Breadfruit & Salt Fish Patties

These patties can work for any meal, including afternoon Tea (well, particularly if you are from the Caribbean) 😊. They are great as a snack too. You can make the lot into a meal by simply serving them with a green salad. Make the patties smaller and you have an appetizer - this recipe is versatile. Click here for details to make these Breadfruit & Salt Fish Patties.

No deep frying involved. Keep the patties warm in a low-heat oven. Recipe.

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A Delicious Mash-up

Cassava/yucca plays a huge part in Caribbean cuisine especially in South America and it is my favourite ground provision. It is also one of those starches that works well for both sweet and savoury preparations. There is nothing quite like a warm thick slice of sweet cassava pone spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Some people add freshly ground black pepper for a kick... okay, I am getting distracted here. Back to these patties.

This is a mash-up of boiled, mashed cassava and frizzled salt fish seasoned with sautéed aromatics - onions, garlic, fresh herbs and hot peppers. The full recipe including cooking notes are here. These patties work as a snack or brunch-type food. Be sure to serve it with some hot pepper sauce, hot sauce or sour.

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Barbados @ 50 - Sodabix Crackers

Just as each state in the region has its signature bread roll and bread loaf, so it is with  biscuits (crackers), sweet and salt. In Barbados, Sodabix is the best crackers, bar none. Even the other crackers in the line can't compare. Sodabix is in a league all of its own. Once you open a pack, it is a struggle not to finish it all in one go. Like most top quality biscuits, Sodabix is good on its own, and, it goes well with almost everything.

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Barbados @ 50 - Fried Fish Roe

As a lover of seafood, especially fish, I have enjoyed eating fish roe (fish eggs) when cooked in a curry. However, one day, on a trip to one of the fish markets in Barbados, I spotted packets of fresh, cleaned fish roe at several stalls and enquired about them. I was told that they are the fish roe of one of Barbados' most popular and well-loved fish - mahi mahi. Armed with advice and information from the fish vendor, I brought a packet and set about frying up some mahi mahi fish roe. Though not caviar, these fish roe are packed with nutrients and delicious when seasoned and fried tender.

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Patacones "Buns" For Sandwiches

The bun for your next sandwich does not have to be made with any type of wheat flour, not when you can sandwich your filling between two pieces of patacones (twice fried green plantains), which are also known as tostones, chatinos, and fritos verde in various parts of the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.

The principle is the same as I have explained in my previous post on Breadfruit Tostones, only this time, you are using green plantains - which are not to be confused with green bananas.

Once the plantains are peeled, cut then in half (across) and then cut each half in two, cutting lengthways. Each plantain will give you 4 pieces which will be enough for 2 sandwiches, top and bottom. Pan-fry the plantains in oil heated over medium, cooking for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes total. Mash the fried plantains to a flat disk and then fry again until cooked through and the edges crisp.

For my sandwich, I used beef steak which I cut thinly and then using a meat mallet, pounded thinly (between plastic wrap), and grilled it up quickly over very high heat, almost smoking hot. Season with salt and pepper just before removing it from the grill and let it rest until you are ready to assemble the sandwich.

I made a fire-roasted salsa. The tomatoes, onions, garlic and hot pepper were all roasted and charred over open flames. Salt, a squirt of fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro were added to the mix and left to rest for 1 hour for the flavors to meld.

This sandwich is perfect when you have friends over for a casual get-together. I would suggest prepping everything before everyone arrives. For the plantains, fry and mash the plantains before they arrive and do the last stage of frying while everyone is there so that they can have their sandwiches nice and hot and the plantains soft and toasty.

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Tomato-ee Eggs

If you've been reading me for a while you will know that I do not like to make my own breakfast. You will also know that breakfast, for me, can never be the same thing day after day. In other words, I'm not the type of person that can have cereal everyday for breakfast, or oats, eggs, or even the same fruit every morning. If I had Harry Potter's wand, I'd summon something different every day and breakfast would easily become my favourite meal of the day. Alas, I'm only a muggle.

With college closed, and having some time to dilly-dally in the mornings, I set about making myself breakfast. I felt like eating eggs but I wanted it to be saucy so that I could drag my bread through and  mop up my plate, hence this tomato-re eggs.

There's no particular recipe, you just need to get some tomatoes, a couple of eggs, salt and pepper and a sprinkling of green onions or chives which pair well with eggs and tomatoes.

Start by chopping up the tomatoes finely. Heat some oil in a pan, add the tomatoes along with salt and pepper to taste and cook the tomatoes until they are soft, and can be mashed easily with the back of a spoon. Lower the heat after you add the tomatoes so that they can cook gently. Once the tomatoes are mashed and become a pulpy sauce, break a couple of eggs and add them to the pan and cook to your preference. No need to add any more salt and pepper as there should be enough seasoning in the tomatoes. Garnish with chives or thinly sliced green onions and eat!

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Coconut Scones WITH Coconut Oil

Lately I have been testing various recipes using coconut oil made by a small Guyanese farmer here in Barbados and the results have been truly delicious. The textures and flavours of the baked goods have been outstanding. So far I've used the coconut oil to make pastries - sweet and savoury and one of my all-time favourite things, scones.

I start by pouring the freshly made, freshly bought coconut oil into a container and refrigerating it overnight. In no time, it is rock solid, harder than very cold butter. It is from this stage that I chop off (too hard to cut) what I need, weigh, and then go to work. I simply replace the hardened/solid coconut oil in place of butter, ounce for ounce.

These Coconut Scones are not only made with coconut oil but also freshly grated coconut. It has the right amount of sweetness and the cinnamon sugar coating creates a delicate crust. Just look at it.

Click on this link to get the recipe and please follow the instructions carefully by first reading the NOTES in the recipe. If you have any questions, leave a comment below or inbox me directly.

If you do try this recipe, please let me know what you think.

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Cassava Patties

June's edition of the newsletter - TASTESMONTHLY features creamy cassava, seasoned and prepared two ways using ground meat. Both versions are types of patties - one is stuffed and the other combines the two ingredients. Each is equally delicious.

Inbox me for a free copy of the newsletter. You can also subscribe, it's free.

Have a great week!

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Tropix Coconut Drops - Product Review

Disclaimer: This is an unpaid review.

If you're from the Caribbean, living away from the region, and looking for a sweet taste of home, then you'll definitely enjoy the Coconut Drops made by Tropix. If you're not from the Caribbean but love everything coconut, then you should try these Tropix Coconut Drops.

I received a request from the owner, Denise Edwards, months ago to review her product. When I went to the post office to pick up the package, the clerk looked at me as if to say: I can't believe that you had someone from North America send you sugar cake when we make the best sugar cake in this part of the world. Her look of perplexity was understandable, for the Caribbean is known for among many things, this sweet coconut treat we call sugar cake and coconut drops.

Depending on which part of the region you're from, it's coconut drops or sugar cake. Though very similar in nature, there are two major differences. Let me explain. Sugar cake is freshly grated coconut, grated on the fine side of a box grater and then cooked with West Indian brown sugar and flavouring spices of cinnamon, ginger and vanilla. The mixture is cooked to a thick mixture of dropping consistency and then dropped into mounds on a greased surface and left to cool and harden. They are served individually.

Coconut Drops, on the hand are much more rustic is appearance as the fresh coconut is chipped coarsely. The same process of flavouring and cooking is involved but instead of being dropped into mounds, the entire mixture is spread thinly en masse to cool and set and then cut or chopped into large pieces. Some purists would think of coconut drops as chip-chip sugar cake simply because of how the coconut is cut.

Sugar cakes and coconut drops are treats almost every West Indian knows of and has enjoyed at some point in their lives, especially as children. The people that sell snacks throughout the region - at schools, cinemas, in shops or at street corners can all tell tales of children rushing to get their sugar-fix of coconut drops or sugar cake.

I called some friends over to help taste-test the Tropix Coconut Drops. We had 3 flavours to sample - ginger (the regular and most familiar to us), apricot and cranberry. Before I go on let me just say that the way in which the coconut drops are made, makes it easy to add dried fruits, which are stirred in just before spreading the mixture to cool and set.

Hands down my friends and I enjoyed the ginger flavour best, and that was mainly because when we think of coconut drops and sugar cakes, ginger is the flavour that comes to mind... it took us back... that's why I said in the beginning that if you're looking for a taste of home, these coconut drops would hit the spot. The Apricot was a nice addition, the cranberries, were our least favourite. I highly recommend the ginger flavour. Even if you're not West Indian but love everything and anything coconut, this is a perfectly sweet introduction.

The Coconut Drops come packaged in a white box secured with a green ribbon bow, simple and elegant, just as shown here on the website. Inside of the box are the drops further encased in clear plastic, tied with a bow. The drops travel well. You can purchase them in various quantities.

Tropix Coconut Drops are available for sale online and at the following stores in Canada:

• Sunrise Caribbean Restaurant - Brampton
• Daddy's Jerk - Brampton
• Allan's Pastry Shop - Scarborough & Toronto locations
• Nicey's Food Mart - Brampton & Mississauga locations
• Mo Bay Jerk - Brampton

Tropix Website | Tropix Email
Tel: (416) 873-6808

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Feasting on Fish Cakes

This month's edition of my newsletter - TASTESMONTHLY - features an array of fish cakes among other things. For a free copy, inbox me with Fish Cakes in the subject line.

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Topping Tostones for Appetizers

Looking for something different to serve this holiday - Thanksgiving or Christmas? Then you've come to the right place! These tostones appetizers are sure to be a crowd pleaser. You can top them with anything, even leftovers. You see the topping above? That's beef shredded from leftover beef stew. So even when you've had your full and wondering what to do with the leftover turkey, ham, stuffing etc. pile them on to freshly made, warm tostones and enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or even dinner. There is only one catch - make lots because they go in no time.

You can get the recipe with tips and advice as well as other recipes, including a cheese bread-roll that you can make for the dinner table - all included in November's edition of my newsletter - TASTESMONTHLY. It's free, just inbox me and I'll send it right over. If you'd like to receive the newsletter directly in your inbox monthly, just let me know at the same time and I'll add you to the mailing list. Enjoy!

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Move over Potato Sticks

I love potatoes in any form or fashion and I have a serious weakness for French Fries. Potato Sticks on the other hand, is like my dirty little secret. I fool myself into thinking that it is not as heavy and fattening as French Fries and so I tend to eat Potato Sticks whenever I feel the urge for a French-Fries-fix. Don't judge me. I never claimed to be perfect.

Anyway, the other day I was making fried green plantains in many forms, working on a column. One of the things I made was Aranitas which I have made on several occasions. It occurred to me as I was making the Aranitas, that instead of frying in a clump (as is done when making Aranitas) that it might be a good idea to sprinkle the seasoned plantains into the oil, creating instead individual sticks. In the process I created plantain sticks!!! Garlicky and with a crunch factor that lasts for days, these plantain sticks are now my go-to snack that I make regularly.

While they will never replace the beloved French Fries, I cannot see myself going back to Potato Sticks. Try it and tell me what you think.

PLANTAIN STICKS

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large green plantains
• Water
• Salt
• 1 heaped tablespoon of garlic paste (freshly grated garlic)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Oil for shallow frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Pour lots of room temperature water into a large bowl and add salt to the water, stirring to dissolve. The water should be salty - taste and adjust, adding more or less to suit your taste. Set aside.
2. Remove the top and bottom tips of the plantains using a paring knife. Slit the skin of the plantain on one side from top to bottom and use the knife to pry the skin away from the plantain. The skin will not come off all at once. Pry, tear off a piece and repeat until all the skin is removed.
3. Grate the plantains using the large-hole side of a box grater, then transfer the grated plantains to the bowl with salt water. Let soak for 10 minutes.
4. Drain plantains well using a colander. Shake the colander vigorously to help get out some of the excess moisture; you can also use your hand to press the grated plantain against the sides of the colander to remove the moisture.
5. Spread a double layer of thick kitchen towels onto a work surface; now sprinkle the plantains all over the kitchen towels. Cover the plantains with another double layer of kitchen towels. Pick up the bottom layer of kitchen towel and roll towards the other end, pressing gently. This is to remove the residual moisture in the plantains. The aim is to get the plantains as dry as possible.
6. Transfer the pat-dry plantains to a clean bowl, add garlic and black pepper and mix well to coat the plantains with the garlic and pepper.
7. Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a shallow frying pan until hot but not smoking.
8. Working in batches, sprinkle the plantains into the oil and fry until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all the plantain mixture is used up.
9. Serve warm or at room temperature. To store, let the plantain sticks cool completely then place in an airtight container and leave on your counter top. These plantain sticks stay crisp for at least 3 days but trust me, they will not last that long. Make these in large batches because they go very quickly.

NOTES

• You can opt not to soak the plantains once grated but I find that by skipping this step, the plantains do not stay crunchy beyond a couple of hours after being made.
• The milk/juice from the plantains when the top and bottom tips are cut, will stain if spattered onto your clothing.
• The plantains must be green and starchy. Do not use plantains that are turning (the green is fading).

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Carrot Fritters/Patties

I had a difficulty putting the title to this post. I'm not sure if these are carrot fritters or little carrot patties. When I think of fritters, I think of a thick liquid type of batter. But then again, someone commented on the Guyanese pancakes a couple of weeks ago and said that they looked more like fritters than pancakes. Oh well, call it what you will.

A few weeks ago there was a glut of carrots on the local market, here in Barbados. I did a few recipes for a local publication to encourage people to buy the carrots and do more with them than just steam or make coleslaw or carrot cake.

This recipe was one of those things whereby I just put a little bit of this and that as I went along. Please, as always, feel free to adapt it to suit your taste.

CARROT FRITTERS/PATTIES

Yield: 10 - 12

INGREDIENTS

• 2 packed cups finely grated carrots
• 3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs (sub: 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup mashed potato (optional - I put this in because I had it on hand)
• 1 egg, room temperature
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro/coriander
• Oil for shallow frying

DIRECTIONS

1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl, except the oil, and mix well.
2. Form into little patties - 2 inches wide, 1/2 inch thickness.
3. Add oil to frying pan and heat on medium heat.
4. Fry patties until brown and on one side and then flip and cook on the other side.
5. Drain on a cooling rack inserted into a sheet pan or on paper towels.
6. Serve with sour cream and chives or Greek Yogurt.

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Guyanese Cheese Pies

The cheese pies we make in Guyana is a riff of the Portuguese Egg Tart, pastel de nata. And, in essence, it is like a mini quiche, drawing influence from the British proclivity for custards baked in pastry. I suspect that what we did in Guyana, as is done throughout the world with food that has travelled, is that we adapted the tart and married it with our penchant for English pies and came up with a Guyanese cheese pie.

The pie is simple, it is a mini pie with short crust pastry filled with an egg and cheese custard and baked. That's it. Use only the finest quality ingredients, especially because they are so few in this recipe.

You can find cheese pies at many snackettes and other eateries in Guyana that sell pastries.

GUYANESE CHEESE PIES

Yield: 13 - 15

INGREDIENTS

For Pastry:

2 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/8 teaspoon table salt

2 oz cold vegetable shortening, cubed

6 oz cold unsalted butter, cubed

3 - 4 tablespoons iced water

For Filling:

2 cups grated (sharp) cheddar cheese (get the best you can)

3 eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk

1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

For Pastry:

1. Add flour, sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix.
2. Add shortening and butter to flour and pulse until the mixture is coarse with pebbles of butter and shortening. Alternately, cut in the butter and shortening to the flour using a pastry blender or two dining knives or use your hands.
3. Add water and pulse until the dough starts to come together. Do not over mix.
4. Transfer the mixture to a floured surface and bring the dough together in one mass. Pat into a round disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before use.
5. When you are ready to make the pie, remove the dough from the refrigerator and rest for 5 minutes before starting to work with it. This time will vary depending on the temperature in your kitchen.

For Filling:

1. Add eggs, milk, salt and pepper to a measuring cup (for easy pouring) and whisk together.

For Assembling:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Lightly brush muffin pans with oil and set aside.
3. Flour work surface and roll dough into 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch cookie cutter or anything with a round 4-inch diameter and cut into as many circles as you can.
4. Arrange each piece of cut pastry into muffin pan. Gather the scraps of the pastry and roll and cut again until the pans are filled. Refrigerate the pans for 10 minutes or until you are ready to add the filling.
5. Remove the chilled pans and fill each muffin cup with cheese.
6. Whisk the egg mixture as it might have settled and then pour in a little of the custard into each muffin cup, just shy of the top of the pastry.
7. Bake pies for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden. Cool pans on wire racks for 5 - 6 minutes then remove pies from pans and continue to cool on wire racks.
8. Serve warm or at room temperature - as is or with a salad.

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Fresh Black Eye Peas & Haitian Accras

A dear friend and owner of one of the best written blogs on the internet has kindly invited me to be a part of her featured guest-posters for the 4th-year helping of her exciting and truly fabulous event - My Legume Love Affair.

Since Susan began this event, I have thoroughly enjoyed learning more about legumes and I have admired, cooked and devoured many of the dishes all you have made and contributed to MLLA. I am truly honoured to be a part MLLA 4. To everyone that reads my blog, I hope that you will join in the celebration.

Click here to read my guest post on using fresh Black Eye Peas to make Haitian Accras.

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Baking to avoid work!

People do various things to avoid work - some go for a drive, some go shopping, some to a movie, some clean their homes and vehicles. Me? I bake. Continue reading how I avoided writing this week's column and for a cheese scone recipe.

What do you do to avoid work?

Click here for the scone recipe.

Lately, I've been making a lot of bread pudding and with good results minus the eggs. I've just been using milk, sugar and various spice combos and you can use various dried fruits - raisins, cranberries, apricots (chopped fine) etc. Or, put in some rum-soaked fruits. Whether it is cardamom, cinnamon, all spice, nutmeg or vanilla, you really can't fail with the flavour. The key to a good bread pudding is the time allowed for the bread to really soak up the liquid. An overnight soaking works wonders.

The following is not an exact recipe so work based on your own taste and willingness to experiment.

1. You'll need some day-old bread (cubed), whole milk, sugar, ground spice or spices of your choice and dried fruit. I generally eye-ball the amount of milk depending on how much bread there is. A 1:1 ratio should work just fine.
2. Dissolve the sugar in milk (taste and adjust accordingly).
3. Stir in the spices.
4. Add the bread and stir to mix.
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Before baking, take out the mixture, stir in the fruits and bring the pudding to room temperature.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean and the top is nicely browned.
9. Let cool on a wire rack.
10. Serve warm or at room temperature - as is, with ice cream or amaretto liqueur

THIS WEEK ON ABOUT.COM Make these easy Cheese Straw Wafers for your next party, tea or coffee gathering or to just snack on. They are addictive so be sure to make them when you have company! Get the recipe here.

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A Tale: Two Ears of Roasted Corn

Last weekend was the first time I had ever eaten roasted corn. Sure, I've had corn in many other ways - as a pie, steamed, boiled, in breads, salads etc. but never roasted. And so I set out to have roasted corn, hence the tale of Two Ears of Roasted Corn. Two very different ears of roasted corn which I encourage to read about in this week's column. Have you ever had roasted corn?

Roast corn is a well-known street food in Barbados.

The column explains the differences between these Two Ears of Roasted Corn.

Have a great weekend everyone!

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