Bird of paradise by Zahra Fontenelle

MAINS Macaroni Pie 6-7 Grilled Snapper 8-9 Jerk Chicken 10-11 Curry Goat 12-13 Fig and Saltfish 14-15 SIDES Rice and Peas 18-19 Callaloo 20-21 Cucumber, Tomato and Avocado Salad 22-23 Coleslaw 24-25 Mashed Yams 26-27 Roti 28-29 Fried Plantain 30-31 Johnny Cakes 32-33 DESSERTS Sweet Potato Pie 36-37 Coconut Rum Cake 38-39 Banana Fritters 40-41 Mangoes FlambÃ© 40-41 DRINKS Cacao Tea 46-47 Sorrel 48-49 Carrot Juice 50-51

Macaroni Pie is a filling and tasty dish that can be eaten as a main or as an side. What is more it is quick and easy to make.

INGREDIENTS 300g Macaroni 2 tbsp unsalted butter 2 tbsp jalapeños pepper minced, seeded 1 tsp minced garlic ½ tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp thyme 65g finely diced onion 1 tbsp flour 170g evaporated milk 1 egg 227g mozzarella cheese, grated 227g ounce sharp cheddar cheese 1 tsp salt ½ tsp white pepper

Bird of Paradise

METHOD Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, sauté the garlic, thyme, Jalapeño pepper, smoked paprika for about 1 minute in 2 tbsp of butter. Then add onions and continue cooking for a minute more. Proceed by adding the flour; whisk until blended. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until mixture thickens. Remove about ¼ cup of the mixture and slowly whisk with the egg making sure it doesn’t curdle. Add the tempered egg back into the pan and mix well to incorporate all ingredients. Stir in more than half of the cheese, salt and pepper until smooth. Drain macaroni and add to sauce; stir until coated. Adjust seasoning. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish or 13-in or a 9-in baking dish. Sprinkle remains cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 20 -30 minutes

INGREDIENTS 2 medium red snappers, gutted, scaled and cleaned 100ml Jamaican beer, plus extra to baste 2 limes, 1 sliced, 1 cut into wedges 1 tbsp onion powder 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika A pinch dried thyme

Bird of Paradise

Grilled Snapper is spiced and cooked to seal all the flavours. The fish dish creates a nice treat to the usual fish meal.

METHOD Make a few slashes in the flesh on either side of the fish with a sharp knife. Mix the onion powder, paprika, thyme and some seasoning with the beer. Pour over the fish and rub into the slashes and cavity. Place the lime slices inside the fishesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; bellies, cover with cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1 hr. Heat the grill to medium-high. Place the fish on a tray and grill for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size, turning halfway through. Baste the fish with a little beer as it cooks. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over.

Quick and easy to make, this succulent Caribbean dish is traditionally sourced from across the islands. Infused in an aroma of spices and vegetables, this main can be served with a range of delicious food! METHOD Make the jerk rub by combining the salt, allspice, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and thyme. Toss the chicken pieces with the spice mixture, then cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 2 to 4 hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Pour the vegetable oil into a 9Ă&#x2014;13 inch baking dish. Place the chicken pieces skin-side up into the baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 20 minutes, until no longer pink near the bone. Turn the oven on to broil, and cook until the skin crisps, 2 to 5 minutes.

Bird of Paradise

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp salt, or to taste 1 tsp ground allspice 1 tsp packed brown sugar 1 tsp onion powder ½ tsp dried minced garlic ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp cayenne pepper ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ¼ tsp dried thyme leaves 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces 80g vegetable oil

METHOD Remove the sliced onions and scotch bonnet pepper from the bowl of marinated goat meat and set aside. Heat cooking oil in large saucepan on High. Place goat meat in pan and brown to seal in juices. Once the meat is browned add thyme and 2 cups of boiling water; cover, lower heat to MediumLow and simmer for about 1 hour. Chop 1 medium onion and add to pot along with the sliced onion and Scotch bonnet pepper that was set aside earlier. Add 2 cups of boiling water and bring to a boil. Taste and remove Scotch bonnet pepper based on your taste; add more curry powder to taste. Add potatoes and tomato ketchup; simmer on low heat for 1/2 hour, or until the meat is falling off the bone

Bird of Paradise

This popular curry dish has been developed over the years. This powerful, spicy dish is a great, wholesome meal that never gets old.

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs Goat meat, chopped in cubes 2 tsp Salt 1 tsp Black pepper 5-6 tbsp Curry powder 1 large Onion, sliced 4-6 cloves Garlic, minced 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, slice and discard seeds 4 tbsp Cooking oil 1l boiling Water 1 large spring Thyme 1 medium Onion, chopped 3 medium Potatoes, each cut in 3 pieces 1 tbsp Tomato ketchup 13

METHOD Prepare the salted cod by rinsing off the excess salt. Put into a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then drain; repeat 2-3 times until the water is no longer salty. Remove the skin and bones and flake the flesh. Heat a little oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion, seasoning peppers and garlic until softened. Add the spring onions and stir well. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the prepared saltfish. Add the tomatoes and hot pepper sauce. Finally stir in the bananas and mayonnaise to bind. The dish shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need any more seasoning because of the saltfish. Serve sprinkled with fresh herbs.

Bird of Paradise

This is the national dish of St Lucia. The saltiness of the fish contrasts against the sweetness of the fig to create a flavoursome, nutritional meal.

INGREDIENTS

225 g salt cod Coconut oil, or olive oil for frying 1 small onion, chopped 1 tbsp mild chillies, chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed 2 spring onions, sliced 2-3 tomatoes, de-seeded and diced 2-3 drops hot pepper sauce, or to taste 2 green bananas, boiled until tender and skins have split, peeled and diced 1Â˝ tbsp mayonnaise 1 handful herbs, coriander, parsley or Caribbean celery leaf

This sublime dish is the most perfect side to any Caribbean meal. Cooked with jellof seasoning this is a fulfilling example of a herby vegan meal. METHOD In a large saucepan put the peas and add the water, garlic and bring the pot to the boil. Reduce the heat and let the peas simmer for 40 – 45 minutes until the peas are tender. In a frying pan, add the butter, olive oil and onions and sauté until soft. Add the remaining garlic and sauté for 1 minute until cooked. Add the butter, garlic and onion mixture to the peas and bring to the boil. Add the vegetable stock cube and thyme to the mixture. Stir to bring the ingredients together. Add the rice and stir into the mixture. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat right down, to simmer the rice. Cook until all the fluid has been absorbed by the rice for about 20 minutes Bird of Paradise

INGREDIENTS

370g Kidney beans 700ml water 277g long grain rice 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped) 1 large onion chopped 1 tbsp of fresh thyme 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp unsalted butter 1 vegetable stock cube

This popular Caribbean dish uses leaf and vegetables to supply a healthy, filling side dish that works well with al foods.

INGREDIENTS

600g of callaloo or kale 2 thick bacon strips cut in pieces 3-4 garlic cloves minced 1 medium onion Â˝ tsp smoked paprika 1 sprig of fresh thyme 1 fresh tomato 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper Salt and pepper to taste

Bird of Paradise

METHOD Cut leaves and soft stems from the callaloo branches, them soak in a bowl of cold water for about 5-10 minutes or until finish with prep. Proceed to slicing the onions, mincing the garlic and dicing the tomatoes. Set aside Remove callaloo from water cut in chunks. Place bacon on saucepan and cook until crispy. Then add onions, garlic, thyme, stir for about a minute or more Add tomatoes; scotch bonnet pepper, smoked paprika. SautĂŠ for about 2-3 more minutes. Finally add vegetable, salt, mix well, and steamed for about 6-8 minutes or until leaves are tender. Add a tiny bit of water as needed. Adjust seasoning and turn off the heat. 21

This sublime dish is the most perfect side to any Caribbean meal. Cooked with jellof seasoning this is a fulfilling example of a herby vegan meal.

Bird of Paradise

INGREDIENTS

1 lb Roma tomatoes 1 English cucumber 1/2 medium red onion, sliced 2 avocados, diced 2 tbsp sunflower oil 2 tbsp lemon juice 200g cilantro, chopped 1 tsp sea salt Â˝ tsp black pepper METHOD Place chopped tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sliced red onion, diced avocado, and chopped cilantro into a large salad bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Toss gently to combine. Just before serving, toss with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper. 23

METHOD Remove and discard the cabbage cores and finely shred the leaves. Slice the onion wafer-thin using a mandolin if you have one. Peel the mango and cut the flesh into matchsticks. Put the mustard, vinegar and sugar in a jam jar. Screw on the lid and give it a good shake. Add the oil, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Shake again then poor into a large serving bowl. Toss in the cabbage, onion, mango and chillies and mix well. Taste for seasoning.

Bird of Paradise

This side dish, is crunchy, sharp and tangy and is perfect to accompany to all foods. Furthermore, with no cooking time, it allows a simple yet seasoned dish to be served in no time at all.

INGREDIENTS

½ savoy cabbage ½ white cabbage ½ red onion, peeled ½ small mango 3 tsp French mustard 100ml cider vinegar 8 tbsp soft light brown sugar 100ml olive oil Salt and pepper ½ tbsp hot chilli sauce 2 red chillies, seeded and cut into fine slivers

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs kush kush yam 1 large onion ¼ scotch bonnet pepper 2 tables spoon shopped parsley 2 tablespoon olive oil ¼ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon salt

Bird of Paradise

Quick and easy to make, this succulent Caribbean dish is a west-indies take on the traditional mashed potato. With the added vegetables and seasoning, it creates a colour explosion of flavour for your mouths. METHOD Wash and cut the yams into similar size pieces. Then place the yam pieces in a deep pot with water and bring to a boil. Salt the water, and cook for 15 minutes until tender. As the yam boils, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good time to prepare the other ingredients. When the yam is fully cooked, drain and crush while itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still hot (chunky). In a saucepan heat the olive oil on medium heat, then add the onion and cook for a couple minutes. Then add all the other ingredients and cook for another 2 minutes. Now add the crushed yam and give it a good stir. Cook for a further 2-3 minutes so all the flavours marry and you get all the lovely goodness with every bite. 27

Caribbean interpretation of a roti, this is an excellent side to absorb flavoursome food. INGREDIENTS

1 tsp cumin ½ tsp curry powder 2 tsp baking powder 240ml warm water 80ml vegetable oil 330g white flour

METHOD Sift together flour, cumin, curry powder and baking soda in a bowl. Make a well and slowly add the warm water. Mix with your hands until dough. Flour your work surface and knead for 10 minutes. Place dough in a bowl and cover. Rest for 15-20 minutes. Divide the dough into 8 small balls and flatten them. Roll one ball of dough into a 4 inch circle. Rub ¼ tsp of vegetable oil onto the dough. Fold the dough into thirds, rubbing oil on top of each fold. You should now have a long piece of dough loosely folded onto itself twice. Coat the dough in another ¼ tsp of oil and place on a flat surface covered with the damp cloth. Repeat to all dough and rest for 10 minutes. Bird of Paradise

Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a cast iron skillet. Flour your work surface. With a rolling pin, flatten the dough into a four inch circle. Place the dough into the frying pan. Constantly turn the dough as it cooks. Use a spatula to hold down the edges as you rotate, ensuring not to press down on the centre. Turn and toss it back and forth every 10 seconds for about two minutes until it has puffed up and light browning begins to appear. When the cooking is complete, quickly pick the roti up with your bare hands and clap it between your palms to remove the air. Wear oven mitts as the roti will be extremely hot. Place the cooked roti in a colander with a piece of damp paper towel on the bottom. Cover the colander with the damp cloth. 29

METHOD Peel the plantains and cut into slices. Sprinkle some salt on both sides. Put enough oil in frying pan so that the oil comes up to about a third of each slice of plantain when they are in. Heat the oil until when you put a piece of plantain in, it sizzles. Put in the plantain slices. Fry on one side till golden and turn over and fry on the other side. The second side cooks a lot quicker than the first side so keep an eye on this. You might need to reduce the heat on the plantains as well after turning the slices. Remove plantains from oil and drain on kitchen paper. If frying plantains in more than one batch keep the first batch in an oven on warm. Serve immediately. Bird of Paradise

2 plantains Salt to taste 6 tbsp of oil for frying or more depending on the size of your pan

METHOD Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and work in the butter. Add the water to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Sprinkle some extra flour onto a flat surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Allow the dough to sit in a clean bowl covered with a towel for at least 30 minutes. After dough has rested, heat the oil in frying pan over medium heat. Create small balls of dough and roll out the dough into circles on a lightly-floured surface with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand. Be sure to not make them too thin. Pierce each piece with a fork or sharp knife several times and then drop in hot oil. Fry on each side until golden brown. Allow to cool and drain on paper towel or brown paper bag. Bird of Paradise

INGREDIENTS

700g all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 2-4 tbsp sugar 1 tsp salt 2Â˝ tbsp butter 240ml water 80g vegetable oil for frying

An unusual dish due to the use of the vegetable sweet potato however, it creates a surprisingly crisp, passionate pie. The vivid pie is a great dessert for a group of friends to enjoy with cream. INGREDIENTS 800g cooked mashed sweet potatoes ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp powdered cinnamon 1 tbsp seedless raisins 100g sugar 2 eggs 2 tbsp butter 60ml coconut milk 1 lime rind 1 tbsp lime juice 2 tbsp rum ¼ tsp salt

Bird of Paradise

METHOD To mashed potatoes, add sugar gradually and whole eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in butter with a fork. Add milk. Blend well. Mix in rind of lime and lime juice. Add rum. Mix well. Add salt, baking powder and cinnamon, sifted together. Mix. Add raisins. Pour this mixture into a greased pan and bake in a moderate oven (180oC) for 50 minutes, until done.

The luxurious all white-glazed and topped with undulating ribbons of toasted coconut will take everyone’s breath away. The cake’s rich, coconutty, rumnipped flavour will never hint that it was a one-bowl effort. INGREDIENTS 150g cups all-purpose flour 1½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp salt 4 large eggs plus 3 large yolks 200g cups sugar 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled 80ml cream of coconut 3 tbsp cream cheese, softened For Icing 3 tbsp cream of coconut 1 tbsp dark rum ¾ tsp pure vanilla extract 2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream 65g confectioners sugar Bird of Paradise

METHOD Preheat oven to 170Â°C with rack in middle. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together whole eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Completely combine both the mixtures. Pour into cake pan and rap pan on counter to expel air bubbles. Bake until golden brown for about 45 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Invert cake onto rack and generously brush top and side of warm cake with cream of coconut, allowing it to soak in before brushing on more. Beat together cream cheese, cream of coconut, rum, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons cream until smooth, then add sugar. Icing should be smooth and slightly runny. Smooth icing over top of cooled cake.

INGREDIENTS

3 ripe bananas 1 egg 1 tsp of vanilla extract Â½ tsp of ground cinnamon 65g of sugar 300g of all-purpose flour 1 tbsp of baking powder 80g of vegetable oil for frying

Bird of Paradise

Quick and easy to make, these moreish banana fritters are a great small dessert to finish off a fabulous meal.

METHOD Peel and cut the ripe bananas into chunks, then mash into a smooth consistency. Whip the egg, then add the sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Next whip some more until the sugar breaks down. Now add that to the bowl with the mashed bananas. Slowly add in the flour and baking powder. Mix until you have a smooth batter, without any lumps. After that, heat the oil on a medium/high flame and tablespoons of the batter into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Once cooked you will notice that it will start floating in the oil. Remove and drain on paper towels. Dust with the confectionery sugar. 41

METHOD Wash and dry mangoes. Remove 2 flat sides of each mango with a sharp knife, cutting lengthwise alongside pit and cutting as close to pit as possible so that mango flesh is in 2 large pieces (reserve remaining fruit for another use). Make a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife, cutting across fruit down to skin at 1/2-inch intervals and being careful not to pierce through. Grasp fruit at both ends and turn inside out to make flesh side convex. Arrange fruit, skin side down, in a large shallow baking pan lined with foil and sprinkle evenly with 4 tbsp turbinado sugar. Broil 5 inches from heat until fruit is golden brown (it will not brown evenly), about 5 minutes. Arrange fruit on a large platter. Cook rum with remaining sugar in a small saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, then carefully ignite rum with a kitchen match and pour, still flaming, over warm mangoes. Serve immediately. Bird of Paradise

Mangoes FlambĂŠ is a unique and quick end dish. Although majority of the rum will be burnt of, it also infuses into the fruit leaving a rich, fruity taste.

INGREDIENTS

4 firm-ripe mangoes 6 tbsp turbinado sugar 200ml dark rum

Cacao Tea is a Caribbean spin on a classic hot chocolate and a tea, except the ingredients a fresh, full ingredients that allow you to absorb all the flavours.

INGREDIENTS

550ml of water ½ cup of grated cocoa ¼ tsp of cinnamon ½ tsp of vanilla 250ml of milk

Bird of Paradise

METHOD Pour 2 cups of water, grated cocoa, cinnamon and vanilla in a pot and bring to boil. Let it boil for a few minutes. Then add milk and stir. Add the sugar to sweeten. Strain and serve.

METHOD In a medium bowl bring to a boil 2 cups water and sugar. Simmer until sugar has dissolved. Allow cooling. Place sorrel in a large bowl, together with ginger, lime, pimentos, all spice and cinnamon stick. Heat up water in a kettle, pot or microwave, until it boils. Gently pour boiled water to the bowl of let steep about 45 minutes or more. You may refrigerate overnight in the fridge for a more potent flavour. When ready to serve sieve ingredients, with fine sieve and discard all particles. Reserve drink Add simple syrup as needed, together with rum according to preference and orange slices. Serve with ice.

Bird of Paradise

Sorrel is a popular Caribbean drink that provides a fruity and spicy taste of the Caribbean summer.

INGREDIENTS

2l 600ml water or more (adjust to taste) 50g chopped ginger 200g dried red sorrel buds 8-10 cracked pimentos 1 lime chopped 1 cinnamon stick Oranges sliced (optional) Rum to taste (optional) Simple syrup to sweeten 140g sugar

A fresh and healthy attempt on juices. Its a chance to try unusual vegetable juices without making the recipes taste bad.

METHOD Add coconut milk and sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat for about 35 minutes, stir often. You may have to reduce the heat if necessary to prevent any burns. When it has thickened remove and let cool before using. Proceed with carrots and replace the condensed milk with this. Blend the carrot in a blender with about 1l of water. Sieve the carrot mixture using a Cheesecloth. Squeeze really tight to extract all the carrot Juice. Save the Carrot Juice. Discard the rest. Rinse the blender with water to remove any leftover carrots. Then place the carrots juice in the blender together with all the other ingredients. Pulse or about 30 seconds until all the ingredients have come together. Chill and until ready to drink.

Bird of Paradise

INGREDIENTS

2lb Carrots baby carrots or chopped 1l or more water 1 can Condensed milk Â˝ tsp nutmeg/ cinnamon adjust to taste 1 tsp vanilla Â˝ tsp fresh ginger Rum add according to preference (optional)

‘Granny’s food has always been the best, and having only visited my home island of St Lucia once, she always made sure her grandchildren got the full taste of the Caribbean. This book contains a variety of recipes treasured from the islands across North Atlantic Ocean. You can make everyday meals full of passionate spices and vivid aromas simply and easily. Give it a try and taste a splash of the Caribbean.’