Celebrate a culinary Independence Day
IT HAS been said that nothing brings people together like good food. So, celebrate today — Independence Day— the culinary way with your friends and family. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s some food for thought. Why not ‘Grace’ your kitchen with these delicious Jamaican-inspired recipes? Enjoy!
Jerked Chicken Wings Ingredients
5 pounds chicken wings
2 cups water
1/4 cup Grace White Vinegar 4 tablespoons Grace Hot and Spicy Jerk Seasoning 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce 2 medium onions, chopped 3 stalks scallion, chopped 5 cloves garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 sprig thyme, chopped 3 tablespoons Grace Vegetable Oil
1 cup Grace Tomato Ketchup 1/2 teaspoon Grace Browning 3 cups chicken stock*
Chicken Stock Ingredients: 1 pound chicken tips 6 cups tap water 1 medium carrot, sliced 1 stalk scallion, chopped 2 clove garlic, chopped 1 sprig thyme
Directions for Wing
1. Remove the tips of the chicken wings and set aside.
2. Divide each chicken wing into two pieces, cutting at the joint. Wash in a mixture of water and vinegar then drain and set aside.
3. Combine Grace Hot and Spicy Jerk Seasoning, soy sauce, one chopped onion, two stalks chopped scallion, three cloves, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, black pepper and thyme and add to the pieces of chicken. Rub in the seasonings, cover and put to marinate in the refrigerator for about one hour.
4. Heat a large, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat and add vegetable oil. Add the pieces of chicken and pan sear on each side.
5. Transfer to a baking pan and put to bake in a preheated oven 350°F/180°C for about 30 minutes.
6. Put the chicken stock to simmer and add the remainder of the seasonings. Reduce by half and mix in the ketchup and the browning.
7. Spoon the sauce over the chicken wings and bake for a further 20 minutes.
8. Serve with festival, fried bammy, roasted sweet potato or a starch of your choice.
Yield: 15-20 servings
Directions to make chicken stock
1. Wash the bones; combine bones with tap water in a stock pot and bring slowly to a simmer. Skim as necessary.
2. Add the sliced carrots, chopped scallion, garlic and thyme; simmer for about 35 minutes. Strain and use as desired.
Mackerel Rundown Ingredients
3 tablespoons Grace Coconut Oil 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ounce ginger, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon curry powder 6 whole pimento berries
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk scallion, chopped
1 sprig thyme
2 cans Grace Mackerel in Coconut Sauce.
1 tablespoon Grace
Green Scotch Bonnet
Hot Pepper Sauce
1/4 teaspoon Grace Caribbean Traditions
Black Pepper (optional)
OVER 58 years, Jamaica has developed an identity for its music, culture and culinary prowess. Being the creative people we are, chefs throughout the island are always looking for some new ways to prepare traditional dishes.
It is no secret that we love our bellies, and for that reason we have found ingenious ways to prepare our food. From using the ‘creng creng’ or the jerk pan, we always ensure that our food is unique.
Sharing his creativity is chef David Brown, owner of Pages in the Garden, who prepared a special independence meal.
He used a lot of affordable and simple items, such as yam and red herring.
For the appetiser, Brown suggests something that is fast to prepare, like his ackee and salt fish salsa with breadfruit chips. The ackee and salt fish are crushed to make a dip, and providing a contrasting texture are the thinly cut fried breadfruit strips.
COST-EFFECTIVE MEAL
Keeping the meal cost-effective, Brown uses red herring for added protein and flavouring for his casserole. Forming the base is crushed yellow yam, which is then layered with chicken and pineapple.
As another protein choice, there is his butter fish fillet which wraps around crushed sweet potato that is mixed with callaloo. This meal can be done with a rundown sauce, which can be use as a dip.
Complementing this meal is his signature fever grass lemonade, which is made from the plant which grows in his garden.
For this Independence season, Brown encourages persons to give a new twist to many of the staple items that can be found in our kitchens.
Directions
1. In a saucepan, heat Grace Coconut Oil, add garlic, ginger and curry powder and stir for a minute or two to allow curry to ‘burn’.
2. Add pimento berries and onion and cook until onion starts to wilt.
3. Add scallion, thyme and mackerel in coconut sauce (rundown) and simmer for five minutes until sauce is reduced.
4. Add Green Scotch Bonnet Hot Pepper Sauce.
5. Adjust flavour as desired with Caribbean Traditions Black Pepper and serve with your favourite starch; e.g., boiled green bananas, johnny cakes or turn cornmeal. Serves four persons.
Sweet Potato Pudding Ingredients
5 pounds sweet potato
(will yield 12 cups when grated) 3 cups dark sugar
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 1 packet Grace Coconut Milk Powder
5 cups water
1/4 cup Grace Margarine, melted
1 whole nutmeg, grated 1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 tablespoon white rum 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 teaspoon Grace Browning (optional) 10-inch baking tin.
Bake in a preheated oven of 350° F or 180 °C for 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours.
Escoveitch Fish Ingredients
2 pounds snapper fish 1/4 cup Grace White Vinegar 4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper 2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup Grace Vegetable Oil
Directions
1.Clean fish in a mixture of vinegar and water; pat dry with absorbent paper.
2. Combine salt and black pepper and use them to season the fish. Cover and allow to marinate.
3. Heat skillet over medium flame and add vegetable oil. Add crushed garlic and fry to release flavour.
4.Add fish and fry until lightly browned on both sides; drain on absorbent paper.
5. Arrange on a serving platter. Use fish of your choice. Traditionally served with fried bammy or festival.