Food on Fire – The Joy of JERK

A Fiery Food Fetish – Jamaican Style

I enjoy a really good Jerk chicken and have the perfect recipe for those who are daring enough to try it.

FIRST, a bit of history (you can always skip this part & cut right to the chase but I think it’s a good idea to let people know where the dish originated from).

It all started with survival (and if you really want to take it a step further I guess you can say that that’s how all food started). The beginning doesn’t sound too appetizing. Escaped slaves living in the Jamaican jungle interior had to develop many survival techniques – but none more impressive than the way they hunted wild pigs (cleaning them between run-ins with the law) and covering them with a mysterious spice paste and then cooking them over an aromatic wood fire. Now this spice mixture is so popular, inspiring commercial spice mixes, bottled marinades and the use of the word “jerk” around the world. What about the word used to describe this dish? Most Jamaicans offer the non-scholarly explanation that the word refers to the jerking motion either in turning the meat over the coals or in chopping off some for customers.

However…JERK….is the English form of a Spanish word of Indian origin. The original Indian word meant to prepare pork in the manner of the Quichua Indians. Now Jerk is prepared with chicken, fish, shrimp even lobster. Several of the best jerk purveyors are still on the beach at Boston Bay, Portland (not in Oregon) somewhat off the tourist track mostly frequented by Jamaicans, not tourists. But I was lucky enough to try some from a local stand (actually no more than a thatch-roof hut built over low-lying , smoldering fire) – and it’s never tasted better.

The jerk sellers tend to be characters with colorful nicknames and singsong sales pitches that tell you why their jerk is the best on the island. They’ll even pull out a glass jar of jerk paste with lethal scotch bonnet peppers and scoop out some for you to try. This definitely will require a *red stripe to cool down the flames. *Red Stripe is the beer of Jamaica. Oh my, I almost forgot I have a recipe.

Jerrific Jerk Chicken

This recipe is great served with rice and peas. It can be made more authentic by doubling all the dry spices – including the fiery chili flakes! You could also substitute a whole chicken cut into serving size pieces instead of chicken breasts with terrific results. At this time of year you can grill the chicken under the broiler instead of on the barbecue.

1 Tbsp. ground allspice

1Tbsp. dried thyme

1 ½ tsp. dried chili flakes

1 ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ tsp. ground sage

¾ tsp. ground nutmeg

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp. salt

2 Tbsp. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. brown, cane or coconut sugar

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

¾ cup vinegar (either regular white or apple cider)

½ cup orange juice (freshly squeezed is best)

Juice of one lime

1 fresh *scotch bonnet pepper, seeded & chopped

1 cup chopped onion

3 green onions, finely chopped

6 single chicken breasts, skin and bones removed.

Preparation:

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Slowly whisk in oil, soy sauce, vinegar, orange and lime juices. Stir in scotch bonnet pepper and onions. Add chicken, cover and marinate at least 4 hours.

Preheat barbecue to medium (or oven to 350 degrees). Remove chicken from marinade; grill 6 minutes each side or until cooked through with no pink remaining. Baste with marinade while grilling or cooking. Bring remaining marinade to boil; spoon over chicken. Makes 4-6 servings.

*Scotch bonnet is a very hot chili pepper available at West and East Indian food shops and at some supermarkets. If unavailable, substitute a fresh jalapeno or extra dried chili flakes to taste.

Recipe courtesy of Sugar Reef Caribbean Cooking (McGraw-Hill)

History & Photos courtesy of The Food of Jamaica – authentic recipes from the Jewel of the Caribbean.

The girl who would be King spent several years (off & on but mostly on) traveling all over this beautiful island sampling resorts, jerk, rum, coffee and…..whatever else.

Another recommendation - Blue Mountain Coffee — Another recommendation – Blue Mountain Coffee preferably on the top of Strawberry Hill.

FUN

Food – Roasted Heirloom Tomato Sauce

MUST LOVE TOMATOES!

Looking at my photos from Italy got me thinking about the simplicity of good, fresh, local ingredients.

Many of the farmers markets are open until the end of October so you can pick up a nice selection of fresh tomatoes.

This is a quick, easy, and delicious basic tomato sauce that can be dressed up with spices and herbs for pasta, stews and pizzas. Although the recipe calls for heirloom, you can use any kind of tomatoes you like – it will make an array of prettily colored sauces.

INGREDIENTS:

4lbs tomatoes quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 yellow onion sliced
4 bay leaves
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
¼ cup of fresh oregano leaves
2 teaspoons smoked Pimenton
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt & cracked black pepper to taste
Selection of sterilized jars with tight fitting lids

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place all the ingredients in a large ceramic baking dish and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, stirring half way through.
Remove from the oven and take out the bay leaves. Rest the tomatoes for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven heat to 250°F.
Place the tomato mixture in the blender and working in batches, turning the tomatoes either either smooth or slightly chunky depending on your preference.
Pour the sauce into the prepared sterilized jars leaving a ¼” space and screw the lids on. Tap the jars on the counter top to get rid of air pockets and wipe clean with a damp cloth. Place in the oven for 30 minutes to seal.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. You will hear a pinging sound as each lid seals. Check to make sure that the center of the lid is concaved. (If a jar does not seal store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)
Label and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Valerie Aikman-Smith for Goop.com

Food + Drink

FOOD: the Staples – Rice, Noodles or Rice Noodles?

THE ULTIMATE CULINARY CARBS! Do you have a preference?

Most people like either or and they’re both important food staples in most countries (especially Asia & Africa) even for breakfast where they’re sautéed with vegetables. Here in North America we’re having a noodle moment with noodle places like The Noodle Box opening up all over….so tasty and comforting and versatile. Rice is also nice but seemingly more ordinary – as in you don’t see rice joints opening up all over town…but it’s equally diverse. I personally love both depending on what they’re served with (obviously noodles with Pad Thai & Spaghetti and rice with Paella & anything Indian). It would be hard to make a specific choice because we need both (I don’t care what the diet books say – I’m sticking to this rule because there are so many varieties of either and gluten-free noodles are available). *Rice in all forms (white, brown, basmati and enriched rice) are all gluten-free.

There was recently in Vancouver a Taiwanese street festival where chefs battled out their unique rice or noodle recipes. I was there but didn’t sample either. Instead I’m giving you two simple and satisfying one-pot dishes for both which you can improvise to your liking (after you read the recipe). Enjoy!

SPICY TOFU HOTPOT

Warm up a chilly evening with this light but satisfying one-pot meal. The tofu absorbs the flavors of this fragrant, spicy broth, making it anything but bland. Look for fresh Chinese-style noodles in the refrigerated case of your supermarket alongside wonton wrappers.

Makes: 6 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

INGREDIENTS

14 ounces firm tofu, preferably water-packed
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons chile-garlic sauce, or to taste
4 cups thinly sliced tender bok choy greens
8 ounces fresh Chinese-style (lo mein) noodles
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION

Drain and rinse tofu; pat dry. Cut the block into 1-inch cubes.
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sugar, broth, soy sauce and chile-garlic sauce; cover and bring to a boil. Add bok choy and tofu, cover and simmer until greens are wilted, about 2 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the noodles, pushing them down into the broth. Cook, covered, until the noodles are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in cilantro. TIPS: Chile-garlic sauce is a spicy blend of chiles, garlic and other seasonings; it is found in the Asian section of the market.

Per serving: 251 calories; 7 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrates; 13 g protein; 7 g fiber; 636 mg sodium; 191 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (45% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Fiber (27% dv), Iron (20% dv).

READER’S COMMENT: “Awesome!! we used Udon noodles in place of Lo Mein, but otherwise same recipe. The broth with garlic and ginger is fabulous! “

MUSHROOM & RICE ONE-POT

Take a handful of simple store cupboard ingredients and turn them into this hearty comforting dinner.

INGREDIENTS

200g basmati rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tsp chopped rosemary or 1 tsp dried
250g chestnut mushrooms, quartered
2 red peppers, sliced
400g can chopped tomatoes (can use fresh)
425ml vegetable stock
handful parsley, chopped

PREPARATION

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Tip the rice into a sieve, rinse under cold running water, then leave to drain. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole, add the onion, then fry until softened, about 5 mins. Stir in the rosemary and mushrooms, then fry briefly. Add the rice, stir to coat in the oil, then add the peppers, tomatoes, stock and some freshly ground pepper. Bring to the boil, give it a stir, cover tightly with a lid, then bake for 20-25 mins until the rice is tender. Scatter over the parsley and serve.

TIPS: you can modify this recipe a little bit by
– using fresh tomatoes and tomato puré
– using chicken stock
– adding chicken and green chillies in recipe

*More about RICE:

Plain rice — regardless of whether it’s whole-grain brown rice, polished white rice, long-grained basmati rice or even exotic black rice — is always considered gluten-free.

So is the form of rice called glutinous rice, also known as sticky rice or sweet rice. Despite the name, it doesn’t contain the form of gluten that’s dangerous to those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance; the term “glutinous” simply refers to the fact that glutinous rice gets glue-like, or sticky, when cooked.

Source: Rice Recipe from Good Food magazine. Tofu Noodle Recipe from EatingWell: The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (this recipe is not just for diabetics – it just happens to come from the cookbook). xo

Follow my Food Board on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/intrigueimports/foodsavour-taste-flavor-relish-palate-enjoyment/

FUN

Simply Satisfying – Scallops in Sparkling Wine

Yesterday’s post got me reminiscing about cooking with wine which is something I do ~~all the time~~ on occasion. Sometimes I even put it in the food (yeah, we’ve all heard that one before).

Visiting wine country (where ever there is a country with a wine growing region to be found) is a fun experience and you learn (or at least taste) something new every time. One of the wine regions I really like to visit in Canada (besides the Okanagan in British Columbia) is Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. This recipe is from a cookbook bought at the Hillebrand Estates Winery which I made tons of tasty recipes from. It’s a guide to creating the perfect union between fine wine and superb food. Many people cook with the standby white for seafood and red for meat dishes but how many have tried sparkly?

Sparkling wine is wonderful to drink and this recipe is simple to prepare. The tiny bubbles add sophistication and a sense of celebration to any event. It is also a great ingredient in wine country cooking. The happy little bubbles work magic to transform sea scallops into the most delicate shellfish you will ever taste. This is Tony de Luca’s version of famous Mexican *ceviche.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup sparkling wine

1 Tbsp. coriander, finely chopped

1 tsp. lightly toasted mustard seeds

2 tsp. fresh ginger, finely grated

1 tsp. granulated sugar

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 lb. (500g) fresh sea scallops

Add all the ingredients except the scallops to a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the scallops and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove the scallops from the marinade. Discard the marinade and serve the scallops. Makes 6 servings. Enjoy!

*Traditional Halibut Ceviche from a previous blog post: https://girlwhowouldbeking.com/2012/08/21/simple-and-satisfying-3/

Book Review: the book is organized by wine variety, from light and lively to full-bodied. Each chapter begins with a description of the wine, followed by seasonal menus complete with detailed ingredient lists, thorough explanations of techniques and easy-to-follow instructions. The author displays wit and wisdom from years of international culinary experience. The ART of fine dining in the comfort of your home.

FUN

Grill Talk: FISH in the PAN

It’s officially summer!

getting started

You want to keep things easy, breezy but still want to impress your guests? With this non-recipe recipe you can feel like you’re dining in a little village somewhere in France or Italy. I’m talking a delicious “one-pan” dinner using any meaty white fleshed fish. Here’s what you do:

Place the *fish (already sprinkled with salt, pepper and any other spices you want) atop cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced onion, artichoke hearts, pitted Kalamata olives, caper berries, and lemon slices in a pan.

Pour in some white wine and olive oil. Put the pan on grill, cover the grill, and cook just until the juices bubble and the fish is cooked through (roughly ten minutes or so).

Serve it from the pan – with lots of crusty bread to sop up the sauce.

*For the fish I prefer halibut but you can use monkfish or cod. I used sole fillets once & it worked out fine.

Thank me later!

FUN

simply satisfying: the FOOD truck

Restaurant on Wheels

Food trucks are becoming increasingly trendy on the streets of Vancouver. This was evident last Sunday (for Father’s Day) when 20 blocks were closed to traffic on Main street for Car Free Day.

Store “FRONT” window

I couldn’t believe the amount of trucks with their ethnic diversity on every block considering how many varieties of restaurants there already are on Main.

What would a street festival be like without Cotton Candy? Soooo cute!

And, like many other cities right now we’re not talking hotdog & philly cheesesteak Okay, maybe a grilled cheese but most of these provide culinary quality and some of their prices match that of going to an actual restaurant. Here are some of my photos of the ROW’s.

Have you ever tried Korean tacos? — Have you ever tried **Korean** tacos?

No shortage of food

…restaurants, street vendors and food trucks (even some of the restaurants have their own food trucks).

Do you have a favourite?

FUN

Simply Satisfying – Summer Salads

I’m enjoying experimenting with different kinds of salads. While I always love a classic green or Cobb salad, these two are a fresh and tasty change.

If you’re looking for a cool and refreshing salad recipe for this summer, look no further.
This salad is light and sweet, with a perfect balance between fruit and vegetables. Not only is it delicious, but it also features two extremely hydrating foods – watermelon and cucumber, making it perfect for the summer. Serve it up at barbecues or throw it together at lunchtime. Either way it’s a winner.

As far as the herbs, freshness is key. If you don’t have mint on hand, you can easily substitute basil, for a dish that will be just as delicious.

Ingredients

1/4 watermelon, diced into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cucumber, diced into bite-sized chunks
2 ounces feta, crumbled
1 lime
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4-5 fresh mint leaves, chiffonnade (cut into thin strips)
freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Toss the watermelon and cucumber together in a large bowl. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with olive oil, lime juice and black pepper. Sprinkle the chiffonnade of mint leaves over the top of the salad as a garnish.

The colors of the salad look best before tossing, so if you’re making this for company, I recommend serving like this and tossing at the table. Alternatively, you can toss the watermelon and cucumber with the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper and then add the cheese and mint at the end. Or, you can slice larger pieces of watermelon and place large thin slices of feta over top which gives this an elegant look.

For this one you must love cooked beats (not pickled), artichoke hearts, sweet onion & prosciutto (Italian word for ham that is cured & very thinly sliced).

Ingredients:

Sliced cooked beets

Sliced Artichoke Hearts

Thinly sliced sweet onion

Good Quality Feta Cheese (I always ask for the “Barrel” sheep Feta from Minerva’s Greek)

Top with torn crisp Prosciutto. (Cook in frypan on medium-high heat (turn once) until done – should only take a couple of minutes).

Just arrange on the plate to your liking and drizzle with organic olive oil, a splash of lemon juice & balsamic vinegar (I used one with fig & dates). Simply delicious!

My FOOD Board on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/intrigueimports/foodsavour-taste-flavor-relish-palate-enjoyment/

Most of all, enjoy your SUMMER

FUN

personally……this is the best souvenir

Leafing through the pages of this gorgeous book brings home the diversity of Vancouver and makes me appreciate it more.

Whether you live in Vancouver or are here just visiting, this stunningly photographed coffee table book by Claude Duke will remind you of all the good things that Vancouver has to offer.

Of course there’s the natural scenic beauty but the book also showcases the talent of local fashion designers and our multi-cultural foodies. It even comes with 24 detachable postcards. It would make a great gift.

Claude’s event (he is originally from Chile) was held at the Art Institute of Vancouver on Wednesday evening and it was totally multi-cultural and absolutely Fabulous. A generous number of consulates (Canada, U.S., Chile, Equador) were there to take part in the festivities.

Sexy Samba Dancers

Cuban band Brisas Palmar with Flamenco Dancer/Singer

Indoor/Outdoor event at *The Art Institute

There was an abundance of food, wine, entertainment, fashion show and of course….books!

The man – Claude Duke & me

*The Art Institute of Vancouver is one of The Art Institutes, a system of over 45 educational institutions located throughout North America, providing education in design, media arts, event management, fashion and culinary arts.

JQi & Katelen (visiting from São Paulo)

Individual Ceviches with mango.

marvelous macaroons

to purchase: http://www.claudeduke.com/

Delicious desserts

Books make great memories. Whenever I travel I always bring home a book whether it be something culinary from the specific area or on design, etc.

How about you – do you do the same?

FUN

simply: It’s time for GRILL TALK

We all make mistakes. Here is Eight Grilling Mistakes and How to Avoid Them – according to the master herself me, I mean Martha Stewart.

Grilling is supposed to be easy. You just heat up the grill and throw your food on, right? Well, not exactly — but it isn’t much more complicated than that. As summer approaches, don’t let popular grilling “wisdom” over complicate the issue. Read on to find out which so-called tips you can definitely ignore.

1. DON’T skip the salt: You might have heard that salting meat before grilling will toughen it. Nope, it won’t! In fact, season your meat about 30 minutes before you get grilling.

2. DON’T use lighter fluid to get the grill going: You’d be better off using a chimney starter — unless you like the taste of lighter fluid.

3. DON’T press hard on your burgers — especially while they’re cooking: If you do, you’ll watch the flavor and moisture drip right into the grill. Much better to place them on the grill and then leave them alone until they need to be flipped (which should only happen once!).

4. DON’T flip out: Grilling isn’t fussy, so there’s no need to keep flipping your meat. Turn it only once — twice at most.

5. DON’T use that barbecue fork: Remember what happened when you got your ears pierced? The same will happen if you stick a fork into a steak on the grill. We beg you, use tongs or a spatula.

6. DON’T battle flare-ups with a spray bottle of water: Water + grease = not a good time. Calm grease fires with a flame-resistant kitchen towel.

7. DON’T use a knife to check for doneness: That’s one sure way to ensure a dry, tough piece of meat. Like babies and college kids, steak needs to rest. Take it off the grill and leave it alone for a 10 minutes (more or less, depending on thickness).

8. DON’T cook meat all the way through: Remember, meat continues to cook even after you take it off the heat, so remove it before it’s exactly to your liking.

Any others you know about?

FUN

simply satisfying – healthy two bite brownie delights

I was looking for a guilt free brownie recipe when one literally fell into my lap when I was sitting at a coffee shop.

Two women attending the CHFA (Canadian Health Food Association) walked by and handed me this recipe. It sounded too healthy to be good…but it so happens to be not only healthy but easy to make (no baking involved) and tastes very yummy. This formula makes for a tiny amount – one dozen two-bite (or one big mouthful) brownies that look more like large size truffles. I would double the recipe next time. They freeze well too. Enjoy!

¾ cup walnuts

7 medjool dates, pitted

¼ cup cacao powder (I used unsweetened)

½ tsp. vanilla bean powder (I like Cook’s – there’s no preservatives)

Pinch of salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

Garnish: ¼ cup *shredded coconut

Process walnuts until fine. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Form into small balls with your hands and toss or roll in shredded coconut. *(I bought a bag of unsweetened coconut flakes from the market and just shredded them in the food processor. The less sugar the better.

I put them into tiny muffin tins that hold 12 and popped them into the freezer for about 5 minutes so they weren’t too soft.

Don’t let the small size fool you. They are somewhat satiating and you don’t want to eat too many at once. Each one (although healthy for a sweet treat) is about 95 calories.

The RAW Foundation Culinary Arts Institute is Canada’s leading raw food culinary school, home of The Raw Food Education Experts TM; located in the heart of Vancouver BC, Canada. We are devoted to educating on the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle, inspiring and empowering foodies, home & professional chefs, health enthusiasts & healthcare professionals around the world; to prepare delicious, raw meals with ease and successfully share this passion with others, growing profitable businesses, make a positive impact, transform lives, doing what they love.

http://rawfoodfoundation.org/