Caribbean Recipes
RICE AND PEAS
A traditional accompaniment for vegetables, meat or poultry.
6 oz (170 g) gungo peas, black-eye or kidney beans
1/3 pt (150 ml) coconut milk
8 oz (225 g) brown or white rice
1 sprig thyme
freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
Soak the dried peas or beans in plenty of cold water overnight. Drain. Place in a pan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour until the peas/beans are tender. (If you are using tinned beans add at this point) Add the washed rice to the pan together with the coconut milk and a seasoning of thyme, freshly ground black pepper and salt. Add extra water to bring the level of liquid in the pan 1-2 cm above the rice. Cook on a low heat for a further 20-25 min by which time all the liquid should be absorbed and the rice soft. Serves 4.
OKRA AND AUBERGINE (Gumbo)
This is an adaption of a traditional creole dish. Serve with plain cooked rice.
1 large aubergine
1/2 lb (225 g) okra
1 scotch bonnet or chilli pepper
1 medium sized onion 1 clove garlic
1 green sweet pepper
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 lb (450 g) tomatoes
freshly ground black pepper & salt to taste
Peel and dice the aubergine. Trim the stems from the okra and slice into thick rounds. De-seed and finely chop the hot pepper, peel and slice the onion and garlic, slice the green pepper into strips. Heat the vegetable oil over a medium flame and cook the sliced onion and garlic until transparent. Add the green pepper and fry for two minutes longer, then add the aubergine, okra, hot pepper and the tomatoes, which have been peeled and chopped. Season with freshly ground black pepper and salt and leave to cook, covered on a low heat for 20-25 min stirring occasionally. Serves 4.
Note: Be careful to wash hands and utensils after preparing the hot pepper.
MILLET AND SPINACH STEW
This is good served with vegetables and a salad.
4 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium-sized onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tomato
1 red sweet pepper
4 oz (115 g) millet grains
1 lb (450 g) spinach leaves
1 pt (425 ml) vegetable stock
2 tbs peanut butter
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Place the vegetable oil in a pan over a medium heat. Peel and chop the onion and garlic, dice the tomatoes and sweet pepper and fry for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the millet grains, and fry for a further 5-6 minutes. Carefully wash and chop the spinach and add to pan. Add the vegetable stock, peanut butter, black pepper and salt. Stir well, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Serves 4.
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