Jerk Lobster Tail

Ingredients:

• 3 or 4 lobster tails
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 limes or lemons zest and juice
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 3 cloves garlic chopped or grated
• 2 habanero peppers seeded and chopped
• 2 inch piece ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 tablespoons ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons ground thyme
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, combine the vinegar, worcestershire sauce lime zest, lime juice, vegetable oil, onions, garlic, habanero peppers, ginger, allspice, thyme, cinnamon, brown sugar, black pepper, salt,cayenne pepper and ground mustard. Purée until smooth.

2. Pour marinade over lobster tails and marinate for 15mins to 20 mins.

3. Heat the oven to 350°F. Place the lobster pieces on a baking sheet and cook 10 to 20 minutes or until fully cook.

 

Coconut Pumpkin Pie

Yep! I’m a coconut lover.  I love everything coconut so during the holiday season I incorporate coconut in all my dishes and desserts like pumpkin pie.  Here’s a great way to jazz up plain pumpkin pie:

Ingredients:

1 store bought pie crust or homemade

1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree

1 14 oz can coconut milk

3 eggs

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using a mixer combine pumpkin puree, coconut milk and eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and hand mix well. Pour into your pie crust and place into the hot oven. Reduce heat to 350ºFand bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted near the middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool before serving and serve with ice-cream or whipped cream.

 

Jerk Turkey

Spice up your turkey this holiday season by using a Jerk rub. Here’s how:

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 teaspoons dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1-2 habanero peppers chopped
• 1 cup vinegar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 4 tablespoons jerk sauce
• 1 cup diced red onions
• 1 whole lemon
• 1/2 cup of butter at room temperature
• 1 Turkey (10-12 pounds)

Directions:

In a blender combine the allspice, thyme, black pepper, salt, sage, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, brown sugar, habanero peppers, diced onion and 4 cloves of garlic.  Slowly add the worcestershire sauce, jerk sauce, vinegar, orange juice, and lime juice. Rinse turkey inside and out with water and blot with paper towel.  Loosen the skin of turkey on the turkey breast and rub butter spreading it, evenly. Pour the 1/2 of the jerk marinade all over turkey and rub it inside and out, cover it and let it marinate for 24 hours. Next day, place turkey breast side up and stuff with 1 lemons cut in half and a head of garlic cut in half with skin on. Place in a large roasting pan. Brush turkey with remaining melted butter, roast turkey for 2 hours on 350 degrees F & then cover breast & top drumsticks loosely with foil to prevent overcooking of breast, continue roasting turkey for another 30-40 minutes. Remove foil & brush generously with more jerk marinade. Return foil loosely to top of turkey & cook for another 30 -40 minutes or until thermometer reaches 180 F when inserted into the deepest part of the thigh. Brush the remaining jerk marinade, let turkey stand for 20 minutes before carving.

Serves 8 – 10

 

Soak Dried Fruits for Xmas Cakes

If you are like me Christmas is your favorite holiday.  I enjoy family, friends and food (Three Fs). I, especially, look forward to making Belizean black fruit cake.  I love fruit cake so much that 6 to 8 weeks before Christmas I start to soak the dried fruits for the cake. Here’s how I do it:

Dried Fruit 

• 1lb of dried raisins
• 1lb of dried cherries chopped
• 1/2lb of dried currants
• 1/2 lb dried pineapple chopped
• 1/2lb dried dates chopped
• 1/2lb dried apricots chopped
• 1/2lbs pecans chopped
• 1/2lbs of walnuts chopped
• 1 Orange or lemon/lime peel chopped
• 1 Ginger peel chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Soak

2 – 3 cups dark rum

1/2 cup Water

1 tablespoon of sugar

1. Chop into small pieces the cherries, dates, pineapple, ginger, orange peel, pecan and walnut.
2. Mix all the dried fruits and nuts together,
3. Pour in rum and water.
4. Add sugar and cinnamon sticks.
5. Put this mixture into an airtight container and keep it on your kitchen counter (Don’t refrigerate)
6. You need to mix it every other day or at least once a week.
7. After six-eight weeks your fruits are ready.

 

Coconut rum w/Hot Chocolate

The cold season is upon us, folks.  So, lets stay warm by having some hot chocolate. Better yet hot chocolate with a splash of coconut rum.  Here’s a quick and easy recipe:

Ingredients:

1/4 oz. coconut rum
1 cup hot chocolate (see recipe below)
Orange peel
Whipping cream

Combine all ingredients and enjoy.

Hot Chocolate recipe::

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 3 1/2 cups half & half milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup coconut milk

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring this mixture to an easy boil while you stir. Simmer and stir for about 2 -3 minutes until hot enough to your preference.. Serve and enjoy

Serves 1

 

Cocojito

Cocojito is a light and refreshing coconut mojito drink that is perfect any day.  

Ingredients

• 4 cups ice cubes
• 2- 4 oz of lime juice
• 1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut
• 1/4 cup coconut rum or to taste
• 5 mint leaves
• 2 mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Blend the ice, limes, cream of coconut, rum, and mint leaves together in a blender until smooth. Pour into two glasses and garnish each with a mint sprig.

Serves 1 to 2

 

Pumpkin Smoothie

During fall pumpkin is very popular.  So, here’s a pumpkin smoothie perfect for breakfast or a “pick me up”.

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Freeze the pumpkin puree for at least 24 hours.
2. Heat the bag of pumpkin puree in the microwave on HIGH to soften, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Pour the milk into a blender. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin; blend until smooth.

 

Caribbean Spiced Bun

Caribbean spiced bun is usually made during Easter in the Caribbean.  However, if you cannot wait until Easter to make this moist,spicy and delicious bun, then here’s your recipe:

Ingredients

• Batter:
• 3  cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup beer
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 cup raisins
• Glaze:
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8×4-inch loaf pans.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt together in a bowl; set aside. Beat the egg in a mixing bowl; whisk in the milk, beer, and brown sugar until the brown sugar has dissolved. Stir in the butter,vanilla extract, and lime juice until blended. Add the flour mixture and raisins. Stir until no dry lumps remain. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.
4. When the bread is nearly finished, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and the water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil until the sugar is thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour the glaze over the bread once it’s done; return the bread to the oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

 

Soursop ice-cream

You haven’t had ice-cream until you try Soursop ice-cream.  Soursop is a green fruit grown primarily in Belize, Central America and the West Indies. Its green skin is prickly.  Don’t eat the skin but do eat the creamy white inside core. You can find it online, at stores like Whole Foods and Caribbean markets. If you can find the actual fruit some places sell the core/pulp in frozen packets.   Here’s a Soursop ice-cream recipe:

Raw Soursop Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups raw cashews or almonds (Soaked overnight)
2 cups Soursop pulp
1 cup coconut water
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tablespoons vanilla or coconut extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

METHOD:

1. Using a blender or food processor blend all ingredients until creamy and smooth.
2. Add water as needed to keep the mixture circulating through the blender.
3. Put in ice trays and freeze, or follow your ice cream maker instructions

 

Soursop pops

A Soursop is a delicious fruit grown in Belize and other Central American countries. It has a green leathery skin that is prickly.  You don’t eat the skin but you can eat the white creamy insides. Use it to make any desserts like ice-cream, pops or ice bars or you can eat it by itself. You can find it online or Whole foods or Caribbean markets in the US. Here’s a simple dessert recipe using Soursop.

INGREDIENTS 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups soursop pulp 1 tin condensed milk

METHOD: 1. Blend pulp with sugar. Stir well. 2. Add milk. Beat thoroughly. 3. Freeze in trays