Miss Pearl’s Chicken Pelau Ingredients: 4 lbs chicken joints (bone in) 1 lb pork, cubed (about 1”) n 5 blades of chives, chopped n 1 onion, finely chopped n 1 bay leaf n 1 sprig of thyme n 1 clove garlic, crushed n 1 tomato, chopped n Salt and black pepper n ½ tablespoon pepper sauce – some like it hot! n Mix the above ingredients in a stainless steel mixing bowl and stand in the fridge for several hours. n n
When you are ready to start cooking you will need: n 3 tablespoons brown sugar n 3 tablespoons corn oil with a few drops of sesame oil n 2 pints of chicken stock n 1 lb long grain rice n 1 oz butter n 2 oz seedless raisins n 2 oz almonds, blanched and chopped n 8 stuffed green olives, sliced
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African & Caribbean Food Guide
METHOD: Take a heavy cast iron pot and heat the sugar and oil until very hot but NOT burning! While you are waiting, take the seasoned chicken and pork, scrape off and reserve the seasonings. Add the chicken and pork to the hot oil and sugar and stir well with a wooden spoon until golden brown. Add the seasonings and enough stock to just cover the meat. Cover the pan and simmer gently for about half an hour. Add the rice and the rest of the stock (which should be gently simmering on the side). Stir well until all the seasonings are all well-mixed, check seasonings, cover and simmer gently until all the liquid is absorbed. Finally add the raisins, almonds and olives and stir in the butter. This should be enough for about 8 (unless they are Tobagonians... in which case it’s about enough for 4 people!) Recipe courtesy of the late Wenda Parkinson, wife of the fashion photographer, Norman Parkinson, who both lived in Tobago. Jenny Mein
