Jerk Pork with Roasted Sweet Potatoes
1. Jerk – Say Jerk and Jamaica comes to mind. With origins from the pre- slavery days in West Africa, jerk was developed as a way to preserve meats and the Maroons of Jamaica continued the technique. Boston in the east of Jamaica is regarded as the birthplace of jerk and still remains the best place to get the best jerk meats in Jamaica. From jerk chicken to my favourite jerk pork to sausages, fish and even lobster and shrimp, Boston jerk is the best anywhere in the world. Get it with a side such as roasted sweet potatoes and yam and have a true Jamaican culinary delight. There are several restaurants around the island that do offer jerk if you can’t make it to Boston such as Scotchies and Sweet Wood in Kingston. You can also get a variety of Jamaican jerk known as Pan Chicken done in an oil barrel grill which is good.
Jerk Lobster
2. Callaloo Soup – Now to clarify, callaloo is the leaf of the dasheen plant. It is completely different from what is called callaloo in Jamaica. In the Eastern Caribbean, this leaf is boiled into a soup which is a delicacy.
Callaloo
(Taken from http://myg.info/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/taro-leaf.jpg)
Flavoured with meat, ground provisions and dumplings, Callaloo soup has become a part of the Eastern Caribbean. Some of the favourite meats to be used to make the soup include beef, pork in the form of pig tail and crayfish. Next time you are in St. Vincent, St. Lucia or Dominica, get a bowl and you will ‘see’ the taste I am talking about!
Callaloo Soup in Dominica
3. Salt fish – Because of our history, we have used salted cod also known as salt fish for a very long time. It has evolved into our diets to become in some places the national dish and in others, the unofficial national dish. Whether its Salt fish and Ackee with Breadfruit which is the official National Dish of Jamaica to Breadfruit and salt fish in St. Vincent and the Grenadines which is just as popular with the national dish to salt fish cakes made in nearly every Caribbean island in different varieties. Well prepared, salt fish can enhance any meal and works well for pescetarians as well as those who are not eating meat for the day (LOL!). SO next time you go to any Caribbean island, have a taste of their salt fish meal because you might be surprised how well it tastes.
4. Doubles – If you’ve ever been to Trinidad, you must know of the famous doubles. Known for its Indian origin this Trinidadian delicacy consists of two flat fried bread known as bara with a filling of cooked chick peas. With a variety of toppings such as cucumbers and mango to sauces such as tamarind and the world famous Trini pepper sauce, this food is a personal favourite. With no set time for eating, doubles can be had for breakfast, lunch, dinner and my personal favourite after a night at the club. If you never had it, you’re missing the world or at least a part of it.
Doubles from Trinidad
(Taken from http://www.theoneonefour.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/double.jpg)
5. Roti – Although roti is actually the flat bread made to be eaten with the meal in South Asia, it is in the Caribbean a meal which consists of this flat bread with curried ingredients. The Roti in its West Indian form originated in the East Indian communities in Trinidad and Guyana and have spread throughout the Caribbean. These meals are actually consists of the roti (flat bread) stuffed with curried potatoes, peas and meat (chicken, beef , mutton or conch though there are other variations.). The flat bread itself comes in many different varieties with the most popular being sada roti made from white flour, ‘Buss up shut’ which is made to crumble as you eat it and dhalpuri which is a flat bread with ground split peas and cumin made into it. Almost every Caribbean island makes a variety of roti and there’s a place to get it so if you’re in Barbados, pick up one at Cheffete’s , in Antigua, buy one in Heritage Quay or in Bequia , try the famous Conch Roti.
Roti
(Taken from http://tabisite.com/pham/166vc/2ch_6388.jpg)
6. Peleau – Also known as the gumbo of the Caribbean, peleau is a staple on any Caribbean menu. Made from stewed meat, rice with pigeon peas and optional additions such as vegetables and pig tail (for flavour), peleau is one of those meals you just have to try. May Caribbean people make their stewed meat, normally chicken by burning brown sugar to make browning. (Browning can be bought in the store as well.) They then cook the meat in the browning and then add the peas and rice with the optional addition of vegetables. Although its origin is in Trinidad and Tobago, peleau is cooked Caribbean wide especially in the Eastern Caribbean because of its easy recipe and its great taste.
Peleau
(Taken from http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4614651662_1dffa460b9_o.jpg)
7. Souse – If you’re not a pork fan, this recipe just isn’t as sweet. There are many types of souse in the Caribbean. I’ve had chicken feet, cattle (cow) skin, and cow head but the best one is pig trotters. Pig trotters or pig foot as they are called make some of the best souse. The meat that is to be soused is cleaned and boiled. (Pig feet are normally pressure cooked or cooked for a long time in a regular pot.) It is then cooled, put in a large bowl and the ingredients of salt, lime juice and pepper are added. According to where you are in the Caribbean, there are several other additives. The most common and important one is cucumbers. The souse is best served with some roast breadfruit or boiled dumplings to bring out the flavour. The Bajans (Barbadians) make some of the best souse which is served up with their world famous pudding (seasoned sweet potato pudding.)
Pudding and Souse in Barbados
So the next time you travel, look for any of these foods and see what other culinary delights the Caribbean has to offer.
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