Food & Drink
Traditional home-made Jerk Chicken One of my greatest pleasures over the years has been how the food we feature directly reflects the wonderful diversity of the three counties we broadcast to. We can have British classics, great curries, Turkish and Middle Eastern treats, traditional pastas, fiery stir fries and much much more. A couple of years back I met up with Sacha Ojo in the studio. She launched her catering company, Sacha’s Kitchen, in Bedford when it became clear that her friends’ love of her Jamaican cooking suggested she deserved a much wider audience. Jamaican food is all about warmth, generosity and family –three words which describe Sacha perfectly. Obviously she had to give us her Jerk Chicken recipe. Apparently there are more Jerk Chicken recipes than there are days in a lifetime – Sacha’s family recipe is absolutely wonderful. Jerk sauce ingredients: 2 bunches spring onion, chopped 2 tbsp thyme 1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped 4-6 garlic cloves, chopped 1 tsp cinnamon powder 1 tbsp Pimento (Allspice) 1 tbsp coarse black pepper ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 2 tbsp dark brown sugar 2 tbsp soy sauce 2-4 Scotch Bonnet chillis, chopped (adjust to taste) 6 tbsp water Chopped parsley to serve • You can use whatever cuts of chicken you want – leg, thigh or even breast. Allow a couple of pieces per person.
• This is plenty of marinade to serve four people. • It goes without saying that you can also cook this chicken on the barbecue! 1. Place all the sauce ingredients into a food processor and blend until you get a smooth consistency. 2. Adjust for taste and heat, using more or less chilli. 3. Wash the chicken pieces (skin on), in water mixed with a really good squirt of lemon. 4. Slash small slits onto the chicken. Massage all the marinade into the chicken and leave in the fridge overnight. 5. Place in a tray and cover with foil. Bake at 160C/ Gas Mark 3 for 30 minutes then remove the foil, turn the oven up to 200C/ Gas Mark 5 and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and a lovely deep colour. 6. Scatter with the chopped parsley and serve with chips, mash or rice.
BBC Three Counties Radio presenter and cook, Nick Coffer 46
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