JERK COOKING
One of the most popular forms of Caribbean cooking is jerk food. Jerk cooking has been around for many years but has recently become very popular and "jerk huts" can be found all over Jamaica.
Jerk cuisine, like most cuisines throughout the Caribbean is a mixture of native cooking and foreign influences such as Asian, African, European and East Indian. The process of cooking food slowly in pits was brought to the islands by the African slaves. In the 1600's the Maroons (runaway slaves) coated meat with spice mixtures and cooked it in a pit as a way of preserving it.
Jerk mixtures can be either wet pastes or marinades or dry rubs. They are spicy and delicious combinations of ingredients such as ginger, tamarind, nutmeg, thyme, green onions, allspice berries, and Scotch bonnet chiles. Meat, poultry and fish are coated with the jerk seasoning and marinated for several hours and up to two days. The meat is then cooked in a pit, smoker or barbecue grill. The secret is to cook it very slowly.
RECIPES:
JERK RUB
by Jay B. McCarthy, in Fine Cooking #3.
The author suggests stuffing it under
the skin of a turkey breast, or
chicken, or on fish. Delicious on pork.
Jerk Rub
Yield: approx. 3 cups
30 scallions
5" piece fresh ginger, peeled
1/4 cup garlic cloves, peeled
6 bay leaves
6 to 8 Habanero or Scotch bonnet chiles, seeded, minced
2 t freshly ground nutmeg
2 t freshly ground cinnamon (approx. 1 stick)
1 T freshly ground allspice
2 T black peppercorns, ground
2 T whole coriander seeds, ground
1 T kosher salt
1 C fresh thyme leaves, chopped fine
Optional:
1/2 C oil (if using a blender)
1 t apricot jam or honey
Chop the scallions, ginger, garlic, bay leaves, and chiles separately until moderately fine. (by hand). Combine these ingredients and continue chopping until fine. Place in a bowl and add ground spices. Stir in the chopped thyme and mix well. The rub tastes best if allowed to sit for a few hours for the flavors to meld.
Jerk Marinade
by Dave DeWitt from "The Habanero Cookbook."
4 scotch bonnets, seeds and stems
removed, diced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
6 green onions, white part only, chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 TBS dark rum
1 TBS brown sugar
1 TBS minced fresh thyme
1 TSP freshly ground black pepper
1/2 TSP ground cloves
1/2 TSP ground nutmeg
1/2 TSP ground allspice
1/4 TSP ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
and mix well, Let sit 1 hour to blend
the flavors.
Jerk Sauce
Edyth James of Saffron's Restaurant
grew up in Jamaica. Here she treats us to a
traditional recipe from the Caribbean. This jerk sauce can be used as a marinade,
dressing or sauce on many different dishes. Try experimenting with different
meats.
You can also use this sauce as a marinade for chicken to be cooked on an open
grill.
2 ½ Scotch bonnet peppers,
coarsely
chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 bunches chives or scallions, trimmed to
remove the roots, and coarsely chopped
1 cup freshly chopped flat-lear parsley
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons ground allspice
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice or distilled white
vinegar
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons water, or as needed
1. Combine the peppers, onion, chive
or
scallions, parsley, and garlic in a food
processor and puree to a coarse paste.
2. Work in the ginger, salt, thyme, allspice,
nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves,
lime juice, soy sauce, vegetable oil, and
brown sugar.
3. Add more soy sauce and salt, as needed,
to taste.
4. Add water to reach a thick but pourable
consistency.
Yield: About 3 cups of sauce
Heat Scale: Hot
BOSTON BEACH WET JERK RUB
1/2 cup fresh thyme leaves
2 bunches(about 13) green onions
4 tablespoons finely diced fresh ginger
3 Scotch bonnet or Habanero peppers, stemmed
1/4 cup peanut oil
5 garlic cloves chopped
3 Bay leaves
2 teaspoons freshly ground allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 table spoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon freshly ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons salt
Juice of 1 lime(of course!)
Blend all ingredients in a food processor
until a thick, chunky paste results. Makes 2 and 1/2 cups of marinade, which
can be stored in a tightly sealed, refrigerated container for several months.
Rub the meat thoroughly with this paste. For larger cuts such as pork roasts,
slash the meat at two-inch intervals and force the jerk rub into the cavities.
Allow the meat to marinate overnight before smoking over a slow fire until well
done. This quantity of marinade is sufficient for two to three chickens or ten
pounds of pork. For an extra spicy taste, extra
sauce can be used for basting.
NORTH COAST JERK MARINADE
From Hot & Spicy Caribbean_ (page 23)
by Dave DeWitt, Mary Jane Wilan, Melissa T Stock
1/8 cup ground allspice
3 Scotch Bonnets or habs, stems & seeds removed, chopped
10 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, chopped
4 bay leaves, crushed
1 3-inch ginger, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup fresh thyme
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup lime juice
water
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend with enough water to make
a paste or sauce.
Store in 'fridge; keeps a month or more.
Yield: 2 - 3 cups Heat: Hot
WET JERK SAUCE (Jamaica)
2_1/2 Scotch bonnet chilies, stemmed
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
4-5 shallots, coarsely chopped (about _1/4cup)
2 bunches of chives or scallions, trimmed to remove the roots and coarsely chopped
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons salt or to taste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or dried)
2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
_1/2teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
_1/4teaspoon ground cinnamon
_1/8teaspoon ground cloves
_1/4cup fresh lime juice or distilled white vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons water or as needed
Combine the chilies, onion, shallots,
chives, parsley and garlic in a food processor and puree to a coarse paste.
Work in the ginger, salt, thyme, allspice, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves,
lime juice, soy sauce, vegetable oil and brown sugar.
Correct the seasoning, adding soy sauce or salt to taste as needed. The mixture
should be very flavorful. Add water as needed to obtain a thick but pourable
paste.
Makes 1_1/2 cups, enough jerk seasoning for 2 pounds meat, chicken or seafood.
BAJAN SEASONIN'
(Barbados)
1 head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled (10-12 cloves)
1 medium onion, halved and coarsely chopped
3 bunches of chives or 2 bunches of scallions, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
_1/2red bell pepper, cored, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk
1 Scotch bonnet or 2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (for hotter seasoning,
leave the seeds in)
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 bunch of fresh thyme, stemmed, or 1 tablespoon dried
1 bunch of fresh marjoram, stemmed, or 1 tablespoon dried (optional)
1/2cup fresh lime juice (3-4 limes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Coarsely puree the garlic, onion, chives, bell peppers, celery, chili peppers, herbs and lime juice in a food processor or pound to a paste with a mortar and pestle. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper or lime juice to taste. The mixture should be very flavorful.
Store in a glass jar with a non-reactive
lid. Refrigerated, it will keep for several weeks, but the sooner you use it,
the better it will taste.
Makes 2_1/2 cups -- enough for 2 pounds of meat, chicken or seafood.
Source: ``The Caribbean Pantry Cookbook,'' by Steven Raichlen
CURRY PASTE (Trinidad)
6 tablespoons coriander seed
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon fenugreek seed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon toasted mustard seed
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 Congo (or Habanero) peppers, seeds and stem removed, chopped
Water
Toast the spices in a dry skillet over medium heat until they release their aromas, about 3 minutes, taking care not to burn them. Transfer to a food processor and add the turmeric and remaining ingredients and process into a paste, adding water as needed. This paste will keep for about a week in the refrigerator.
Yield: 1_1/2-2 cups.
Source: ``Hot & Spicy Caribbean,'' by Dave Dewitt, Mary Jane Wilan and Melissa
T. Stock
SAUCE TI MALICE (Haiti)
2 cups onion, finely chopped
1 cup fresh lime juice, strained
3 tablespoons butter
2_1/2 teaspoons minced Scotch bonnet or Habanero chilies
1_1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
In a bowl, marinate the onions in the lime juice at room temperature for 30 minutes. Drain the onions in a sieve and reserve the marinade. In a heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the foam begins to subside, add the onions. Stir frequently and cook for about 5 minutes or until the onions are transparent. Stir in the chilies and garlic, reduce the heat and cover the skillet. Continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the chilies are tender. Turn off the heat and add the reserved marinade. Cool to room temperature before serving. Makes 1_1/2 cups.
Source: ``Hot & Spicy Caribbean,'' by Dave Dewitt, Mary Jane Wilan and Melissa T. Stock
Quick Jerk Chicken &
Red Beans W/ Rice
byRobert Lusk
Chicken:
Ingredients:
1 Tsp. thyme leaves
1 Tsp. sugar
1 Tsp. salt
1/2 Tsp. ground ginger
1/2 Tsp. allspice
1/2 Tsp. brown mustard seeds
1/2 Tsp. ground coriander
1/8 Tsp. cinnamon
1 small star anise pod
1 smoked Habanero chile
1 Tbs. Lime juice
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Non Stick cooking spray
1/4 pineapple cut crosswise into 1/2 inch slices
Lime wedges
Preparation:
Grind together spices, sugar, salt and chile in mortar and stir in lime
juice. Rub chicken with mixture.
Grill breasts about 10 min (until juices run clear). Turn after 5 min.
Grill pineapple for 5 minutes( put on grill after turning chicken).
Serve with Pineapple slices and lime wedges
Servings: 4
Each Serving: 197 calories; 700 mg sodium, 100 mg cholesterol, 2 g. fat;
2 g carbohydrates; 40 g protein; .14 g fiber.
Red Beans W/ Rice
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups water
1 (8 3/4 oz) can red beans drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. Cilantro
Prep:
Add rice to boiling water, reduce heat; cover and simmer until rice is
tender and water is absorbed (20 min). Remove from heat and stir in
beans and cilantro. Let rest and cover until ready to serve.