Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings

 

 Here is an oven cooked recipe for one of Jamaica's world renowned dishes, jerk chicken. The term "jerk" in cooking, refers to a smokey spicy rub added to meats which are cooked over pimento wood. Since we do not have the pimento wood or smoke pan to cook this dish, we'll season with pimento seeds and bake in an oven. I also recommend that you use dark meat. This is a crowed pleaser!

 Ingredients

2-3lbs chicken Wings

Fresh Thyme

4 Stalks of Scallion 

1 Small Onion

1/2 of a Small Bell Pepper

Onion Salt

1 Tbsp of Browning (see picture above)

4-5 Tsp Jamaican Jerk Sauce (Mild or Spicy)

Method

Thaw meat and add chopped scallions, thyme, onion salt and diced bell peppers and onion. This allows the fresh seasonings to marinate before we add the jerk sauce and browning for color. I let this stand for at least an hour before I add the final two ingredients. Add the sauce and browning and allow to soak overnight or for at least 2 hours. Once marinated, bake covered in a 375 degrees oven for 2 hours. 

Check the meat after 1.5 hours, to turn each piece and drain excess liquid. 30 minutes to show time. Remove from heat after the full two hours and serve with your favorite side. I love festivals with this dish. Looks like I am going to have to post a recipe for Jamaican festival, soon :). For now, enjoy!

BNW

Chinese Chilli and Stone Ground Mustard Crab

 

Give this recipe a shot.

2lbs Jonas Crab (or whichever  you like)

2 Tbsp Chinese Chilli Sauce

1Tsp Whole Grain Mustard

1 Tsp Crushed Red Pepper

1 Cup of Water

Dash of Soy Sauce

 Method:

Buy cooked and cracked crabs or claws to ensure that the juices will get to the meat inside the shell. Combine water and all of the other ingredients and boil. Add crab and cook on medium for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before you eat. This is so tasty. The soy sauce adds sodium and flavor at the same time.

BNW~

Chicken and Pumpkin Soup

Every Saturday is soup day in Jamaica. We eat kidney beans, pumpkins, broth like, or seafood based soups. I love them all, but my preference is pumpkin and yes, seafood based soups. Today, I am going to share a pumpkin and chicken soup recipe. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts

2 Chicken Legs or Thighs

My mom would frown upon this, but, a can of pumpkin (we usually peel and cook the pumpkin ourselves)

4 Stalks of Scallion

2 Sprigs of Thyme

2 Gloves of Garlic

1lb Yam (not sweet potato, look for the caribbean coco)

1 Cup of Flour

2 Potatoes

2 Large Carrots

1/2 Onion

Grace Chicken Noodle Soup Base, or two chicken bouillion  

1 Whole Scotch Bonnet or Haberno Pepper

Salt

Method

Bring 1/2 gallon of water to boil. Chop chicken legs or thighs add to pot, along with garlic, onion and chopped potatoes and carrots. Cook for approximately 30 minutes. In the meantime, knead flour with a pinch of salt and let sit. Cut chicken breasts and  yam into small cubes and set aside.

Add the can of pumpkin and allow to boil. Once boiled, add chicken and yam to the pot. This may get tricky now, pull small pieces of the flour and rub between your palms to make little dumplings. Add them to the pot and cover and cook for another 30 minutes. 

Your kitchen should start smelling like a Jamaican kitchen on a Saturday afternoon :). Time to flavor your pot. Add the scallion, thyme, pepper (do not cut), and soup base or bouillion. Taste and add salt if needed. Stir and cook for another 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meet each other. Remove thyme and scallion and serve hot.

You can cut a corn cobb into 3 or 4 pieces and add to the soup with the dumplings, for a richer soup. I didn't have any on hand, but the show must go on.....

BNW~

Fun Beverages With a Caribbean Flare

These are some of my favorite punches and juices. I will continue to add recipes on this thread, so check back often.  To get started, hail to the black gold and green...RUM punch, a Jamaican favorite.




Jamaican Rum Punch

500ml (3/4 Bottle) Jamaican White Rum
750 ml  Pineapple Juice
750 ml  Fruit Punch
3 Tsp of Angostura Bitters
1/4 Cup Lime Juice

Method:
Pour contents in a large jug, stir and refrigerate.Serve chill






(Irish) Potato Punch

1lb Potato
2 Cups of Milk
1/2 Cup Condensed Milk
Sugar 
Vanilla
Nutmeg
1 Tbsp of Rum

Method:
Boil potatoes until they are tender. Drain half of the water and empty contents in a blender, add milk and puree until potato has dissolved. Sweeten and flavor with condensed milk, sugar to taste, rum, vanilla and nutmeg. Chill and serve.






Jamaican Style Carrot Juice

1lb Carrot
2 Cup of Milk
1/2 Cup of Condensed Milk
Sugar
Vanilla
Nutmeg

Method:
Boil carrots until tender. Let cool (do not drain). Transfer to your blender, add milk and blend until carrots have completely dissolved. Sweeten with condense milk, sugar to taste, vanilla and nutmeg. This is a preferred drink to accompany your Sunday dinner.

This recipe was one of my favorites with Sunday dinners. Some of my friends, not so much, they prefer to get the nutrients instead of having them destroyed in the boiling of the carrots. This taste better to me, so I am sacrificing the nutrients here and I will seek them from the solid portion of my meal. If you want to get the full nutrients however, see the recipe below.




Carrot and Beet Root Juice

1lb Carrot
2 Beets
3 Cups of Water
1 Tin of Condensed Milk
2 Tsp Vanilla
1Tsp Nutmeg (optional)
1 Tsp Almond Flavor

Method:
Wash and cut carrots and beets into small cubes. Add to blender with water and puree until the vegetables have completely shredded. Strain into a jug and sweeten with condensed milk, vanilla, nutmeg and almond flavor. Refrigerate and enjoy with a yummy dish.




Papaya, Mango and Orange Punch

1 Lg Ripe Papaya
1 Lg Ripe Mango
2 Cups of Orange Juice
2 Cups of Water
Juice of 1 Lime
Sugar to taste


Method:
Gotta have my mango. Dice mango, and papaya and add to blender with orange juice, lime juice and water and blend until the fruits have completed dissolved. Pour contents into a jug and sweeten to taste. Refrigerate and serve chilled. Yum :)



Pineapple Ginger Zinger

2 Cups of Fresh Pineapple chunks
3 Cups of Water
1/3 Cup of Fresh Ginger Sliced
1 Lime or Lemon Juice
Sugar
Sprite or Ginger Ale ( optional)

Method
Blend pineapple water and ginger until the chunks have Liquified. Pour through a strainer into a large jug, add lime/lemon juice and sweeten to taste. Top off with some soda for a nice little fizz (optional). Refrigerate and enjoy chilled.





Pumpkin Punch

My mom used to make this at least once a month. It is so rich and creamy and easy to make.Since the country is in a pumpkin frenzy, I think it is a good time to share this one.

1 Small Pumpkin (scale if you wish to make a bigger batch)
4 Cups Almond Milk ( sweetened vanilla)
Sweetened  Condensed Milk
1/2 Bottle Guinness or Any Dark Full Bodied Stout
Grated Nutmeg
Vanilla
Salt
Water

Method:

Boil Pumpkin in salt and water. When tender, remove from heat and let cool. Blend with water, almond milk and Guinness. Sweeten to taste with condensed milk and flavor with nutmeg and vanilla.

Jamaican Mango and Black Bean Salsa

Veggie time. I am a BIG mango lover. Mango in my meat dishes, vegetable dishes, chutney, by itself....all fantastic on my taste buds.  If you are not a fan, you can replace it when your favorite hardy tropical fruit.


Ingredients:
1 Large Mango
1 Cup of Corn
1/2lb Uncooked Black Beans or 1 Can of Cooked Black Beans
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
1Tsp of Sugar
1Tsp of Lime Juice
Salt and Cayenne Pepper


Method:
If you choose to cook your beans, start off by cooking them ahead of time, drain and set aside. Dice the mango, and pepper and add to the beans. Add all of the remaining ingredients, stir and refridgerate for a couple of hours. Serve chilled.

Variations:

After you've created the colorful side dish above, you can add tomatoes, and carrots for crunch. I did both versions, but the simply black, green, and gold was more pleasant on my palate.

Jamaican Rice and Peas (Kidney Beans)

Every Sunday in Jamaica, you know what your neighbor is cooking...yes, rice and peas. Across the country, we have our little secret ways of making our rice and peas. From a spoon of sugar, an uncut scotch bonnet pepper, a packet of season all, etc. no matter what it is, we all end up with a sumptuous version of half of our week's best dinner. The other half depends on the meat of choice for that day, mostly chicken or fish, but whatever the heart desires may be paired with this side and go damn well with it.

Ingredients:
2 Cups of Rice
1Cup Kidney Beans Uncooked or a Can of Cooked Bean
1 Can Coconut Milk
2 Stalks of Scallions (Green Onions)
1 Slice of Onion Chopped Finely
1 Tsp Sugar
1Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Thyme
1 Clove of Garlic
1Tsp of Coconut Oil 
All Purpose Seasoning

Method:
Boil kidney beans in 4 cups of water until tender if you chose this option. Add coconut milk, 1 cup of water, salt, sugar, scallion, onion, garlic and thyme, and cook for 15 minutes. Wash and add rice and all purpose seasoning and coconut oil, stir to distribute the flavors, and cook on low - medium heat for 10-30 minutes.Add water if needed after a few minutes. The time depends on the type of rice you use. I used basmati rice in the picture above and it took about 12 minutes. If you choose long grain it will take about 20-25 minutes, brown rice will set you back a good 30 minutes. For best results, follow the cooking instructions as it relates to the time on the package of the rice that you use.

If you chose the pre-cooked beans, empty can in two cups of water and add all ingredients except the rice. Cook for 15 minutes and then add rice, coconut oil, and all purpose seasoning. Stir and cook for 10-30 minutes. Follow instructions above regarding the time differences. Add more water if needed. Let rice and peas sit for 5 minutes before you serve.

This pairs well with plantain, and any meat you are in the mood to cook (cough cough,  delicious oxtail).

Happy eating!

BNW~

Jamaican Oxtail Stew -Crockpot and Pressure Cooker Recipes

Sunday Dinner

Check out my new blog called Jamaica Mixed In for more fun and exciting recipes, along with this amazing crockpot stew.www.jamaicamixedin.com

This is my most popular recipe so far so I am including a step by step process as it does require some TLC to get a great tasting finished dish. Growing up in Jamaica, this was prepared on Sundays and definitely a dinner to look forward to, we love oxtail. Similar to Osso Bucco, the meat surrounds a center bone and falls off tender when properly cooked. Unlike the other recipes, this will take a while to prepare, but if you have a slow cooker you are in good shape. You will need a full 7-9 hours to make this dish. If you have a pressure cooker, there is also a quicker recipe below. You will cut down the time significantly. This stew is best served with rice and peas (kidney beans). See recipe for this Rice and Peas dish and some Coleslaw to add some crunch and color to your dish.

Ingredients: 
3lbs of Fresh Oxtail
Powdered Steak Seasonings
All Purpose Seasoning (Goya has good ones)
1 Bunch of Scallions
2 Tomatoes
1 Green Pepper
2 Large Onions
Thyme (fresh is best, but I used dried in this recipe)
16 Ounces of Beef Broth
Seasoned Salt
8 Cloves Garlic
Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
10 Pimento Berries (Allspice)
1 Can Butter Beans
2 Tablespoon Browning Sauce

Methods:

Crock Pot Bath:

Add beef broth, thyme,  1/2 scallion, pimento berries, green pepper,  4 cloves of garlic, 1 onion sliced or chopped and allow to heat. Wash meat with vinegar and water. Generously season with salt, pepper, steak and all- purpose seasonings. Let marinate for at least an hour, covered in a Tupperware. Heat oil in a frying pan, and add browning sauce to meat. Transfer meat to pan and brown on each side for about 4 minutes. Once all of the pieces have been browned for color and texture, transfer to the crock pot "bath." Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 9 hours using all of the seasonings you used to marinate the meat. Re-season with tomatoes, onion, steak seasoning, remaining scallion and garlic, thyme, seasoned salt, and pepper to taste. Add butter beans and cover; cook on high for another 45-60 minutes. Test the meat for tenderness, it should be falling off the bone tender.

Pressure cooker method:
Follow the steps above for seasoning, marinating and browning the meat, and Instead of transferring to a crockpot after it has been browned, add to pressure cooker along with beef broth and two cups of water and cook for 1 hour. Remove lid after you’ve carefully allowed the pressure cooker to cool down. Re-season with onion, butter bean, steak seasoning, scallion, thyme, green pepper,  seasoned salt, garlic and pepper to taste and cook for another 20 minutes until the sauce is thick. Use with a regular pot cover, as you do not need to pressure the meat any further. Your meat should look like the pictures below for the re-seasoning and for the big ending.