Every since I learned that peanuts and chicken are a traditional pairing in many African cultures I have been intrigued and curious to try the combination myself. As Emancipation Day drew near I figured what could be a more perfect time to bite the bullet, or should that be “bite the peanut”? I marinated several chicken thighs in a combination of mint jelly, mustard, and pepper sauce... 

Eggplant is one of my favorite plants so it was with great joy that I saw that it was the main focus of this month’s JFI food challenge. Here in Trinidad you can find the eggplant called by many different names. In the course of the day it is not uncommon to hear it being referred to as not only eggplant, but also melongene, aubergine, or baigan – even by the same person! This dish is... 

I love burgers and I’ve made no attempt to hide my belief that Trini street burgers are extremely special So, when I saw that Writing At The Kitchen Table was having a burger challenge I knew I had to throw my hat into the ring and represent the ol’ Red, Black and White The only problem… I had never made a Trini street burger from scratch before! No problem, I have certainly... 

Jamaican fricassee chicken is one of my mother’s favorite dishes. As a result I have submitted this recipe to FF#2: Your Mother’s Favorite Dish. The end result looks quite similar to Trinidad Stewed Chicken (something I should post soon!) but the taste is quite different due to the sweet peppers and the lack of sugar browning (a technique my mother says she never knew before moving... 

Chicken chow mein is a perennial fave of mine, especially with PLENTY of soy sauce It was another of the dishes that I made in February as part of my Year of the Pig menu Last year Trinidad celebrated the 200th Anniversary of Chinese Immigration to our country with a public holiday and a month of festivities that included dragon boat races and more. To learn more about the Chinese influence... 

Pow is something that is familiar and loved by most, if not all, Trinis. They are basically steamed buns filled with a savory filling (usually pork, but chicken and vegetarian variations also exist). I found them impossible to find when I lived in the US, but some of that may have to do with the fact that at the time I didn’t realize that over there they are called ‘bao’ or ‘baozi‘... 

I love recipes that come together in a flash with minimal prep and cleanup. This is one of those recipes and it was delicious! It comes from the GraceFoods.com website. For those who don’t already know Grace is one of the largest (if not largest) producers of canned goods in Jamaica. Their products can be found throughout the Caribbean as well as overseas and their website is certainly one... 

The Ultimate Stew Roundup is now available online. My submission was Trinidad Stew Beef with Herbed Dumplings Do check out the many other entries from around the world Unfortunately the roundup page does not display properly on my system. I have written the blog owner about it. Hope you have better luck than me Tweet  Read More →

< ?php echo getad('verticalbanner'); ?> I was all set to make a chicken paella this morning, that was until I learnt about the ‘Waiter there’s something in my stew’ challenge which ends tonight. See these days nothing gets me more excited than the 101 food blog challenges that seem to pop up every other minute. I mostly enjoy them because I think they are great way to find new interesting... 

Mom’s Curry Chicken and Saim Aaaah, there’s nothing like cooking in harmony with the seasons. Currently one of my favorite vegetables, saim (a type of broad bean), is in season and like Chennette’s mom, my mother has been going a bit buckwild with it I certainly don’t mind! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Tweet  Read More →

Pelau is one of Trindad’s signature national dishes and I would argue its also our definitive one-pot meal. This is the meal that we make whenever we have informal gatherings (‘limes’) either at home, at a river or on the beach. It also feeds hungry revellers at Carnival time and provides a comfortable rhythm to a lazy Sunday afternoon. Cooked in coconut milk and seared in caramelized... 

This recipe for Caramelized Onion Sauce came about as a result of the Onion Day Challenge posed by Kochtopf. According to her: In Berne (Switzerland) the annual Zibelem?ɬ§rit (onion market) is held on the fourth Monday in November. This year it will take place on Monday, 27th November. More than 50 tons of onions – in artistically woven plaits – are offered on this day on more then 300... 

If I was to host a Tropical Thanksgiving, what would I serve? That question has been in my head with all the Thanksgiving promotions on the US television channels. So, for this post I thought that I would troll the ol blogosphere for Thanksgiving recipes with an ‘island twist’ that all can enjoy! It seems (from the telly) that everyone in the US celebrates Thanksgiving regardless of race,... 

What do you do when your pantry is nearing critical shortages and you only have a little bit of chicken in the fridge? Cook up a quick, filling, and EXTREMELY tasty fried rice! The mushrooms, chicken, and rice can all be prepared the night before or in advance to speed things along. It goes together -very- quickly and is a favorite in my home! Tweet  Read More →

Chicken is a meat that can be substituted easily for veal in dishes calling for this “baby” meat. You will be surprised how you won’t really tell the difference in your recipes and the substitute will also save on you pocketbook. Source: Chicken replaces veal in piccata dish, The Valley Independent Tweet  Read More →

Few chicken recipes are as embedded into a Trinidadian’s culinary psyche as curry chicken. In the following video Chef DEX offers an entertaining and informative approach to his “Ultimate Curry Chicken” dish. Watch and become a pro as you follow his very spirited step-by-step guide to preparing this local specialty in your home! (Oh how I love YouTube!). I will be providing my own... 

This attractive salad from Bruce Cost has a wonderful interplay of bright, balanced flavors. The recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon Sa-te oil or Chinese chile oil, but you can add a little more, if you like. Cost wrote for the Food section of the San Francisco Chronicle from 1986-1996. He is the author of Asian Ingredients: A Guide to the Foodstuffs of China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, Ginger... 

This recipe is from Roving Feast columnist Marlena Spieler. She is the author of “The Islands in the Sun Cookbook,” Beggars’ Banquets: Recipes to Impress Your Friends That Won’t Break the Bank, The Vegetarian Bistro: 250 Authentic French Regional Recipes, Macaroni And Cheese, Jewish Traditions Cookbook and Grilled Cheese: 50 Recipes to Make You Melt, among others. Tweet  Read More →