Jerk Chicken

Since I've been back, the one thing I have been doing more than usual, on the cooking tip, is firing up the grill.

Forget the fancy, smancy, dual this, dual that, state-of-the- art grills out there on the market. What we've got is a simple, but highly effective charcoal (coal) grill. I've been experimenting with this grill since my teenage years, and today, with self proclaimed 'grill-master' status, I wouldn't have it any other way!

Today's recipe is 'Jerk Chicken'. A Jamaican classic, found in every self-respecting Jamaican restaurant, anywhere in the world. It has been one of my favorites for years, and I've made versions of it using the dried spice mixes, and jarred pastes.

In the absence of the above, I went back to basics. I pulled up a recipe from a cookbook, tweeked ingredients here and there, based on availability... and voila - Jerk Chicken a la moi!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of chicken
1 large scotch-bunny(habanero) pepper
1/2 medium red onion
1 2-inch piece of ginger
1 clove of garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 tbsps white wine vinegar
3 tbsps light soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste (optional)

Method

- Prepare chicken and drain water (set aside)
- Finely chop the onion, scotch bunny pepper(remove seeds), ginger and garlic, place in bowl

- Add, thyme, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, white wine vinegar, soy sauce, salt and pepper, mix well

- Using a mortar & pestel (or a food processor) combine the mixture as well as possible

- Pour the mixture over the chicken, making sure all pieces are well coated

- Cover the chicken and place in a refrigerator to marinade for at least 2 hours
- Prepare your grill
- When hot, cook chicken on the grill, basting with the left over marinade and oil as often as need

Sit back and relax... while you enjoy this mouth watering dish on its own, or along with your favorite sides.

Christmas Delights

Happy New Year family!

Christmas traditions are common in most families, and in mine, it's in the way we prepare our Christmas lunch/dinner. The food preparation starts sometime in the evening on the 24th and ends early in the morning on the 25th.

Glad to be home again after so many years, although it was just me and my mom this year, my mom sat back and allowed me to prepare our spread. After she had done the grocery shopping (went to the market), I got down to business, and by 10 am on Christmas day, as we headed to church, we were looking forward to the following;

- Poulet braisse (grilled chicken)
- Stewed beef
- Curried goat
- Jollof rice
- Coconut rice
- Fried plantain

... and then we washed it all down with some store-bought fruit cake and ice-cream. Couldn't have had a better 2009 Christmas experience.



p.s - most recipes are already on here, the rest are coming soon...

Treacle Pudding with Custard

I stopped over in Birmingham, UK in August before I came home to Lagos, and on my last day there, my family took me out to dinner at a traditional English Pub. The atmosphere was just like you'd imagine - kinda like in the movies, and thus, was an excellent way to end my vacation.

After a nice dinner, I decided to go for a proper English Pudding (as the Brits like to call their dessert). Unlike some of the more adventurous sounding English desserts like the spotted dick (which is pretty much a sponge type cake with currants), the 'Treacle Pudding' is an excellent choice.

Treacle is a type of syrup, quite similar to maple syrup, but a little more golden in color, thicker and not as sweet in taste. The pudding is basically a typical sponge cake (something between an angel food cake and a white cake in density)with treacle (which isn't actually incorporated in the cake) drizzled and cooked on top of it. The cake was served with warm custard (The English tend to serve their puddings with custard rather than ice-cream like the Americans do), which tasted pretty excellent with the cake.

If you ever get a chance to visit a restaurant serving this dessert, I suggest you give it a try. It is a simple, light and delicious way to end any meal.

Gone for awhile...

Hello Out there!

If you are one of my readers ( BIG THANK YOU!), you may have noticed that I have been absent for a few months. I looked on here and shocked myself a little when I realized I had not posted any recipes since March. I guess life just got so busy that I did not get a chance to cook anything new.

I agree with you, simply saying that I was busy is not good enough. Therefore, here is my explanation:
March - June : Life was consumed by my Management Synthesis course in Business School.
June 11th : Graduation Day (Yay!!!!!)
June - July : Tying up loose ends, then... Packing, Packing, Packing
July - August : A well needed vacation in the UK (which reminds me, I had a very simple, yet traditional English dessert which I will chat with you about real soon)
August - Present : MOVED BACK HOME TO LAGOS

Since, I got back, it has been busy, busy, busy. Readjusting to an old (but now new) environment is harder that one would imagine - ever heard of Reverse Culture Shock? As a result, I have decided that while Kerie cooks, I will also talk about my experiences here in Lagos - seeing things from the eyes of a grown woman and not the 17 year old who spent 9 or so months each year in a boarding school in Ikeja thinking she knew Lagos.

I hope you will accept my sincere apology :-)

Semi-homemade Fried Calamari Po' boy

Some of the best meals are created simply from converting left-overs into something new.

Transforming last night's dinner into today's lunch can be the quickest way to put lunch on the table while at the same time flexing your creativity muscle in the kitchen.

This is indeed, how I came up with today's lunch, which was a delicious Fried Calamari Po'boy.

Po'boy's are traditional sandwiches from Louisiana, which consist of meat, usually fried seafood (shrimp, crab, oysters, etc) stuffed in french bread (baguette).

Equipped with left-over fried calamari from last night, 1/3 of a loaf of french bread, and some homemade coleslaw (coleslaw mix or finely chopped green salad mix, fat-free mayo, white vinegar, salt and black pepper); I was ready to go on culinary vacation in my mind.

All you have to do is;

Heat the french bread and calamari in the microwave for about 1 minute
Cut open the french bread
Pile on the fried calamari
Top with the homemade coleslaw

Then, sit back, imagine yourself in the French Quarter of New Orleans and bite into this yummy sandwich.

Spicy Shrimp and Corn on the cob

Ever had a sudden craving for some plump and juicy shrimp? I know I have!

In an effort to satisfy it, you start to think of how long it'll take you to get to your favorite seafood joint, or where the closest substitute might be.

No need to fret folks! In less time than it'll take you to drive there, or place the order and have it delivered, you could whip up a satisfying and nutritious option from your own kitchen.

Inspired by a television commercial where this lady opens up a dish filled with gorgeous looking shrimp and corn (sorry, don't remember which restaurant was being advertised), and an Aussie fave - 'shrimp on the barbie', I came up with this simple 'Spicy Shrimp' recipe.

Ingredients
Raw shrimp (shelled but tail-on)
Seasoned salt
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Olive oil

Preparation
Mix shrimp with seasoned salt and cayenne pepper (to taste)
Let stand for about 10 minutes
Heat up a pan/skillet on medium
Drizzle with olive oil
Add shrimp
Cook on each side for about 3 minutes (until turns completely pink)

Serve along side corn on the cob cooked your favorite way (green giant has pretty decent frozen ones which you can prepare in about 10 minutes in the microwave).

Forget about eating utensils 'just this once' and get your fingers and hands all up in it... Enjoy(I know I did)!

WW friends - 1 cup (or 4 oz) of this spicy shrimp recipe = 2 points

Curried Mutton (lamb) with Rice and Peas

If you hadn't already guessed it, I love curries!

Throughout my travels and experimentation with ethnic food, I still haven't found a curry that I didn't love.

I actually tried a green curry with Tofu at a Thai restaurant a few weeks ago and felt ok about it.

Anyway, this week, I took a little trip to the Caribbean, which was inspired by a sale on lamb (don't really remember the cut) at the grocery store. I had the butcher chop up the pieces to my liking and left the store with a smile on my face.

The next day, as I seasoned up the meat and left it to marinade for about an hour (optional step), I rummaged through my cupboards and pantry, for the perfect side. I found some kidney beans and brown rice, et ensuite.... I had figured out dinner - curried mutton with rice and peas (red kidney beans).

Curried lamb
- Season lamb with a generous amount of curry powder, garlic, salt, black pepper, thyme and cayenne pepper (put all in the pot).
- Add a little water to the pot (just enough to coat the bottom of the pot) and place on low to medium heat.
- Place lid on the pot and stir every 10 - 15 minutes. - Chop up some onions and add to the pot when the lamb is about half way done.
- Keep cooking with lid on
- add more water if needed. Continue to stir.
- Once the lamb is almost fall of the bone ready, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 more minutes.

Rice and peas
- Cook red beans according to instructions
-When about half way done, add rice
- Season with salt (black pepper is optional)
- Keep cooking covered until all the way done.

Enjoy this delicious meal as is, or serve with a side of vegetables (cooked to your liking) for a much more balanced meal.

* WW buddy... enjoy a 6 pt meal of (1/2 cup of rice and peas and 1/2 a cup of curried mutton = 3 pts)