Bake 'n Shark (Fish Substitute)

This wildly popular local street food is tasty and cheap! Maracas Bay has some awesome bake and shark... next time you go to Trinidad and Tobago, don't miss out! This recipe calls for fish, just in case you can't find any shark lying around!

Ingredients:

Float (Fried Bake)

4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
water
oil for frying

Fried Fish

1 lb fish fillets
2 limes
breadcrumbs
flour
2 tbsp minced chive & thyme
1 tsp minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp pepper sauce
1-2 beaten eggs
oil for frying

Method:

Fried Bake:

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder
2. Add enough water (around 2 1/2 cups) to make a soft dough
3. Knead for about 10 minutes.
4. Leave to rest for 1/2 hour or more

5. Divide into 6 portions.

6. Flatten each portion to a a diameter of 5″ to 6″ and 1/4″ thick. Oil hands if necessary to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands
7. Fry in hot oil untli brown, turning once

8. Drain on kitchen paper

Fried Fish:

1. Combine chive, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper sauce
2. Marinate fish in lime and salt for about 15 minutes

3. Drain well and rub with seasoning mixture
4. Dip fillets in flour
5. Dip fillets in egg
6. Dip fillets in breadcrumbs

7. Fry on both sides until brown

8. Drain throughly on kitchen paper

Garnish with whatever condiments you may please!

Recipe/Image from http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/fried-bake-n-fish/

Callaloo

This creole dish is a wonderful stew of local plants and vegetables, and can be used as a main dish or side.

Ingredients:

1 Bundle Dasheen bush or Taro leaves

3-4 okras

1 cup Caribbean pumpkin cubed

1 Scotch bonnet pepper

4 chives

1 onion

1 cup coconut milk

Directions:

1. Strip the stalks and midrib from the dasheen leaves (if using) and wash well

2. Wash and cut up the ochroes and seasonings

3. Put all the ingredients, except the butter, into a pot with the boiling water and simmer until everything is

soft (keep the hot pepper near the surface)

4. Remove the pepper and blend the ingredients into a puree

5. Add the butter

Recipe/Image from: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=611317

Sancoche

Another Spanish inspired dish, Sancoche is a hearty, one pot stew that is sure to fill you up!

Ingredients:

225g corned (salt) beef, cut into 2cm cubes

450g beef, cut into 2cm cubes

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped

2l beef stock

1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

150g yellow split peas (or black-eyed peas)

250ml coconut cream

350g sweet potatoes, peeled and cit into 3cm cubes

350g yam or cassava, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

6 eddoes, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

2 green plantains cut into 3cm lengths

750g potatoes, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes

1 Habanero chilli (Congo pepper), whole

salt and freshly-hround black pepper, to taste

Method:

Heat the oil in a large flame-proof casserole and use to fry the beef (both kinds) until lightly browned. Add the onions and fry for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle the thyme over the top, season then add the split peas and stock. Mix well, bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 1 hour, or until the peas are tender.

Now stir-in all the remaining ingredients (leave the chilli whole) then bring the mixture back to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until all the ingredients are tender (add more water if the mixture starts looking too dry). Remove the habanero chilli, adjust the seasonings and serve.

Image from http://trishascorner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Sancoche-300x157.jpg
Recipe from http://recipeisland.com/blog1/recipe-island/trinidad-tobago-recipes/trinidad-tobago-sancoche/

Trinidad Pastelles (Beef/Chicken)

This wonderful Trinidadian version of the Spanish tamale will entice your taste buds during Christmastime!

Cornmeal dough and pastelle assembly

Ingredients

2 cups yellow cornmeal
3 cups warm water (not tepid, lukewarm or room temperature. If in doubt boil the water first and leave it to cool for 5-10 minutes)
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp salt

1. In a food processor or by hand, combine cornmeal with butter and salt.
2. Add water and process to make a soft, pliable dough.
3. Divide the dough into 12 balls. Cover with a damp cloth to prevent drying.
4. Place one piece of dough on a greased fig leaf and press into an eight-inch square.
5. Spoon two tablespoons of filling onto the middle of the dough and fold and seal pastelles.
6. Wrap in fig leaf and tie into a neat package. (you can also use foil)
7. Steam pastelles for 45 minutes until cooked.

Makes 12-15 pastelles.

Chicken and beef pastelle filling

1 lb chopped beef and chicken, chicken only, or beef only
2 onions, finely chopped
2 tbs olive oil
1 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
2 pimento peppers, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbs chopped celery
1/2 Congo pepper, seeded and chopped (optional)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup tomato sauce
4 tbs capers
3 tbs stuffed olives, sliced
1/4 cup raisins
2 tbs fresh thyme

1. Combine beef with chicken. Add salt and black pepper.
2. Add a quarter-cup chopped chives and one tablespoon thyme.
3. In a large saute pan heat olive oil.
4. Add onion and garlic. Saute until fragrant.
5. Add pimento peppers, remaining chive, pepper and thyme.
6. Add meat and cook until brown.
7. Add tomato sauce, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
8. Add raisins, capers and olives and stir to combine.
9. Cook for about five minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
10. Add two tablespoons fresh thyme and stir to combine.

11. Remove from heat and cool.
12. Prepare dough as in recipe above and fill and fold pastelles as indicated.

Makes 12-15 pastelles.


Recipe/Picture from http://www.trinigourmet.com/index.php/pastelles/

Green Seasoning

This seasonal blended herb and veggie mix is true to Trinindad: no other caribbean island will make it the same way!

Ingredients

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh shado beni or cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

4 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Process all of the ingredients in a food processor until the mixture forms a thick paste. Alternatively, process in a blender with 2 tablespoons of vinegar.

Use immediately, or refrigerate in a tightly sealed glass jar for up to 1 week.

Image from http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_GziPPnUselo/SI5QzsKtaSI/AAAAAAAAA94/cCyQm5ogwfA/s320/IM000622.jpg

Recipe from http://www.npr.org/2011/02/01/133409423/recipe-dasheen-pork

Dasheen Pork

This wonderful Trinidadian dish has been inspired by traditional chinese cooking methods, and by the local food on the island.

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, slightly crushed, plus 2 cloves garlic, minced

5 whole cloves, slightly crushed

4 medium taro roots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices (available in Asian, Caribbean or Latino markets)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons dark rum

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger

1 (1-inch) piece red bean curd (a flavored, fermented tofu, available in Asian markets), chopped

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons green seasoning 

1 teaspoon five-spice powder

Instruction:

Place the pork shoulder in a pot with the bay leaf, crushed garlic and crushed cloves. Add just enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the pork is tender.

While the pork is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the taro. Simmer for 10 minutes, drain and set aside to cool.

When the pork is tender, remove it from the pot, cool and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place in a bowl and add the soy sauce and rum. Mix well to coat all sides of the pork.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and add the pork (reserve soy-rum mixture), browning on all sides. Remove and allow to cool. Place the pork in a bowl and add the minced garlic, ginger, bean curd, onion, green seasoning and five-spice powder. Mix well to coat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large baking dish, arrange the taro and pork slices in alternating layers, and pour any reserved soy-rum mixture on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until the taro is fork tender and slightly translucent.

Recipe/Image from http://www.npr.org/2011/02/01/133409423/recipe-dasheen-pork

Roti

Another food brought by Indian workers, Roti is a versatile bread often served with curried meats. Look out for this wonderful bread at your nearest street vendor!

INGREDIENTS

3 cups of counter flour

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon sea salts

1 cup boiled spring water

1/2 cup of butter or margarine

1/2 teaspoon Indian curry powder

1/2 clove of garlic

Butter For Deep Frying

PREPARATION

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl except the garlic.

Mix ingredients until soft then knead the mixture well adding

flour if sticky to create a rubbery dough.

Flatten the mixture using a roller often used when preparing pizza

until medium crust height.

Create as many roti dough as you can flatten each, then

Place a large frying pan and add the deep frying butter.

Place the Pan on very high heat and then add butter until

extreme heat occurs.

Drop a 1/2 clove of garlic in the pot when it fries out remove it.

Fry the Roti dough flipping it each 20 seconds to ensure

it is not blackened.

Once the roti is browned on both sides remove and let cool. Recipe from http://www.gettrinidad.com/trinidad_recipes_roti.asp Image from http://www.shalombombay.com/images/FreshlyBakedBread/Roti.jpg