to create the final product is the key to a perfect treat, every time.

Cooking Sense called on two expert bakers for the rundown on the main ingredients in baking and how they work. Laurin Evelyn, is a preeminent chef at Four and Twenty Bakery in Barbados, and Felix Padilla is the owner of Trinidadian food and lifestyle website Simply Trini Cooking.

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F lour

Flour is to baking what walls are to a house – it provides structure. When water is added to flour, two proteins – glutenin and gliadin – bond to form a new protein. This new protein, gluten, lends structure and support to baked goods, and determines their texture. Flours that contain a high amount of protein produce strong doughs and create a chewy texture, while lower protein flours create a delicate crumb. Flour also serves as a thickener in pastry creams, some pie fillings, and sauces. Chef Evelyn outlines the most common types of flour and their uses.

Bread Flour

Bread flour is a strong flour. It contains a high percentage of protein, up to 15%.

Pastry Flour Pastry flour is a soft flour with less than 10% gluten forming proteins. Due to this low protein content it will produce a tender dough that is ideal for flakey pastries.

Cake Flour

Cake flour, also a soft flour, has less than 8% protein. This means that it will produce very delicate, soft cakes. Cake flour is treated with chlorine, which not only bleaches the flour but also damages starch granules, allowing it to absorb more moisture. This is ideal when making delicate sugar cookies, so that they do not spread whilst baking.

All-purpose Flour

All-purpose flour or AP flour as it is called in the industry, is not commonly used by professional bakers and pastry chefs, due to its lack of standardization. AP flour can have a protein content between 911%, be bleached or not, made from any variety of wheat – the variables are so many. The most common type of wheat flour available in the retail market, it is the primary choice for many home bakers. Although it will produce moderate results in baking, AP flour tends to cause inconsistencies between batches, lower bread rise and varied textures.

Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour is milled from the entire wheat kernel and contains a high percentage of protein, carbohydrate and fibre. It is also an excellent additive for increasing the nutritional value of baked items. Be careful when substituting whole-wheat flour for a more extensively milled flour; it absorbs a higher amount of moisture and does not create very good structure in baked items. For instance the addition of whole-wheat flour to a cake may lead to a dry product, and to a bread, a denser, heavier item.

CHEF EVELYN'S TIPS:

It is always best to weigh your ingredients. A cup of flour does not weigh the sa me 8 ou nces as a cup of water or like su bsta nce. The weight of a cup of flour will vary depending on how packed the flour becomes when you are scooping it, thus leading to inconsistencies in your products. If you are using measuring cups a nd your recipe calls for sifted flour, measure the flour a nd then sift it, u nless the recipe instructs otherwise.

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Cooking Wisdom

Leavening Agents

Baking powder, yeast, and baking soda are the ingredients that bring life to the mix. Chef Padilla breaks it down to a science, “Baking powder and baking soda are both used to leaven baked goods, quick breads, flat breads, muffins, and cakes. The resulting crumb is usually quite delicate. When activated they release tiny bubbles (carbon dioxide) that help lift the batter. The difference between the two is the chemical reaction they each produce."

Baking Soda Baking soda is an alkali made from sodium bicarbonate. It reacts well with acids. Thus, it works well with acidic ingredients such as buttermilk, yogurt, lemon juice, brown sugar, cocoa etc.

Baking Powder Baking powder has one or two acids; and works with both acid and alkali ingredients. Once wet, the reaction is possible. Quick bread and flat breads are made in minutes when using baking powder.

Yeast Yeast is also used to leaven breads. It creates a variety of loaves with varying textures and shapes. Baking with yeast is more time consuming and difficult than baking with baking soda and baking powder.”

CHEF PADILLA’S TIPS:

Dead leavening agents are the most common cause when baked goods have not risen well. Always buy the leavening ingredients in small quantities as they lose their effectiveness over time.

Baking powder could lose effectiveness three months after the package is opened. Y ou should also check the expiry date of the product before you buy it.

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Eggs

Eggs serve many purposes in baked goods such as providing structure, aeration, emulsification, flavor, colour and nutritional value, says Chef Laurin. Comprised of two main parts, eggs are responsible for most of the structure in aerated cakes like angel food and sponge cake.

Egg Yolks

Egg White

Egg yolks contain a high amount of fat with minimum protein. The specific lipids in egg yolks are ideal for emulsifications and are responsible for creating smooth textures and homogenous mixtures such as mayonnaise and cake batters. Egg yolk also contributes a delicate yellow to orange hue in baked goods, depending on what diet and additives the chicken was fed while laying.

Egg white is mainly protein and water.

When whipped, the protein traps air and creates foam like meringue. Folded into a cake batter, the foam has a drying effect.

CHEF EVELYN'S TIPS:

When making an emulsification, for exa mple crea ming butter and sugar, then adding eggs that all of your ingredients must be at room temperature. Otherwise, your emulsification will break and you will be left with a curdled mess that will not give your final baked product full volu me and texture.

CHEF PADILLA’S TIPS:

Follow instruction in a recipe when it comes to beating egg whites.

Do not over beat eggs when it comes to baking. Overbeaten egg whites will look dull, dry and almost granular. Prevent overbeating by beating with your hands rather than with an electric mixer.

Add an extra fresh egg white to overbeaten eggs to replace the gloss. Beat until stiff peaks form.

Don’t ruin your batter with a rotten egg. Always crack eggs into a separate bowl.

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Cooking Wisdom

Sugar

Generally, sugar helps give baked goods a rich, golden colour and texture. Sugar helps keep food from spoiling and can be used to stabilize beaten egg whites.

Brown Sugar Brown sugar contains molasses and thus has a more intense flavour than granulated sugar. In baking, brown sugar makes moister baked goods.

Fine Granulated Sugar Fine granulated sugar can help improve the texture of cakes and cookies.

CHEF PADILLA’S TIPS:

Blend gra nulated sugar in a food processor or blender to make super fine sugar.

It ca n be difficult to cara melize sugar. Avoid stirring u ntil most of the sugar has been melted. Lower the heat a nd keep a n eye on the melting. Stir occasionally.

Milk Milks adds moistness, improves the texture and taste of baked goods. Milk also promotes browning. Chef Padilla advises that you should consider the fat content of the milk used for baking, besides considering which is right for you. If the baked item requires a strong flavour of milk, it is usually recommended that you use 2 or 1% fat milk. Milk is a good source of calcium; if you want more calcium in your baked goods, you can choose fat-free evaporated milk.

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Cooking Wisdom

Fats

Fats in general function as tenderizers and moisteners in baked goods. The addition of fat to a baked item will result in a softer, more tender and moist item. Too much fat can lead to a greasy, waxy taste and heavy, flopped cakes or quick breads, says chef Evelyn, and lists the different fats.

Oil

Oil is a liquid fat which distributes easily in mixes and results in a distinctively moist, dense crumb. It is commonly used in quick breads such as muffins, loaf breads like banana and zucchini, and some cakes like chiffon cake. As oil is a liquid fat, it cannot be used to cream with sugar in recipies for cookies and most cakes. In baking, unflavoured oils such as sunflower, corn, canola and cottonseed are generally used, as stronger flavoured oils will add another dimension to your product.

Margarine

Margarine consists of a combination of oil (usually from soy beans), water and air. The fat is derived from plant sources so it does not contain cholesterol, and is less expensive

than butter. Margarine can be used in many recipies as a substitute for butter but will not give the same superior flavour or texture. It may be used as a creaming agent with sugar to create volume in products.

Shortening

Shortening is a flavourless designer fat made entirely from fat and contains no water. This means that it will create fabulously flakey pastries and very moist cakes. It also means that products made with shortening will have a very waxy taste and no buttery flavour. Like margarine, it may also be used as a creaming ingredient.

Butter

Butter, whilst high in saturated fat, is the most naturally produced fat in the market.

In baking it provides moistness, flavour, tenderness and flakiness. There is really no substitute for the flavour of butter in a baked item. It also acts as a volumizer when creamed with sugar in cake batter and cookie dough.

Spreads

Spreads are not be used in baking as they generally do not work well. Most are similar to mar garine in that they consist of oil, water, and air. However, they contain a higher percentage of water and rely on gums for their spreadable, butter-like consistency.

Salt Salt improves the flavour of every food when used in the appropriate quantity. Chef Evelyn explains. This is why pastry chefs use minimal amounts of salt in most of their goods. In baking, salt not only improves flavour but also increases crust colouring, delays the fermentation of yeast and strengthens gluten, causing less sticky bread dough for easier handling, and increased volume in breads.

CHEF EVELYN’S TIPS:

Be careful when weighing or measuring salt! Read your recipe carefully, there’s a big difference between a ta blespoon a nd a cup of salt.

Make sure that your storage containers for gra nulated sugar a nd salt are clearly la belled. I learned this the hard way as a n intern years ago when I made a large batch of muffins with 2 pou nds of salt instead of sugar, which brings me to my next point – always take a little pinch of salt/sugar a nd taste it before you measure, just to be sure.

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Cooking Wisdom

Bread making tips from Chef Padilla • Follow instructions for the recipe carefully.

• Rub a tablespoon of oil on your hands when you are kneading dough for bread.

• Leave the yeast dough to rise in a warm, moist spot. Dough has risen well when it springs back slowly after an indent is made on it.

If the indent does not rise, the dough has rested too long.

• And again, follow the recipe instructons carefully and to the letter.

Quick Cheese Bread

Biscuit Cake

Yield: 1 loaf

Yield: 4 cakes

You'll need:

You'll need:

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup cheese, grated 1 cup milk 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 eggs 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350º F or 170° C. Butter the loaf pan (9 x 5 inches) and set aside. In a deep bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Fold in the cheese. Make a well in the centre. In a second bowl, beat the eggs and fold in the milk and oil. Pour liquid mixture into the flour mixture. Mix well with a wooden spoon or mixer. Do not knead. Pour dough into greased pan. Cover with wax paper and let stand for 20 minutes. Bake in oven for 45-50 minutes.

Unmold and serve.

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2 3/4 cups flour 1/2 teaspon baking soda 1/2 teaspon baking powder 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup butter 1/4 teaspon salt Sugar to sprinkle

Method:

Preheat the oven for 350° F. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder together. In a small pot, heat together the evaporated milk, sugar, and butter on a low flame, until the butter melts. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Add liquid to the flour; mix until you get a soft dough.Divide the dough into four equal-size balls. Press down on a well greased sheet until they are about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle sugar over each flattened ball. Bake in a 300° F oven for about 10 minutes.

Remove and allow to cool.

Cooking Wisdom

Christmas Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Special Equipment:

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

10-inch round baking pan Parchment paper cut to fit bottom of the pan and greased

You'll need:

1 cup (8 ozs) unsalted butter, room temperature (plus extra for greasing) 1 cup brown sugar 6 eggs, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla essence 4 cups rum-cured mixed fruit (aka Great Cake fruit mix) ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the baking pan

Method:

Preheat oven to 350º F with baking rack in the middle of the oven. Grease the cake pan, first by rubbing butter all around and then dusting with flour.

Turn pan over and tap it to remove any excess flour. Line bottom of pan with the cut-out round piece of greased parchment paper; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until it reaches a pale cream colour; if using a hand mixer, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside. Sift or mix together flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a large bowl and set aside. Whisk eggs until frothy in a separate bowl. Add essence to eggs and continue whisking for a few seconds. Add whisked eggs to creamed butter and sugar and stir gently (mixture will look curdled; that’s okay). Add rum-cured mixed fruit and mix until fully incorporated.

Add flour-baking powder-cinnamon mixture and mix thoroughly to incorporate, but do not over mix or beat the batter. Pour batter into baking pan.

You'll need:

Nonstick cooking spray or butter for 10 inch round pan 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks) 1 cup sugar 2 cups flour, sifted 2 teaspoon baking powder 3 eggs (at room temperature) ¾ cup pineapple juice 1 teaspoon vanilla ¾ to 1 cup brown sugar 1– 20 ounce can sliced pineapple or fresh pineapple Cherries Dried prunes

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray 10 inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and coat with flour.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and pineapple juice.

Gradually add sifted flour mixed with baking powder and stir to incorporate Use additional butter or nonstick spray to prepare pan. Add brown sugar to prepared pan. Arrange the pineapple slices, prunes and cherries over the brown sugar. Reserve remaining pineapple slices and cherries for another use. Pour batter into pan and spread evenly. Bake in the oven at 350° F for about 40 minutes or until tester inserted into the cent comes out clean. Turn cake out onto a platter and serve at room temperature.

Bake 1 hour and 30 minutes or until skewer or cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack in pan for 10 minutes.

Carefully, gently and quickly invert pan and remove the cake. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut and serve with a glass of ginger beer, sorrel drink, tea or coffee or just as is.

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What's Cooking

Ricotta Pound Cake Special Equipment:

1 (9 x 5) loaf pan, buttered and dusted with flour

You'll need:

You'll need:

1 ½ cup all purpose flour 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon kosher salt (sub: ½ teaspoon fine table salt) ¾ cup softened butter (6 oz) 1 ½ cup white granulated sugar 1 ½ cup whole milk ricotta 3 large eggs, room temperature ½ vanilla bean, seeds removed (sub: 1 ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract) 1 teaspoon vanilla essence Powdered sugar for dusting or strawberry sauce (both optional)

Method:

Preheat oven to 350° F with rack in the middle. Add flour, baking powder and salt to a bowl and mix thoroughly. Set aside. Add butter, sugar and ricotta to a large bowl and cream together for 2 minutes if using a hand mixer, 4 minutes if working by hand. Add one egg at a time to the butter-ricotta-sugar mixture and fully incorporate.

Add vanilla bean (if using) or extract and essence and mix. Add the flour in two batches incorporating it into the mixture. Once incorporated, do not over mix. Pour batter into pan and tap to remove any bubbles. Bake for 15 minutes then turn the pan 180° F (for even browning), reduce the temperature to 325° F and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan on wire rack and then invert and dust with powdered sugar or slice and drizzle with strawberry sauce.

Strawberry Sauce You'll need:

2 cups frozen strawberry, thawed 1 teaspoon fresh lime or lemon juice ¼ cup white granulated sugar

Method:

Add all the ingredients to a blender and puree/blend until smooth.

Serve with cake or drizzle over ice cream, rice pudding and other desserts.

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Bonbon Amidon (Haitian Starch Cookies)

DECEMBER 2014

3/4 cups powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar) 1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cup tapioca flour 2 tablespoons water (plus a few more drops if needed)

To make Bonbon Amidon, you will need more than one cookie sheet and depending on the size of the cookie cutter, this recipe may or may not yield 24 cookies.

Method:

Preheat oven to 360º F. Have a large ungreased cookie sheet on hand. In a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, mix sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla until creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Mix in all-purpose flour and tapioca flour until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a smooth surface area (countertop or wooden cutting board) when it becomes difficult to mix in the bowl. The mixture should resemble a coarse meal. Add water and work with fingertips until a smooth dough is formed, about 1 minute. Do not overwork the dough because it will toughen. Form a ball with the dough. On a lightly floured surface, flatten dough slightly with the palm of your hand. Roll out the flattened dough with a lightly floured rolling pin into 1/2-inch thick circle. Cut round shapes with 2-inch cookie cutter.

Using a spatula, carefully transfer cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart. Bake in the middle of preheated oven until slightly golden, about 20 minutes.

What's Cooking

Haitian Simple Orange Cake

Orange Cranberry Muffins

You'll need:

The pairing of orange and cranberry makes for a lively flavor combination in baked goods. For holiday baking or giving, this batter is nice made into mini-loaves. F inely grated orange peel (zest) really heightens the orange flavor of these muffins.

2 sticks unsalted butter 3 eggs 1 cup sugar 1 3/4 cups sifted flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 tablespoon grated orange peel ¾ cup orange juice 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon rum

Method:

Preheat oven to 350º F. In a mixer bowl, whip the butter and sugar to a cream. Add the eggs one at a time and missing well after each addition. Add the orange zest, then the sifted flour with the baking powder alternating with the orange juice. Add the vanilla extract and the rum. Mix well and on high speed for about 1 minute. Pour the cake batter into a buttered and floured 10-inch pan or 10 inch tin tube.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until a cake tester or a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and let cool covered with a kitchen towel. Remove from pan, dust with powdered sugar and serve.

Use Ru m Barbancourt, homemade vanilla extract and organic sugar preferably.

Yield: 1 dozen muffins or 3 to 4 mini-loaves

You'll need:

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/3 cup natural granulated sugar 1/2 cup lemon or vanilla nondairy yogurt, or applesauce 1/2 cup fresh orange juice, or as needed 2 teaspoons grated zest (orange peel) 2 tablespoons safflower oil 8 ounces fresh cranberries (see note) 2 tablespoons natural granulated sugar 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, or sliced almonds, optional

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350º F. Combine the first 5 (dry) ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir together. Make a well in the center and pour in the yogurt or applesauce, orange juice, optional zest, and oil. Add a small amount of orange juice if need be to loosen the batter a bit, but let it remain stiff. Stir just until well combined.

Place the cranberries in a food processor and pulse on and off until coarsely chopped. Stir in the sugar and let the mixture stand for a couple of minutes. Stir the cranberries into the batter.

Divide the batter evenly among 12 foil paper-lined muffin tins or 3 to 4 mini loaf pans (depending on their size). If using nuts, scatter over the tops of the muffins evenly.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a knife inserted into the center of one tests clean. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, transfer them to a plate or rack to cool.

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Cooking Wisdom

Pantry basics

de bajan

holiday pantry Even though Caribbean islands share similar culinary styles, each has its own distinct cuisine and unique ways of preparing different dishes. Each also uses rudimentary products that lend to an island’s signature tastes.

Barbados (pronounced colloquially as BAR BAY DUHS or BUH BAY DUHS interchangeably), please ensure you have passed Bajan Dialect 101 to proceed, is no different, with pantry staples that make “Bay-jan crissmuss food tayse suh good”.

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Entrees Green Pigeon Peas and Rice Jug-jug Macaroni Cheese (Bajans prefer cheese and mac!!)

Sweet Potato Pie Glazed Ham

Non-Alcoholic Drinks Sorrel Mauby Ginger Beer Lemonade Golden Apple Juice

Stuffed Roast Turkey with Gravy Baked Pork Fried Fish Cole Slaw Stir Fried Seasonal Vegetables Tossed Salad

Desserts Bajan Great Cake Coconut Bread Conkies

In the Pantry Fresh Seasonings

Bajans prefer their seasonings fresh, so a bouquet garni or assorted mixture of herbs will very likely be sitting in the fridge.

They also love seasoning food and eating well seasoned food, so it should come as no surprise that there is a special seasoning blend specifically referred to as “seas’ning”, which many come from far and wide to buy. Bajan seas’ning is a mixture of thyme, parsley, chives, marjoram, Scotch bonnet peppers, and onions, give or take a few ingredients based on personal taste.

Onions are put into everything. They are sautéed for the peas and rice, minced along with other seasonings for jug-jug, grated for mac and cheese, and used in some form or fashion for all the other entrées.

Dry Seasonings

Black pepper, thyme, basil, marjoram, Italian seasoning, and Maggi or OXO cubes are key pantry ingredients used to enhance flavours in a range of throughout the year.

Spices & Essences

Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves and essences including mixed, almond, and vanilla are used in cakes, pastries, some meats and drinks.

Condiments

“If it aint got peppuh sauce, mustard, may’naise and ketchup, it aint uh Bajan macaroni pie” and the best macaroni pie to be had in the Caribbean is made in Barbados. The best, bar none.

While some make browning by allowing sugar to cook in oil or butter (an admittedly fine skill so if you can do it, here is a Cooking Sense point for you!), a bottle of browning may be found in most kitchens, which comes in very handy for those who have not yet mastered the art, or find it too timeconsuming.

Flour

Wheat flour is the most commonly used flour for coating fried dishes, baking cakes, and pastries. Most supermarkets also stock imported and locally produced flour made from cassava, breadfruit, sweet potato and other products.

Biscuits

Sodabix or Eclipse biscuits are kept on hand to mix with “Bajan seas’ning”, some water and oil to make a delicious homemade stuffing!

Stuffing is a Bajan Christmas meal staple used to stuff poultry or enjoy on its own.

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Cooking Wisdom

HERB-ROASTED PORK LOIN & CARAMELISED SWEET POTATOES

HERB-ROASTED PORK LOIN You’ll need:

1 pork loin 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1 lime 3 cloves garlic, minced 5 sprigs thyme, chopped 5 sprigs marjoram, chopped 2 sprigs fennel, chopped 4 stalks chives, chopped 1 red onion, diced finely 4 ozs red wine 1 oz soy sauce 2 ozs olive oil Cracked black pepper to taste Salt to taste

Method:

Combine garlic, herbs and onion. Liberally squeeze the juice of the limes over and around pork loin.

Pour red wine over pork loin and cover with Dijon mustard. Spread chopped mixed herbs over the

loin. Marinate 30 to 40 minutes or overnight. Heat olive oil in a pan and sear the loin in hot oil until golden brown on all sides. Finish in a 350º F oven until cooked through. Serve sliced or whole on a platter with your favourite potatoes and vegetables.

CARAMELISED SWEET POTATOES You’ll need:

1 lb sweet potatoes 4 ozs butter 2 ozs brown sugar Salt to taste

Method:

Cook sweet potatoes until barely tender (do not overcook). When cool, peel and cut into ½-inch thick slices. Heat butter in a sauté pan. Add sugar and caramelize.

Add sliced sweet potatoes and toss in caramel. Serve warm with herb-roasted pork loin.

The loin is used because it is a tender cut of meat. It is muscle tissue that covers the ribs. Given its position, it is not heavily used and therefore remains relatively tender.

Pork loin can also be stuffed before roasting. For flavour, you can experiment as you wish. For a sweet option, try apple, banana, mango or plantain in your stuffing.

Any combination of herbs and spices can be used with bread or biscuits for a savoury option.

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Cooking Wisdom

Bajan Conkies

You’ll need:

4 plantain leaves with ribs removed and cut into 8”x 8” or larger squares (save ribs) 1 cup grated coconut ½ cup coconut milk powder 6 ozs sugar 12 ozs cornmeal 1 ½ lbs grated pumpkin ¼ cup oil ¼ cup butter, melted ¾ cup milk 2 eggs 1 tablespoon salt Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and vanilla to taste

(or 1 tablespoon each) Dried cherries and/or raisins (optional)

Method:

Cut plantain leaf ribs to match the diameter of a large pot and arrange them in a cross pattern, then place a rack on top of them and pour water in the pot to just below the rack (the ribs create height in the pot so that the conkies are not touched by water).

Steam the leaves to make them pliable and set aside.

Mix all other ingredients very well and allow

Fats

dried, canned or fresh pigeon peas are used instead. Peas are also the main ingredient of jug jug.

Milk

For decorating sweet potato pies and cakes because, let’s face it, it is not holiday food unless there is sweet potato pie and cake.

Unused cherries are left in the fridge or in a jar of rum until the next year.

Butter, margarine, lard, vegetable oil are mainly used for flavour, frying and added moisture.

Skimmed, whole, evaporated, 2%, flavoured, soy, almond or condensed (also an affectionate term for a “sweet lady” in Bajan parlance) – any one or more of these dairy products are used year-round and in abundance during the holidays for cooking, baking and drinking.

Rice and Pasta

Most Bajan homes have rice of one kind or another. Peas are usually added to rice in Barbados and some may even add a pigtail or two. Long pasta is the most common and traditional choice for making macaroni pie.

Pigeon Peas

Although rice is generally prepared with peas throughout the year, during the holidays

Cherries and Pineapple

Guinea Corn Flour (cornmeal)

Fresh seasonings like thyme, along with meats like salted beef and ham are combined with guinea corn flour to produce the Barbadian delicacy – jug jug. No traditional Bajan Christmas table is complete without it. It can also be made without the meats for family and friends who are vegetarian.

Dried Coconut

For conkies and sweet bread, two traditional treats made in many other Caribbean islands but with a few variations. Some still go the old-

to sit for at least 15 minutes. Place a few tablespoons of the mixture onto each leaf square and fold up carefully so the mixture does not spill. At this point you may also tie the parcels gently with string to stop spillage.

Stack conkies on the rack in the pot so that they are level. Steam conkies with folded sides down for 30 minutes to an hour until they are firm and cooked. Be sure that they are above the water level in the pot even if it means you have to top up the water periodically because there should be no water in the conkies.Enjoy!

fashioned way and grate their own coconut, while others support local entrepreneurs and buy the grated coconut stocked in the cold storage section of the supermarket.

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

The Bajan fridge is usually stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables. Carrots and cabbage for coleslaw, beets, squash, and broccoli are usually steamed, sweet potato makes sweet potato pie and pumpkin makes conkies (see recipe on page..).

Mauby

There is a saying in Barbados, “Champagne taste, mauby pockets”, which means having more expensive taste than one’s pocket can support. Here at Cooking Sense we are going to make our own saying in reverence of this refreshing local beverage made from the bark of the mauby tree: “Make mauby while the water is ice cold and the sun is hot”. It may not roll off the tongue as fluidly as the original, but those who have done such will attest to its thirst-quenching deliciousness.

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Cooking Wisdom

Substitutes WANTED

Christmas is the one time of the year that we go all out when it comes to food. Diets are out. Comfort is in, and the kitchen is stocked with all the ingredients we need to make sumptuous meals throughout the holidays. Be prepared is our mantra.

However, there are times that no matter how much we prepare, we fall short and run out of some things. Should this be your predicament this season, tap into your inner chef (or flip to this page) for substitutes or alternatives that will work just well.

Using substitutes and alternatives should always be seen as an opportunity to create a new taste, flavour or texture. Often, these ingredient adjustments can become the preferred way to make a particular dish.

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Cooking Wisdom

Ham Glaze

Stock (Liquid And Cubes)

Pineapple Jam

(Vegetable, Chicken Or Beef)

Guava jam, sorrel jam, strawberry, raspberry jam, orange marmalade

Drippings from baked ham or roast meats such as turkey, chicken, lamb, beef or pork.

Other fruity jam(s) when substituted offer a different but equally enjoyable flavour profile.

The cooked juices/liquid offers deep and rich flavours by themselves.

When added to food in place of stock, you won’t be able to tell the difference. Add drippings to your rice and peas, stuffing and be used to coat potatoes for roasting. It can also be used to make salad dressings.

Cook’s Note Substitute

Ingredient

Item

Baked Ham

Whole Cloves

Ground cloves

Sprinkling the ham with ground cloves ensures that the flavour of the cloves is all over the ham, not just the top and sides as is the case when studded with whole cloves. The ground cloves can also be mixed with your preferred glaze or mustard to baste the ham.

Stock

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Cooking Wisdom

Salad Dressing

Cream

Cook’s Note Substitute

Ingredient

Item

Potato Salad

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English Potatoes

Sweet potatoes (white and yellow flesh)

With this dish you can altogether replace English potatoes with sweet potatoes. However, mixing the two sets of potatoes – English and sweet – brings a welcome combination to an all-time favourite; the textures and taste will complement each other very well. Try it.

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Mayonnaise

Whole plain yogurt/ Greek yogurt

If you don’t have enough mayonnaise to make your potato salad, add some whole plain yogurt or plain (Greek) yogurt to the dressing mix. The yogurt will provide the needed creaminess and offer a hint of tang that is so welcome in potato salad. It doesn’t hurt that the yogurt will also be adding some healthy probiotics.

Cream

(Whole) Evaporated milk

Some desserts and dishes like scalloped potatoes often call for cream. If you run short, use whole evaporated milk as it has much of the same consistency of regular cream.

However, it cannot be automatically substituted for heavy cream, sometimes called double cream.

Cooking Wisdom

Stuffing

Fruitcake

Sugar

Bread

Rum, Port, Brandy

Regular White Granulated Sugar

(Salt) Biscuits

Purple grape juice or Concord grape juice

Castor sugar

There are many people who do not consume alcohol but still like to make that dark, rich, heavy fruitcake.

Blending fruit and soaking it with dark grape juice allows the fruit to macerate and yield a moist, deep-flavoured Christmas cake.

Castor sugar is very finely ground white sugar; the granules are significantly smaller than regular granulated sugar. When substituting castor sugar for white granulated sugar, you will need to use a little more sugar because it is less dense. To be sure you are using the right amount as a substitute, measure the sugar by weight rather than volume. In other words, don’t substitute 1 cup of castor sugar for 1 cup of granulated sugar; if the recipe calls for 8 ozs granulated sugar, measure 8 ozs castor sugar.

Biscuits are a very natural substitute for bread when making stuffing. If you generally use fresh bread for your stuffing, know that replacing it with biscuits will mean that you have to use more liquid to make the stuffing. The reason you will need more liquid is because the biscuits are a drier product and will require more moisture to soften and plump up. Another thing to note when substituting with biscuits is that the biscuits already contain salt so you will need to reduce your salt seasoning for the stuffing.

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Recipe Box

Love Tastes of the

Holidays, with

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from...

Recipe Box

Gemma (Haiti)

Gemma’s Kitchen Delights www.gemmasliving.com

a saucepan and bring to a boil. Let boil for about 5 minutes at medium high heat, then remove from stove. Do not cover saucepan or the liquid will spill over while boiling. Drain and set aside.

Only the liquid will be used to cook the rice.

Rice with Djon Djon (Haitian Black Rice) Yield: 6 – 8 servings You'll need: 2 cups Long Grain White Rice (yellow if preferred, good brand rice) 1 cup Djon-Djon (dried mushroom sold in Haitian Grocery Stores) 4 1/2 cups Water 1 cup Baby Lima Beans or Greens Peas (frozen and then thawed) 3 tablespoons Olive Oil 2 cloves Garlic (minced or finely chopped) 1 teaspoon Thyme (leaves only) 2 stalks Scallions (finely chopped) 1/4 cup Green Pepper (finely chopped) 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Black Pepper 4 Whole Cloves 1 1/2 tablespoons Chicken Bouillon Powder 1 small Whole Hot Pepper or a few drops of Hot Sauce, optional Additional salt and pepper to taste Method: Clean mushrooms by removing any dirt. Put mushrooms and water in a large bowl and let soak overnight for best results. When ready to cook the rice, transfer mushrooms and liquid to

In another large pot or pan, heat oil. Add garlic, scallions, thyme, cloves and green pepper. Let mixture fry for about a minute. Add thawed green peas or baby lima beans and chicken bouillon powder. Stir to mix well. Best use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add mushroom water to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste if necessary. Once water starts to boil, add rice and whole hot pepper if using. Gently stir. Do not over stir. When water has almost evaporated and you only see the ingredients, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is fully cooked and still grainy. Serve hot with a meat or seafood dish.

Salade Russe (Potato and Beet Salad) Yield: 6 – 8 servings You'll need: 4 potatoes 1 – 2 carrots

1 large beet ½ cup sweet peas ¼ cup onion, minced 1/3 cup green bell pepper, diced 1/3 teaspoon garlic powder 2 – 3 tablespoons mayonnaise Salt and pepper to taste Method: Peel potatoes and add to a large saucepan with water and boil until fully cook but not too soft. Remove from water, cut in cubes and set aside. While the potatoes are cooking, peel and cut the carrots in small cubes and set aside to cool. In another saucepan, add carrots and peas with a little bit of water.

Bring to a boil and cook thoroughly. Remove from water and set aside to cool. In another saucepan add beet and cook thoroughly.

When cooked, peel and cut in cubes and set aside to cool. In a large boil, add potatoes, beet, carrots, peas, onion, green bell pepper, mayonnaise, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to mixed and serve immediately.

During Christmas you're bound to find a Perfect Glazed Ha m on the Christmas table at a home in Haiti. We eat lots of Rice and Beans, Rice with Djon Djon and Roasted Turkey during Christmas holidays.

My favorite dish is Rice with Djon Djon with Shrimp, which is another version of the Rice with Djon Djon but with a spicy Shrimp mixture added. It is a fancier and also traditional dish served on special occasions.

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Recipe Box

Cynthia Presser (Brazil) Cooking With A Twist www.cynthiapresser.com

Christmas in Brazil is celebrated on the evening of the 24th and dinner is served only after mid-night, on the 25th! Since people wait for supper for a long time, it better give them some sustenance! This meal translates very well what a traditional Brazilian Christmas supper looks like. The pork tenderloin is moist and wellseasoned, with a crea my and sweet filling, complimented with the richness of cashews from the rice and crunchiness from the farofa. This fa mily recipe was passed over to me by a friend, whose mother makes this meal every Christmas. Once I tried it, it beca me a tradition in my house too.

5 ounces Gouda cheese, freshly grated ½ cup mascarpone ½ cup dry white wine Method: Butterfly the tenderloin by slicing it lengthwise, cutting to other side without cutting it though.

Open halves, laying tenderloin flat. Place it in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound tenderloin to ½-inch thickness.

Transfer to a large cutting board and season both sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pork Tenderloin wit h Dried Apricots-Gouda-Mascarpone Filling, Yield: 6

Pork Tenderloin Youll Need: 1 pork tenderloin (weighting approximately 1.8 pounds) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 garlic cloves, minced ½ cup aged balsamic vinegar ½ cup extra virgin olive oil ½ cup scallions, chopped ¼ cup rosemary leaves 1 ½ cup dried apricots, finely sliced

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In a medium bowl, mix garlic, aged balsamic vinegar, olive oil, scallions and rosemary until blended. Transfer marinade and pork tenderloin to a sealable plastic bag. Remove as much air as possible from inside the bag.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours, or up to 36 hours.

Preheat oven to 400° F. In a medium bowl, mix dried apricots, Gouda and mascarpone until incorporated. Set aside.

Remove tenderloin from marinade and lay flat on a large working surface. Add wine to marinade and save it, keeping it cool in the refrigerator. Spread apricot and cheeses mixture over tenderloin. Roll up using kitchen twine or toothpicks at 1-inch intervals to secure. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and cover with marinade. Bake uncovered an additional 15 minutes, basting with the

juices that accumulate on baking dish two or three times throughout the process. Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil. Let it seat, covered, 7 minutes. Remove foil and transfer to cutting board. Carve, drizzle with juices and serve with Cashew Rice Pilaf and Farofa.

Cashew Rice Pilaf Yield: 6

You'll need: 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 ½ cup Jasmine rice 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth Salt 1 cup unsalted cashew pieces or halves, roasted Method: In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil. When butter is foamy, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 3 minutes. Add rice and mix well to coat. Add broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until water is absorbed and rice is soft, 13 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand covered 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and fold in cashews.

Serve immediately.

Recipe Box

Dobby (Nigeria)

Dobby's Signature www.dobbyssignature.com www.dobbyssignature.com

P lantain Mosa Pla ntain mosa is a delightful sweet sna ck which was born out of a need to avoid wasting over ripe pla ntain. These days, pla ntain mosas have become quite popular in the small chops section of most Nigeria n parties su ch as weddings a nd birthdays.

Yield: 30-35 small mosas You'll need: 1 medium sized over-ripe plantain 10 tablespoons all purpose flour 1 tablespoons bakers yeast 1 cup warm water 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, diced Salt to taste Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Method: Slice the plantain into a blender or food processor and blend till smooth. Add the diced scotch bonnet pepper, bakers yeast and warm water - blend further.

Add the Flour & Salt into the blended plantain batter and blend some more. The batter shouldn't be too thick. if it is, you can add some more water.

Cover the batter and leave to stand for about 20 minutes. During this period, it'd rise and froth. While the batter stands, place the pan on fire and pour in the oil to heat up.

Beat the batter once more and scoop small teaspoons. of it into the oil. This could also be done with the hollow of your washed hand just like puff puff.

Fry till Golden brown and scoop out onto a paper towel to drain off excess oil.

Serve as a snack with a chilled drink.

Jollof Rice Recipe (Nigerian party style recipe):

Jollof rice is a tasty rice dish made with rice and a blend of tomato and pepper. No festive season is complete without jollof rice. For jollof rice preparation, you can use the stock of any meat such as: Beef stock, Chicken stock, Turkey stock e.t.c.

You'll need: 10 plum tomatoes 5 tatashey (red bell pepper) 5 red scotch bonnet pepper (ata rodo) 1 cooking tablespoon tinned tomato puree 1 liter liquid stock 2 red onions 1/2 ginger 5 cloves garlic,minced 4 bay leaves 'whole' 1 tablespoon dry thyme 1 tablespoon curry powder 4 seasoning cubes

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Recipe Box

5 cups rice Salt to taste Vegetable oil for frying Preparing the stock: If you are using beef/chicken/turkey,wash and place in a pot. Season with crushed seasoning cubes, salt, curry, thyme and ground/minced ginger,chopped onion and garlic. Boil till tender. Remove the meat from the stock and fry in a separate pan.

Set the stock aside separately and the oil used in frying separately. You'd need these later.

Preparing the rice When it comes to preparing the rice before the real jollof preparation, its either you soak it in hot water for some minutes before washing or you par-boil it before washing. This removes the excess starch and prevents the rice from sticking together while remaining firm. Either way, you'd get the same result Wash the rice thoroughly and place in a pot. Add

enough water just enough to cover the rice and par boil for 10 mins. Wash the parboiled rice with cold water, drain and set aside. OR Soak the rice in hot water for some minutes, rinse with clean water, drain and set aside.

Preparing the tomato puree Remove the seeds from the tatashey and wash well. Wash the Tomatoes, Scotch bonnet pepper (ata rodo) and onion well too.

Blend everything to a smooth puree. Pour the Blended puree into an empty iron pot and boil till there's no water left leaving just the concentrated puree in the pot.

Cooking the main jollof rice Add the tinned tomato paste into the Boiled tomato and pepper puree. Pour the Oil used in frying the meat into the tomapep puree and use it to fry the Tomapep puree while stirring constantly so it doesn't get burnt for about 5 mins.

Curry powder, Seasoning cubes (Crushed), Salt to taste. Gently add the parboiled rice into the puree and stock mixture and make sure the stock covers the rice, if it doesn't simply add water to ensure it does. Add the Bay leaves to the pot and cover.

Leave the jollof to cook and soften and once you notice the liquid in the pot has almost dried up leaving concentrated tomato puree at the top, turn with a wooden spoon or spatula. At this time, Check if the rice is soft enough and also check for salt and if the seasoning from the stock is enough, if not add the necessary ingredients. If its not soft enough, add some more water and leave to dry up once more till its completely soft.

Once it completely dries up at the top, turn off the burner and move the lid slightly for the vapor to evaporate. Serve hot!

Pour the Beef Stock (meat water) into the fried puree and mix. Add the dry thyme,

Kitchens Uncluttered!

49 Warrens Industrial Park, Warrens, St. Michael. T– 421-2087, www.sortyourstuffonline.com 50

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Recipe Box

Thuli (South Africa) Mzansi Style Cuisine www.mzansistylecuisine.co.za

South Africa is a culturally diverse country and dishes prepared differ with each culture. Christmas is time for celebrating with fa mily, relatives and friends. It is time for feasting. There is a lot of good food and booze.

Method: Place all the ingredients in a pot and cover with cold water. Close the lid and bring to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 1½ hours or until cooked. Allow to stand for 10 minutes.

Transfer the cooked tongue to a carving board and peel off the skin. Slice the meat to desired thickness. Serve with roasted vegetables and gravy.

Popular mains include corned ox tongue, ga mmon, turkey (with and without stuffing), stews, curries and roast leg of la mb.

A wide variety of salads are served. In the townships there’s a term for all the salads served during Christmas—Seven Colours, due to the different colours of those salads. They include beetroot salad, greens, coleslaw, potato salad, pu mpkin, chakalaka, three bean, Tomato and Onion salsa etc. Roasted and stea med vegetables are served.

Corned Beef Tongue You'll need: ±1kg corned beef tongue 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 2 cloves of garlic, minced 5ml (1tsp) fresh ginger, finely chopped 1 onion, cut into quarters 3 bay leaves 15ml (1Tbsp) beef stock powder, dissolved in water 1 sprig fresh rosemary

Wine Poached Pears You'll need: 4 ripe pears, peeled and stems left intact 500ml (2cups) dry red wine 250ml (1cup) apple juice 1 star anise 3 cardamom seeds 1 dried ginger stalk 30ml (2Tbsp) honey Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving 60ml (4Tbsp) flaked almonds, roasted

Dessert includes Christmas Method: In a large saucepan, mix pears, wine, juice, pudding or cake, mince pies, a anise, cardamom seeds, ginger and combination of jelly, custard and star honey. Stir until honey is dissolved, close instant puddings with canned lid and boil. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until the pears are soft and the liquids are fruits are served. Other fa milies syrupy, about 45 minutes. Serve pears with prepare a colourful trifle. Growing Christmas pudding, ice cream or whipped cream. Drizzle the pears with the syrup and up I used to look forward to having these desserts, I grew up sprinkle with toasted almonds. in the rural areas and Christmas Jelly, instant pudding and custard was the only time of the year we with canned fruit in syrup were the got to have them. most delicious to me back them.

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Recipe Box

RestHome aurant

to

A Gnocchi Queen and a Chef cum Entrepreneur

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Recipe Box

Nina

Compton Chef Nina Compton, the St. Lucian sweetheart who melted our hearts and tempted our taste buds on Top Chef, is back to steal our appetites.

The self proclaimed “gnocchi queen” shares her recipe for Potato Gnocchi and Baby Vegetables so that you can enjoy top chef cuisine right at home!

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Recipe Box

Wish List Item Global

meat cleaver

Potato Gnocchi and Baby Vegetables Gnocchi

You’ll need: 5 lbs Yukon gold potatoes 5 egg yolks 00 flour 1-1.5 cups as needed salt

Vegetables You’ll need: 1/4 cup English peas blanched 1/4 cup Chanterelle mushrooms 1 tbsp chives 1 tsp butter olive oil 24 gnocchi 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 6 pieces fiddlehead ferns

Method: Cook until fork-tender, then peel and pass through a food mill. Add egg yolks and flour slowly, until the mixture is formed.

Hostess Gift

Roll a small ball and test in boiling water; cook until it floats. It should hold and be light and fluffy; if too soft, add a little more flour. Do not overwork the mixture. Roll into logs on a floured surface and cut with a knife into 1/4" cubes. Place on a floured sheet tray and keep cold until ready to cook.

A bottle of

Cabernet from Silver Oak Vineyards

Sauté the mushrooms, peas and fiddlehead ferns; add a little butter.

Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water (the water should taste like a broth, not the ocean).

Once the gnocchi floats for about a minute, remove and add to the sauté pan with the vegetables, and a splash of the cooking water.

Once the liquid has reduced, add the cheese and chives. Serve.

Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com

(246) 426-1369

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Recipe Box

Brian

Lumley Meet Chef Brian Lumley, another Caribbean Chef in the business of “stealing hearts” and “exciting tastes buds”. He is young, passionate, and committed to promoting Jamaican cuisine – "taking it to de worl".

So without further ado, here are two Jamaican holiday recipes from Chef Lumley, to enjoy in your part of “de worl”.

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Recipe Box

Caribbean Spice Christmas Roaster Prep time: 1 day Cook time: 2:20mins Yields: 6-8 servings

Rinse chicken under cold water and submerge in the seasoned water; leave to soak overnight.

Ingredients: 1 8-10 lb Chicken Roaster 1 gal Salted Water 3 tbsps rotisserie seasoning 1 tbsp jerk seasoning (dried) 1 tbsp paprika ½ tbsp brown sugar ½ tbsp salt ½ tbsp ground garlic cloves ½ tbsp ground cinnamon 2 tbsps dried thyme leaves 1 cup vegetable oil 1 cup chicken stock 1 lb mirepoix mixture: celery, carrot and onion

In a bowl, mix all spices with the cup of oil and leave undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Prep: Add salt and balance with a little sugar in 1 gallon of water.

Cook: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) Drain the chicken on paper towel and dry properly, then rub with spice mixture thoroughly (rub all over and in all cavities!)

In a roasting pan, put chicken on top of vegetables. Roast approximately 2 hours, basting every 45 minutes with chicken stock.

To test if your chicken is done, insert thermometer at the thickest point roaster it should read 165° C. Bon appetite!

Wish List Item Gadgets! Either a MacBook

Air or a

Samsung Galaxy S5

Hostess Gift Vintage year of red wine

Caribbean Sorrel Delight Ingredients: 1 oz triple sec 1 oz amaretto 2 oz sorrel drink 1 oz dark rum .5 oz simple syrup .25 oz lime juice

Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com (246) 426-1369

Method: Combine ingredients by either shaking or stirring and pour over ice.

Garnish with lime wheel & cherry.

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Libation Station

Holiday Libations “Pass the refreshments, a cool cool beverage” - Kanye West Right on, Mr. West, right on! ’Tis the holiday season and whether soft or hard, a good drink will bring the cheer and spirit of the season out in everyone.

Fruit juices, energy boosters, crémes, liqueurs and spirits, Cooking Sense presents mixes and concoctions to cool you down or liven you up during this time of good cheer and much merriment.

Welcome to the HOLIDAY LIBATION STATION. All aboard!

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Libation Station

Jack’s Pumpkin Roast

Bajan Honey You'll need: 8 pitted Bajan cherries 1tbsp honey 11/2 shots Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey 1 shot Amaretto liqueur 1 shot cranberry juice ½ shot freshly squeezed lime juice Ginger beer Method: Muddle Bajan cherries in base of shaker. Add next five ingredients. Shake with ice and strain into ice-filled glass. Top with ginger beer, lightly stir and serve with straws.

Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com (246) 426-1369

You'll need: 2 cups sweet pumpkins (peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes) 3 5” cinnamon sticks 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 sweet orange 1 teaspoon allspice 1 star anise 1/2 teaspoon cloves 2 cups Jack Daniel's Sour Mash Whiskey Method: Heat oven to 250° F. Salt chunked pumpkin lightly. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes. Cut the zest off orange in wide strips. Combine zest, pumpkin and other ingredients in an airtight glass bottle or jar and cover with whiskey. Shake and let rest in a cool place for 2 to 3 weeks for the flavours to meld. Or, sample a little bit after 1 week to determine if the flavour intensity is where you want it. Strain all solids out of the liquid using cheese-cloth over a fine mesh strainer, and re-bottle (you may use the original bottle). Keep refrigerated.

Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com (246) 426-1369

Soursop Cocktail You'll need: 1 cup of Finlandia Vodka 1 cup soursop juice ( sweetened) 1 cup Tampico Citrus Punch ¼ cup lime juice Ice Method: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail pitcher with ice. Stir well for about 30 seconds to chill.

Strain into martini glass, garnish and serve.

Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com (246) 426-1369

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Libation Station

Doorly’s Sunset

Pinehill Sensations

You’ll need: 2 ozs fresh mango juice 1 ½ ozs fresh passion fruit juice 1 ½ ozs Doorly’s XO Rum

You’ll need: 1 ½ oz shot Finlandia Vodka 3 ozs Apple Black Currant Cranberry Juice Blend A dry champagne of your choice

by Ryan Gomes

Method: Shake all ingredients with cinnamon and vanilla essence. Serve in a Pilsner or Hurricane and garnish with hibiscus flower.

Get it: Platinum Wines & Spirits A division of R.L.Seale & Co Ltd. www.platinumwinesbarbados.com (246) 426-1369

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Method: Shake the vodka and juice blend with ice and strain. Top with champagne.

Get it: Banks Holding Limited https://www.facebook.com/PinehillDairy (246) 227-6700

Lemon Fusion Re-viver You'll need: 2 cups Island Fusion Iced Tea (Lemon) 11/2 cups Turbo Energy drink 1 shot Jack Daniel’s Sour Mash Whiskey 1 slice from a sweet orange Ice Method: In a tall glass with ice, mix the first three ingredients. Add orange slice, enjoy, and revive.

Variation: omit the whiskey for a non-alcoholic version of this drink.

Get it: SMJ Beverages (Barbados) Inc www.smjaleel.net (246) 424-0356

Libation Station

Banks Brews You’ll need: 1 key lime* 2 to 3 heaping yeaspoons sugar Banks brew of your choice Ice *or juice of 1 lime

Get it: Banks Holding Limited www.banksbeer.com (246) 227-6700

Method: Add some salt to a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a glass with a lime wedge and coat with salt. Cut lime into thin slices and remove seeds, add sugar and muddle. Fill with cracked ice and tilting glass, carefully add beer.

Stir well to thoroughly dissolve the sugar. Drink before ice melts.

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Libation Station

Cherries Liqueur You'll need: 1 pound fresh cherries 1 pound granulated sugar 1 quart dark rum (Rhum Barbancourt preferred) 1 or 2 vanilla beans 1 large glass bottle (sterilized) Method: Wash cherries under running water and pat dry with kitchen towel.

Prick the skins of the cherries with a fine skewer or a fork. Add the cherries and vanilla pod if using, to glass container. Add sugar and pour rum. Store in a cool place for 6 weeks, turning every couple of days for the first 2 weeks. Serve the cherries in the liqueur.

Le Mi O Let (Millet with Milk) You'll need: 1/4 cup cooked petit mil (cooked millet) 1 cup evaporated milk 2 tablespoons sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger dash of salt 1/4 teaspoon lime or lemon zest 1 cup crushed ice Method: Put all ingredients into a blender and blend to a smooth liquid. Pour into glasses and enjoy.

Haitian Cremas Yields: about 6 cups You'll need: 2 cups cream of coconut (sweetened) 2 cups condensed milk 2 cups dark rum (Rhum Barbancourt preferably or any good dark rum) 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice Method: In a large bowl, mix all ingredients thoroughly. Pour into glass container or glass bottle and refrigerate until serving.

It can also be served over ice. Always shake the bottle or glass container before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

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Pumpkin Punch You'll need 3 cups orange-flesh pumpkin (chopped) 3 cups tap water 10 shakes Angostura Bitters ¾ teaspoon vanilla essence ¾ can condensed milk (less or more to suit your taste)

For a smoother drink, pass the punch through a sieve.

Method: Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend for 1 minute or until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a jug and refrigerate.Serve cold.

Libation Station

Jamun Juice You'll need: Equal parts jamun and water (6 cups Jamun, 6 cups water) 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries 1 (3-inch) piece cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves

Peanut Punch You'll need: 2/3 cups of chunky or smooth peanut butter 3 cups cold whole milk 4 tablespoons sugar or to taste A pinch ground cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (extra to garnish if you like)

For an adult punch, spike with Baileys or other crea m liqueurs. Add to the ingredients before blending.

Skim milk may be used but for the real crea my goodness, use whole milk.

Method: Put all the ingredients, milk first, into blender and whiz for 1 minute until smooth. Serve over ice, as is, or pour into a jug and chill some more, then serve.

Method: Wash jamun, drain and add to a large bowl. With clean hands or wearing latex gloves, squish the jamun. Add water and spices to a pot and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes. Pour boiled water and spices into the bowl with mashed jamun, stir, and cover and let steep overnight.

Strain juice after overnight steeping; using clean hands, squeeze excess juice from pulp. Pour juice into bottle and refrigerate.

Optional – sweeten to taste.

Sorrel Liqueur You’ll need: 1 pt of sorrel beverage (made to individual specifications) 4 ozs Brown Rum 1 stick spice Lime juice 2 whole cloves 4 ozs sugar

Method Put all ingredients in a thick saucepan and bring to a rapid boil for one minute, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat and allow to simmer. Simmer until liquid has been reduced by half; taste and adjust sweetness.

Simmer for another 30 minutes. If the sorrel is too thick, add a few drops of water; if it is too thin, simmer until it reaches the required consistency. Cool completely and store in tightly sealed bottle. Serve chilled.

DECEMBER 2014 •

COOKING SENSE

63

Cook's Spot

TEST KITCHEN

Oh What a Crock!

BES

TP

The Crock-Pot 4 Quart Oval Slow Cooker

RIC

E!

®

Economical to use a nd great for the “time-strapped”, slow cookers are the best invention next to sliced bread. Just throw in ingredients, set the te mperature, walk away, a nd come back to flavourful a nd nutritious food.

Slow cookers cook via indirect heat. Coils lining the unit transmit heat to the crockery insert, simmering food at a low temperature for an extended period of time.

Cooking at a low, constant temperature with no open flame means that no stirring is required and food can be left to cook unattended. Since no evaporation occurs, food is braised in its own juices (as well as any liquid added at the outset).

Do you see where this will end?

Mm-hmm . . . at the flavour junction on Moist and Tender Avenue. Tougher cuts of meat (often cheaper) break all the way down to juicy, tender morsels.

When it comes to a basic and budget-priced slow cooker that is reliable and easy to use, the Crock-Pot 4 Quart Oval Slow Cooker sits on top. It cooks anything from gourmet chicken stew with mushrooms and red wine to hearty soups, and irresistible desserts.

64

COOKING SENSE •

DECEMBER 2014

Here’s how the set-and-forget fared in the Cooking Sense Test Kitchen.

Pros:

• • • • • • •

Very affordable Space-saving size and shape Glass lid for easy monitoring Removable stoneware for table use Dishwasher safe Design adds to kitchen décor Oval shape perfect for fitting large cuts of meats unlike round versions

Cons (but not deal breakers:)

• •

Lacks convenience features like builtin timer or programmable controls Lid jiggles slightly when in use

What’s In the Box • Standing unit features a manual control with three heat settings – low, high and warm, – and sturdy handles.

• Tempered glass lid • Removable stoneware pot • Owner's guide with 10 easy recipes • 1 year limited warranty Performance For all its simplicity and straightforwardness, the sleek cooker treated us to an overall delicious crockery experience. Serve up to 5 people from this unit with enough leftovers for 2 people the next day. We tested the cooker on a beef and potato curry, with the following results:

Cooking: 8/10

Ease of use: 9/10 Taste: 7/10

Texture: 8.5/10

Cleaning: 10/10 Total: 42.5/50

If you haven’t yet, do yourself a favour and simplify your life – add a Crock Pot to your cooking arsenal!

coming soon...