Asian-inspired Roasted Eggplant

While the studding of eggplant with sliced garlic and roasting over an open flame is a familiar method of preparation for various cuisines, including the Caribbean, the flavors imbued through the seasoning of this dish are definitely Asian. Scallion (green onion) oil with a subtle hint of toasted sesame oil along with fish sauce, balanced with fresh lime juice makes this dish of fire-roasted eggplant outstandingly delicious. And yeah, when presented, it is easy on the eye. It is an elegant dish to serve as an entree to pescatarians too. Get the recipe.

Making the dish is easy. Start by making the sauces and setting them aside then roasting the eggplant. It is important that you use a large eggplant for this dish because the vegetable shrinks when cooked. A large roasted eggplant will serve 2, or 1, depending on appetite. Click here for the recipe.

Some news - Tastes Like Home has been listed as one of the Top 10 Caribbean Food Blogs to follow in 2019! Yay! Check out the complete list at Feedspot.

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Bake & Shark: A Trini Favourite Street Food

Bake and Shark is good at any time of the day - morning, noon, night and any time in between. While it is a must-have if you ever visit Trinidad & Tobago, it is certainly something that you can reproduce in your home. If shark is not your thing, any firm white fish will do.

Having people over for breakfast or brunch? Make this and let everyone assemble their own Bake and Shark. Read how to eat Bake & Shark and ensure that you have the necessary condiments to go along with it.

Recipe for bakes. Recipe for fried shark.

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Fast food my way - No, not Jacques Pepin's

I love Jacques Pepin. The man is truly a master but he scares me. I remember watching him on one of his earlier PBS series where his daughter (Claudine) would be cooking with him... such a brave woman. It was so typical of many parents with their children in the kitchen - the watchful eyes, the directions, the taking of your knife and demonstrating how they want it done. I'd watch the show and only realize that my fists were clenched or my legs crossed tightly when the show was over. I was always scared for her, but Claudine handled herself well. Every time. Okay, so the only reason that I included Jacques Pepin's name in the title of this post is because he has a book by the title: Fast Food My Way. However, it's a phrase I use a lot when chatting with my friends of about quick meals I make when I don't have a lot of time or energy to spend in the kitchen. It aptly describes the dish I am sharing with you today - Grey Snapper in a Coconut Milk Sauce.

All you need are a few ingredients and this dish is done in about 20 - 25 minutes. It goes well with rice but when I made it, I had it with a crusty homemade bread. It was so good. Just let the bread sit in the bowl or pan and soak up the sauce. Use a couple of napkins; place one over your chest to prevent our clothes from being soiled. Trust me, that heavenly, yeasty bread pregnant with sauce is bound to drip!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds grey snapper fillets, cleaned and cut into 4 x1-inch thick pieces
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup diced onions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro, divided equally
• 2 cups fresh coconut milk or 1 cup canned coconut milk and 1 cup tap water

DIRECTIONS

1. Season fish lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
3. Add ginger, onion and garlic, sprinkle salt, toss to mix and reduce heat to low and cook until the aromatics are softened, do not let them get brown.
4. Stir in the turmeric and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
5. Turn heat to high and pour in coconut milk, add half of the cilantro, season lightly with salt and pepper. Let the pan come to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 5 - 6 minutes.
6. Turn heat to high and place fish in pan in single layer, cover and let pan come to boil. As soon as the pan comes to a boil, remove the cover and let the fish cook for 6 - 8 minutes; spoon sauce over the fish to baste as it cooks or if you like, carefully flip fish over halfway during the cooking process.
7. Toss in the remaining cilantro and shake pan for it to settle into sauce; taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Let the dish rest for a couple of minutes then serve while still hot.

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Leftovers - A Breakfast Feast

Clockwise: sauteed smoked fish, dhal, tomato choka & sauteed pakchoy

Bear with me as I muse again about breakfast. I have really been making an effort to eat this important meal. In addition to having cereal, fruit, yogurt, eggs etc. I have been eating leftovers for breakfast and boy is that a great idea! The leftovers often satisfy my desire for something savoury in the mornings and it is filling. I am good to go all day.

The other day I made everything you see on the plate below for lunch with a friend who is pesco-vegetarian. Next morning, I feasted on the leftovers!

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The OTHER Potato Fries

I LOVE French Fries but when I want to be really good, I opt for Sweet Potato Fries. They are very quick and easy to make. I particularly like how the salt counter-balances the natural sweetness of the sweet potato. And you know what? You can eat the sweet potato fries with the same condiments you use for French Fries. And really, the sweet potatoes fries go well with fish, chicken, burgers and many other things that fries accompany.

For these fries, opt to use the white-fleshed sweet potatoes or the yellow-fleshed ones. The popular orange-fleshed sweet potato will yield a different result in terms of texture, more creamy than starchy. In fries, I am looking for starchy, not creamy.

Sweet Potato Fries

INGREDIENTS

1 lb white or yellow-flesh sweet potatoes, washed, scrubbed and patted dry

Vegetable or Canola Oil

All purpose seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. Remove the top and bottom tips of the sweet potatoes (about 1/2 inch both ends).
3. Cut the sweet potatoes lengthways into 1/4 inch thick slices.
4. Lie the cut slices flat and cut lengthways into 1/4 inch thick slices
5. Add sliced potatoes to a baking sheet, drizzle with oil to coat; sprinkle all purpose seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Toss to mix and coat.
6. Spread seasoned potatoes into a flat single layer.
7. Add pan to oven and bake for 18 minutes. Use a flat spatula to flip the fries and bake for another 18 minutes. Remove from pan and serve immediately.

I'm doing another book signing this week, this time at the University of the West Indies - Cave Hill Campus (Barbados) on Wednesday, March 23 from 5 - 7 p.m. I'll be sure to post some photographs next week, in addition to some from yesterday's Cloister book signing that took place at Sheraton Mall.

Hey, it's Lent and we're always looking for seafood dishes. Try this butterfish in butter sauce recipe that's on the table in about half an hour. Any white fish of your choice will work.

Have a good week everyone.

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Ummm Corned Beef! & A new Gig

A can of corned beef can be found in almost every Caribbean kitchen. It is one of those must-have items that we stock for that just-in-case moment. Just in case I need to cook something quickly. Just in case I didn't make it to the market for vegetables and meat. Or, just in case I have a craving for corned beef. Continue reading the column and for my recipe of Fried Corned Beef & Potatoes.

Check out my good friend Felix's posts on Corned Beef & Cabbage and Curried Corned Beef. He also gives some insight as to how corned beef is thought of in his neck of the woods. Very interesting stuff. Chris over at Caribbean Pot refers to the cooking of corned beef as a classic lazy-man dish.

While there are many dishes that one can make with corned beef. My favourite way is to have it fried with lots of onions and potatoes and eaten with rice. Fried in this case meaning sauteed. Recipe.

THE NEW GIG

I am now a Contributing Writer over at About.com - which is owned by The New York Times Company. I'll be writing about West Indian Food (English-speaking Caribbean) to the Guide site: Latin/Caribbean Food.

Each week on this blog, you will see me post photographs and links to recipes, demos or articles I've contributed. This way, you get more Caribbean food, and insights into the cuisine. This week, I'm featuring my Butter Fish in Butter Sauce recipe. It is quick and easy and can be on your table in about 30 mins. Any white fish will work for this recipe - bone-in or fillet. Of course the cooking time will reduce if you are using fillets instead of bone-in fish. Give the recipe a try and be sure to leave a comment/review at the bottom of the recipe when you do. Thanks!

Have a good weekend everyone!

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