Caribbean Cooking: From Barbecued Jerk Turkey To Plantain Stew

Quorn chicken, coconut and plantain stew

The starchy and low-in-sugar plantain pairs wonderfully with high protein and low saturated fat Quorn chicken pieces. The use of coconut adds an exciting layer of flavour, while the lime juice gives it a lively finish.

Quorn is high in fibre and low in calories, making it a great alternative to meat for vegetarians or for meat lovers looking to reduce their meat intake. It is quick and easy to cook, with endless recipe possibilities.

Please note: Plantain can be found in local African, South American or Caribbean shops. Pumpkin or sweet potato work well as a replacement.

350g of Quorn chicken pieces
3tbsp of coconut oil
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
Black pepper, freshly cracked
1 plantain, cut into 1cm chunks
1 white onion, finely diced
2 tomatoes, cut into quarters
300ml of coconut cream
1 handful of coriander, chopped
½ lime, juice
Salt
Pepper
Chilli, (optional)

Spray coconut oil onto a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Then add Quorn chicken pieces and fry for 4-5 minutes until light golden. Remove from skillet and reserve.

Add more oil to the pan if needed, and fry the onions and tomatoes for 3-4 minutes until they are softened. Reduce the heat, add the coconut cream to the pan and the plantain in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, then turn each piece over and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces to the simmering sauce, cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until the plantain is completely tender. Add the chopped coriander, green chillies (optional) and lime juice. Serve immediately with rice.

Barbecued jerk turkey steaks

Scotch bonnets add some authentic fire to this jerk turkey recipe, but you can substitute them for chillis for a tamer heat if you like. Adam Gray’s celeriac and apple coleslaw provides some cooling relief as a side to the turkey steaks.

Jerk turkey
1 turkey breast, boneless
½ bunch of fresh thyme
4tbsp of clear runny honey
8tsp ground cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet chillies, chopped
8tbsp of allspice
4tbsp of dark rum
Celeriac and apple coleslaw
1 celeriac
3 Braeburn apples, peeled and cored
2tbsp of English mustard
150g of mayonnaise
½ bunch of chives
Salt
Ground white pepper

Pick the leaves from the fresh thyme and finely chop. Mix the chopped thyme leaves with the clear honey, ground cinnamon, chopped chillies, allspice and rum. Slice the turkey into 1.5cm-thick steaks and place in a shallow tray. Rub the jerk seasoning mix thoroughly into the steaks, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours – preferably 24 hours.

For the coleslaw, peel and finely shred the celeriac. Slice the apples into 0.5cm-wide discs and then cut into thin matchsticks. Mix the apple with the celeriac. In a separate bowl, mix the mustard and mayonnaise together. Gradually add the mustard mayonnaise to the celeriac and apple, ensuring that final mix is not too wet. Finely chop the chives and add them to the celeriac and apple coleslaw. Season the mixture with salt and white pepper to taste.

To cook the turkey, place the marinated turkey steaks on a hot barbecue, rotating every 4-5 minutes until cooked all the way through. Once cooked, remove from the barbecue and leave to rest on a serving tray for 3-4 minutes, to ensure they are moist and tender. Serve the turkey steaks with the apple and celeriac coleslaw.

Caribbean chicken with sweetcorn fritters

A simple marinade of buttermilk and hot pepper sauce creates perfectly tender, yet flavour-packed chicken in this easy Caribbean chicken recipe from Karen Burns-Booth. Pan-fried to create a crisp golden crust, Karen serves the spicy chicken with an easy sweetcorn fritter recipe and a tropical salad on the side.

This is a fabulous recipe for a family midweek meal and, more importantly, it can all be prepared in the morning, ready for a bit of frying action in the evening. Skinless chicken breasts are given a spicy makeover by being marinated in buttermilk with some fiery hot pepper sauce. The batter for the corn fritters can also be made ahead, and then all you need to cook this easy meal is just two frying pans.

If you want to serve the chicken in smaller pieces for the little ones, then just slice the chicken breasts into fingers before marinating. The hot pepper sauce I used for the marinade may be a tad too spicy for the very wee ones in the family, so adjust the amount you add to the marinade or offer it on the side when serving.

If you are cooking for a crowd (and this is a perfect recipe for any large gathering), then just keep the cooked chicken and corn fritters warm in a preheated oven whilst you cook the rest. I served this with a fresh pineapple, banana and coconut salad for added tropical taste, but any crisp seasonal salad will work as a fresh accompaniment.

Hot pepper sauce is a staple in my store cupboard (and has been for years now) as I love how the blend of Scotch Bonnet and Habanero peppers creates a fiery yet fruity finish.

Caribbean chicken with sweetcorn fritters

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
2tbsp of West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce, plus extra to serve
150ml of buttermilk, or skimmed milk
1 large egg, beaten
Plain flour, for dusting
100g of breadcrumbs
Rapeseed oil, for frying
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Sweetcorn fritters

160g of sweetcorn, drained weight
1 large egg, beaten
75g of self-raising flour
Red chilli, or fresh herbs, chopped (optional)
1 dash of milk, if needed
Rapeseed oil, for frying
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To serve

Mixed salad leaves
¼ fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks
½ red onion, finely chopped
Coconut, shaved into slivers
Fresh coriander

Mix together the buttermilk and hot pepper sauce. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade to coat. Cover the dish and set aside to marinate for a few hours, or until ready to cook. For the sweetcorn fritters, prepare the batter by mixing the beaten egg into the flour until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then mix in the sweetcorn and chilli or herbs (if using). If the mixture is a little thick, add a dash of milk to loosen. Reserve until needed. When ready to cook the chicken, place the beaten egg in a shallow dish, a pile of plain flour (seasoned with a little salt and pepper) in another, and the breadcrumbs in a third.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and dip first in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs to create a thick coating. Add a little rapeseed oil to a large frying pan and place over a medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, turn the heat down slightly and fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken has a golden brown crust and is cooked all the way through. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a second pan. Drop large spoonfuls of the sweetcorn batter into the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until puffed up and golden brown. Mix together the salad, pineapple, coconut and red onion for the salad. Add a few sprigs of fresh coriander. Serve with the chicken and fritters.

Cabana Carnival Food From Cheese Pastels To Grilled Crab

From snacks of grilled crab to barbecued chicken skewers, marinated in chilli, garlic and paprikia to tropical cocktails galore, Carnival! has everything you'll need to create your own Brazilian-inspired party to celebrate the Rio 2016 Olympics.

It is written by the team behind the popular chain of Brazilian restaurants, Cabana, and includes cultural tips from how to dance the samba to mixing that all-important caipirinha.

Four-cheese pastels

Brazil has the largest Japanese community outside Japan, but because the two countries were once at war, many Japanese immigrants tried to pass as Chinese, cooking their native dishes with a Chinese accent. The pastel (originating from the spring roll) is one such dish, and is still enjoyed all over the country.

500g  plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1½tsp fine sea salt
1tbsp hot chicken stock (or water)
15g lard, melted
1tbsp cachaça
100g  grated Gruyère cheese
100g  cream cheese
100g  feta cheese, crumbled
100g  ricotta
½tsp freshly ground black pepper vegetable or groundnut oil, for deep-frying Molho Vinagrete

First, make the dough. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the centre. Stir the stock, lard, cachaça and 125ml warm water in a jug,  then pour this into the well. Stir together to form a soft dough. If it’s too dry and won’t form a ball, gradually add more warm water until it comes together. Tip the mixture on to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Do not overwork it, or it will become tough. Cover with clingfilm and set aside for at least 15 minutes.

Mix together the four cheeses and black pepper in a small bowl and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough very thinly (cover the other half in clingfilm), then cut out 10cm squares. Put 1 teaspoon filling in the centre of each square on one side.

Brush a little water around the edges, then fold  over the other half to make a rectangle. Press down on the edges to seal, trying not to create any air pockets. Use  the tines of a fork to press down along all four sides to ensure a good seal. Continue making the rest of the pastels and transfer to the baking sheet.

Heat the oil in a deep-fryer to 180°C/350°F. Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown on  both sides, turning them halfway. Drain on  kitchen paper and keep warm while you  fry the rest. Serve warm with Molho Vinagrete or Mango Salsa.

Prawn and palm heart pastels 

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan, add a finely chopped onion and 3 chopped garlic cloves and cook gently for a few minutes. Skin, deseed and finely chop 2 tomatoes and add to the pan with 1bsp tomato purée. Stir well and cook for a few minutes until the onions are soft. Drain and roughly chop a 400g  tin of palm hearts. Roughly chop 100g  cooked, peeled prawns. Add  to the pan and season well with salt and pepper. Allow to cool before filling the pastels as described in the recipe.

Beef pastels

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide pan, add 400g minced beef and cook until browned. Add  1 finely chopped spring onion, 2 chopped garlic cloves and 2 peeled, deseeded and chopped tomatoes. Fry for a few more minutes until the tomatoes have softened. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Allow to cool before filling the pastels as described in the recipe.

Molho literally means ‘sauce’ in Portuguese, and molho vinagrete is a typical sauce used at Brasilian barbecues. The  tangy flavours work well with most barbecue dishes.

3 ripe plum tomatoes (about 250g)
1 small onion
small handful of flat-leaf parsley
1tbsp white wine vinegar
3tbsp light olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Halve the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon, chop them and place in a large bowl. Chop the onion to about the same size as the tomatoes and add to the bowl. Finely chop the parsley leaves and add them to the bowl. Whisk the vinegar, oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper to make a dressing. Drizzle it over the tomato mixture and stir well. Spoon into one large or small individual bowls to serve.

Mango Salsa

Mangoes grow in abundance in Brasil’s tropical climate, in a rainbow of varieties. Juicy with mango flesh, tart and piquant with lime juice and chilli, this mango salsa is excellent with seafood, such as the Sweet Potato Crab Cakes, and also pairs nicely with grilled chicken and pork.

1 small ripe mango
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 red or green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice and zest of ½ lime
Few sprigs of coriander, leaves chopped 
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel the mango and cut off the flesh around the seed. Slice the flesh into 1cm dice and place in a large bowl. Add  the rest of the ingredients, stir well and season with salt and pepper. Serve soon after preparing, as the coriander will darken once exposed to the lime juice.

Grilled crab shells

In Brazil, you’ll find the classic bar snack of grilled crab (casquinha de siri) served in scallop or crab shells – real or plastic – but you can just as easily use a ramekin. The siri crab is common in Brasil, but any fresh white crab meat can be used for our recipe. It’s best finished with a squeeze of lime to cut through the melted cheese and bring out the flavour of the crab. Serve with a side salad and an ice-cold beer as a summery starter.

300–400g fresh white crab meat (from an 800g–1.2kg cooked brown crab)
2 slices white bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp coconut milk mixed with 1 tbsp hot water
3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 shallot, finely chopped
1⁄2 yellow pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1⁄2 green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 large plum tomato, deseeded and finely chopped 
60ml white wine
15g desiccated coconut (or use freshly grated, if available)
1 tsp English mustard
juice of 1 lime, plus extra wedges to serve 
small handful of coriander leaves, chopped 
60g dried breadcrumbs
25g grated Parmesan cheese
20g cold butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pick through the crab meat to remove any bits of shell. Cover and refrigerate. Tear the bread into small pieces and soak in the coconut milk for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the shallot, peppers, garlic, chilli and tomato and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the soaked bread and desiccated coconut and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the crab meat, mustard, lime juice and coriander and season with salt and pepper. If it’s too dry, add a little more coconut milk. Spoon into 4 lightly oiled ramekins or clean scallop shells.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6. Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and sprinkle them over the crab mixture. Cut the butter into very thin slices and place over the breadcrumbs. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly golden brown. (If the topping isn’t browning enough, put it under the grill for 2-4 minutes). Serve hot with wedges of lime.

Sweet potato fries

These fries are one of the most popular dishes at Cabana. The sweet potatoes turn a wonderful bright orange when fried, and are complemented by the deep red paprika, which adds a subtle spice.

500g (about 2 large) sweet potatoes 
vegetable oil, for deep-fat frying
1 tsp smoked paprika
sea salt

Cut the potatoes lengthways into 1cm thick chips. Heat the oil in a medium pan or deep-fat fryer to 130°C/265°F. Fry the potatoes in small batches for 3-4 minutes, until soft and tender but not browned. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Set aside at room temperature.

When you are ready to eat, heat the oil to 180°C/350°F. Carefully add a batch of par-cooked chips to the hot oil and cook for 2-4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. If not using a deep-fat fryer, you may need to adjust the heat if the chips brown too quickly. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. While hot, sprinkle with a little smoked paprika and sea salt. Keep warm while frying the rest of the chips. Transfer to 1 large or individual warmed bowls and serve immediately.

From Carrot And Feta Bites To Rosemary Hake

After reaching the final of the BBC's baking programme aged just 20, Ruby Tandoh offers up her second cookbook, following Crumb.

Reflecting the way we cook, the book is separated by ingredients, from lentils and pulses to citrus, spice and sugar, which is designed to help you follow your cravings (or cook with what is in the fridge) and create the best possible flavours while doing so.

Ruby also explains the best way to cook each of her key ingredients, including when they are in season and what to pair it with.

Focusing on flavour and freedom, her recipes include Ghanaian peanut chicken, glazed blueberry fritter doughnuts, and hot and sour lentil soup. Flavour was published on 17 July, and Ruby is currently travelling around Italy.

Carrot and feta bites with lime yoghurt

Makes 16, serving 4

4 large carrots (roughly 600g/21oz total)
½ tsp salt
6 spring onions, thinly sliced
150g (5oz) feta, crumbled into small chunks
Zest of 2 limes
4 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
2 large eggs
Vegetable oil, for frying


For the dipping sauce:
150g (5oz) natural yoghurt
Juice of 1 lime
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper, to taste

These are something like vegetarian meatballs: little bites of carrot married with the heat of spring onion, spice and plenty of tasty feta. A lime yoghurt dip does a good job of cooling the saltiness of the cheese and brightening the flavour of the carrot bites with a zesty, sour zing. Take care not to rush or skip the salting and draining of the grated carrot, as it’s this stage that draws out the moisture so that the little veg bites hold together without sogginess.

Coarsely grate the carrots and mix with the salt in a large bowl (it sounds like a lot of salt, but it’s just there to draw the moisture out of the carrots, and most of it will be lost). Let the salted carrot sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze it out – either in your hands or through a muslin cloth or tea towel – removing as much of the liquid as you can.

Stir the onions, feta, lime zest, flour, spices and parsley into the drained carrot. Whisk the eggs lightly together then add them to the mix. If the mixture is too dry to just about hold together in balls when you squeeze it in between your palms, add a drop of milk or water; if it’s too wet, add another tablespoon of flour.

Heat a little oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Divide the carrot mixture into 16 portions, shaping each little mound into a rough rugby ball shape using your hands. Working in batches, fry over a medium heat for around 4 minutes, giving them a quarter turn every minute, until they’re nicely browned and set on all sides.

For the dipping sauce, mix the yoghurt, lime juice and parsley with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Serve with the carrot bites while they’re hot.

Rosemary and Olive Hake with Cherry Tomatoes

Serves 4

75ml (3fl oz) olive oil
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 sprigs of rosemary
1kg (2lb 2oz) cherry tomatoes
125g (4oz) Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
4 skinless and boneless hake fillets (you can also use cod)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

This dish shows that with a little time and some careful cooking, you can turn just a handful of simple ingredients into a flavourful one-pot meal. Because it’s braised in the sticky tomato mixture, the hake stays perfectly moist and tender, soaking up the rosemary and garlic aromas as it cooks. Serve with ciabatta to absorb the tomato juices.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium heat. A high-sided pan will do if you don’t have a frying pan large enough. Fry the garlic and whole rosemary sprigs for a minute or two, until fragrant but not browning. Add the Cherry tomatoes and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the olives, put a lid on the pan, and cook for 15 minutes more until the tomatoes are meltingly soft. Season the tomato mixture to taste then set the hake fillets in the pan, nestling them down among the veg. Put the lid back on and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the fish is cook through and flakes under a fork.