Eating Like A Local

Recently I met up with a couple of foreigners who I unfortunately did not get to spend a lot of time with. However, the time we did spend, we spoke about food, obviously. At first it was difficult to think of Trinidad's food, what we eat and what's uniquely ours. Trinidad comprises so many different types of people and so many different types of cuisine that it was difficult to think of something that represents us all. After naming one thing, I could think of another and then the list just began to flow.
It's no secret we love to eat in Trinidad and that's exactly the reason why we're so inventive and every thing that leaves our kitchen is always full of flavour. I decided to write this partly to remind myself, so the next time someone ask what they should eat when they visit Trinidad, maybe I'll be able to recommend. Not all of it is completely unique to Trinidad but if you want to eat like a local, it's a good start!

Breakfast

Black Pudding

Coconut Bake and Saltfish Buljol/Smoked Herring

Doubles | Aloo Pie | Baiganee | Saheena | Pholourie

Pepper Roti

Bake & Plantain

 

Lunch/Dinner

Callaloo

Pelau

Curried Chicken/Beef/Goat/Duck/ Shrimp Roti | Channa and Aloo | Pumpkin | Curried Mango | Anchar | Mother-in-law | Pepper Sauce

*Curried Cascadura

Sunday Lunch: Stewed Beans | Stewed Chicken | Provisions | Macaroni Pie

Corn Soup

Geera Chicken/Pork

Chicken/Pig Foot Souse

Vegetable Curries or Chokas | Bodi | Cabbage/Cauliflower | Ochro | Caraille | Baigan | Tomato

Oil Down

Accra

Oxtail/Cow Heel Soup

Fish Broth

Crab & Dumpling

Shark & Bake

Sancoche*

BBQ Pigtail*

Snacks

*Local Ice Creams | Coconut, Rum & Raisin

Pone

Fudge

Sweet Bread

Sugar Cake | Benne Ball | Toolum | Tamarind Ball

Mango/Plum/Pine Chow

Oysters Cocktail

*Crix

Local Fruit | Pommecythere, Chennette

Beverages

Mauby

Peanut/Beetroot/Channa Punch*

Coconut Water*

Carib | Stag | Shandy

Seasonal (October-January)

Divali Feast* with Sweets

Black/Fruit Cake

Pastelles

Sorrel Drink

Garlic Pork

Cubanelle Pepper Pesto

I recently took a trip to the grocery store with the intent to buy some things that I just cannot remember at this moment. However, I did come across these lovely peppers that I have never tried before. It just screamed pesto, to me.

They were cubanelle peppers which is a variety of sweet (mild) peppers, similar in taste and texture to bell peppers. However, its walls are slightly thinner than the bell peppers which makes for faster cooking. I roasted these peppers in the toaster over for a short time, then made the pesto, and tossed it with some pasta. Pasta is definitely one of my favourite ways to eat pesto.
I also used some basil in this pesto, but not enough to overpower the peppers. Using little is important since basil has a very strong flavour while these peppers are quite mild.

Sweet Pepper (Cubanelle/Bell) Pesto

Ingredients:

• Two large Peppers (about 250g in total)
• 1 C. loosely packed Basil
• 2 medium-large cloves Garlic
• 1/8 C. favourite Nut, toasted (optional)
• 1 oz. Parmesan Cheese
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
• Olive Oil

Method:

1. Roast the pepper on medium heat in the oven until soft and slightly charred.
2. Remove stems and seeds of the peppers and slice into a couple of pieces.
3. In a food processor or blender (I used the Magic Bullet), pulse garlic with a few drops of oil until it is a fine paste.
4. Add peppers, basil, nuts, a little salt and pepper, and parmesan. Drizzle olive oil as you blend mixture into a smooth paste/sauce. 
5. Adjust seasonings to taste.

I used this pesto in a light but tasty pasta dish. I sauteed some polish sausage slices in a little butter, added some farfalle and the pesto, and topped it off with some tiny feta cubes. If serving the pesto with feta, remember it's a salty cheese, so use salt sparingly in the pesto.

It was quite good. Light and clean tasting, but still filling.

Homemade Ricotta

A good friend of mine celebrated her birthday this month. Sometimes shopping for people or deciding what to give them as a present, is quite difficult. But everyone eats. And almost everyone finds great joy out of doing just that. Acknowledging that fact as well as my love for food, the only appropriate thing to do was cook her a meal. She has had a slight craving for Baked Ziti recently. I have never eaten nor made that dish before, but I decided to try for her anyway. I also baked a carrot cake with coconut cream cheese frosting and some shortbread cookies. I'll talk about those later on.
For the Ziti, since I had an exam, I made it shortcut. I used a canned tomato sauce, a few fresh herbs, some mushrooms and three types of cheeses (New Zealand cheddar which is most common in Trinidad, Parmesan and Ricotta). However, I did make the ricotta from scratch... sort of a personal touch.
It's actually surprising how simple it is to make ricotta. It's obviously not the sheep's milk whey type of ricotta, but it tastes great, and it's not full of chemicals or preservatives. It's a whole milk homemade variety using cow's milk. Traditional ricotta uses the leftover whey from making other cheeses. However, this type uses the actual curds gathered and the whey is leftover.

Homemade (Whole Milk) Ricotta

Ingredients:

• 1 Liter (32oz./4 cups) Milk
• 2 Tbsp Distilled White Vinegar/Lime Juice
• (optional) 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1 Tsp. Salt

Method:

1. In a medium pot/saucepan, heat the milk (and heavy cream, if using) on medium low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid scalding the milk. If the milk scalds, the ricotta would have a burnt smell that isn't very pleasant.
2. JUST before the boil, remove milk from heat and stir in salt. It is important to heat the milk enough so that it curdles properly but not too much that it scalds. It's not as complicated as it sounds. However, if you want to be exact and use a thermometer, 180º F is about what you're looking for.
3. Allow to sit for 10 minutes to an hour. 
4. Line a colander/strainer with cheesecloth or some fine-meshed cloth and remove curds from liquid with a slotted spoon. Leave the liquids to drain for 30-minutes up to a few hours, depending on how dry you want it. To speed up the process and to get a firmer cheese, gently squeeze the liquid occasionally. 
5. Store cheese in the refrigerator and use within the week. 

Hopefully she enjoyed the meal, and I'll definitely be making some more soon to make homemade ravioli. This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled depending on how much cheese you need/want. 

A Special Birthday Lunch

Last week was the birthday of someone very near and dear to me. It only made sense to cook a great lunch in order to show my appreciation, as I knew that was something the person would appreciate as well. And he did, he enjoyed it very much (thankfully), and enjoyed the leftovers the next day. My sister indulged a little in it, and was delighted.
It consisted of a simple seven courses. However, time did not allow for proper food styling for the pictures or presentation, so I worked with the time I had. I did not want to keep him waiting, really. Here's what I prepared!

The first course was the Appetizer, which was a crostini made using a fresh baguette I got from the bakery, cream cheese, pink salmon that was briefly broiled, capers, and fresh dill from my sister's garden.

The second course was the Soup: Light onion soup in a beef broth.

The third course was the Salad. My version of a Caprese BLT. I'd normally add basil but he would not have liked it. It's skewers of tomato pieces (couldn't find cherry tomatoes or I would've used that), soy mozzarella cubes, turkey bacon, arugula from the garden as well (as the lettuce) and an olive oil, balsamic vinegar dressing.

The fourth course was Seafood (and pasta). I made a spicy pumpkin pasta with sauteed lime shrimp.

The fifth course was a Palate Cleanser (especially because the seafood was spicy). It was a frozen lemon-pine cocktail (with a little vodka).

The sixth course was the Meat. I prepared a creamy cauliflower puree, mustard glazed rosemary lamb chops and a side of garlicky green beans.

Finally, the last course was Dessert. I contemplated making a lot of different things including a coconut-pine panna cotta or homemade tiramisu but I did not have the time to do those things, so I cheated a little with cupcakes. He likes pina coladas, so I made a cupcake around those flavours sans the rum because he shared with young siblings. It was a pineapple flavoured batter with a bit of pine jelly in the center with a coconut infused buttercream and dessicated coconut. And of course, like every good pina colada, a cherry on top.

I had a blast preparing this meal, even though it was time consuming and quite tiring. I'm excited to make more meals like this for people who'd enjoy it.

Salmon Cream Pasta

I mentioned that I love being cooked for, right? Well, especially after a long day of work and school, coming home to find something that tastes great, prepared especially for me, is awesome.
My sister made me dinner on this night: Cream pasta (not Alfredo) with pink salmon and bacon-wrapped rosemary shrimp.

Salmon Cream pasta, bacon-wrapped rosemary shrimp and homemade pesto.

I'll ask her to write up a recipe soon so I can add it as a guest post.
It was fantastic, by the way. The pesto was a really great touch, she picked the basil leaves from her garden. She's been spending a lot of time recently building up a garden. She's actually working quite hard at it and enjoying the rewards. The dill (garnish and in the cream sauce) was from her garden, as well the rosemary in the shrimp.
Thanks so much for dinner, Amy!

Three Years

Though I really love cooking (obviously), it's always really great to be cooked for, particularly when someone makes something special and well thought out, completely for you. You'll always be safe making me pasta, of course. I was very happy and satisfied with this meal put together by a very special person who put a lot of effort into preparing a lovely meal, and a wonderful day for me. Besides the lunch, I also got homemade pancakes for breakfast and bake and plantain (one of my absolute favourites) for dinner the night before.

Fettuccine Alfredo, Parmesan Chicken and a side salad with cranberries.

According to the chef, the "brookie". Chocolate chip cookie dough stuffed fudge brownies.

I am forever grateful for the time and effort you put into doing lovely things for me, like preparing this meal. Also, thanks for a lovely three years. It's been brilliant.