Saturday 21 July 2007

Little Foodies Caribbean

This week we've had marlin, tilapia and a West Indies inspired lamb stew. As we're still having torrential rain and flooding throughout the UK the weather has not matched the food, but at least the food had a kick, which has been a welcome warmer, if only for the tastebuds.


Marlin with spicy tomato and onion sauce, with a little white rum, served with potatoes and carrots from the garden and fried plantain. I griddled the marlin steaks, no seasoning, nothing. The spicy tomato sauce was great and we had the leftovers another evening with some salmon steaks from the freezer.
For the spicy tomato and onion sauce with a little white rum...
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped, 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped, 4 large very ripe tomatoes, 1 tin of plum tomatoes, 3 teaspoons of jamaican jerk seasoning, a glug of white rum.
Sweat the onions and garlic, add a glug of white rum and heat on high for a minute or so, add the jerk seasoning and stir through, add the fresh tomatoes. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes then add the tinned tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes. (If you're using tinned tomatoes with lots of juice either drain the juice off or cook for longer, until the sauce has thickened). Little and Small found this sauce a bit too hot so they didn't have much of it.

West Indies inspired Lamb Stew (Serves 4 plus plenty for leftovers)
1 kilo of diced lamb
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 large yam, peeled and roughly chopped (2cm chunks)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons of jamaican jerk seasoning
(Don't go mad - 1 beef and 1 chicken stock cube)
2 pints of boiling hot water
Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown the meat in a little oil then take out and put to one side.
Gently fry the onions for 5 minutes, add a mug of boiling hot water then the sweet potato and yam, cook on high for 5 minutes. Most of the liquid will have evaporated and if it starts to go completely dry you need to add a little more (don't let it dry so much it all starts to catch on the bottom). Add the lamb back to the pan with the garlic, jerk seasoning and stock cubes and cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the water and then cook in a low to medium heat oven for approx 1.5 - 2 hours until the lamb is meltingly tender.

We had this as is, no bread or potatoes. The yam had the texture of soft dumplings, delicious! Little and Small devoured this and had seconds.

No pics of the tilapia. I'm quite glad really as I thought it would look beautiful but after I'd cooked it, well, it just didn't look good at all. I baked it in the oven on a bed of sliced onions and then let it cool. The boys had it cold the next day, shredded on a salad. Little was over the moon to be picking so much fish. He's always loved the fish counter, as soon as he was able to talk he would beg to be taken to the fish counter. I was amazed and still very pleased that he's never lost that. Small doesn't show the same enthusiasm for it but he will eat fish. I think his taste for fish will be a developing one.

We also had a snack of some plantain, it was very green so I peeled it then chopped it into pieces, boiled it for 10 minutes, drained, dried, then fried. Sprinkled with salt - very good!

Edit: Sunday evening - We're not going to be around for a few days so catch up with you all when I return. x

22 comments:

Unknown said...

This is my first time visiting your blog, and I'm greeted by a recipe with Jamaican jerk seasoning. I've just posted a recipe for mahi mahi with the same Carribean slant.

I loved your spicy tomato and onion sauce, and definitely want to try it. You've reminded me that I omitted the plantains - something I love! Next time. ;-)

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Thanks Toni, I hit publish before reading through properly. You read it while I was editing. I'd missed out the essential white rum we used for the tomato sauce (I don't think it made any difference to be honest but as that's what we used). Off to check out your mahi mahi post.

KellytheCulinarian said...

Great recipes, thanks for sharing. The tomato sauce sounds really interesting to the palate.

FH said...

Lamb stew looks great! Great Caribbean dishes to explore!:)

Nora B. said...

Amanda, there are too many choices here, I can't decide what I like most! I like yam too, even when it's just steamed. The boys are very lucky that they get to taste all that wonderful food.

Truffle said...

What a wonderful assortment of dishes. What fantastic palates your boys must have!

Joanna said...

LOVE this contrast with the weather ... your whole "geography" project is wonderful for those of us stuck in a cooking rut!

Joanna
joannasfood.blogspot.com

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hello Kelly, thanks for visting my blog.

Hi Asha, Thank you. Look forward to when you show me how it's done.

Hi Nora, Thank you. Caribbean food is so tasty good but I haven't really stuck to any recipes yet.

Hi Truffle,Welcome back, hope you had a fantastic trip around Europe!

Joanna, Thank you, you're very kind.

Thank you for all of your comments. We're not going to be around for a few days so see you when we get back.

Amanda x

Amanda

Anh said...

Lovely! I adore any lamb dish, and this is the one to try.

Anonymous said...

Ahh...wondering where you got the Marlin??? Sounds wonderful, spicy but wonderful, as does the lamb! Wherever you have gone I am hoping that you have a lovely time!

David Hall said...

Sounds great - anything with rum in gets a thumbs up from me! I have to say, 20 years of cooking and I don't think I've ever cooked anything remotely Carribean. I'll be trying this out.

Cheers
David

Meeta K. Wolff said...

Lovely feast Amanda. Sending you all my hugs and affection!

Tricia said...

The fish counter! That must warm your heart. Mine have turned up their noses at salmon and other strong-flavored fish, but the Big Bean once ate her whole portion of (pricey!) halibut and most of mine. Which left me feeling a bit bereft, but very proud.

Caffienated Cowgirl said...

Oh yummy...I love lamb!

Hope you're enjoying your trip. When you return, stop by my blog...I gave you an award! Come by and pick it up :o)

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

I'm always searching for recipes for lamb stew. I tried making mine from with tomato sauce and potato but I think I like your version with the sweet potato and jamaican jerk seasoning better and garlic better!

Kelly-Jane said...

Your Caribbean trip sounds lovely. I've cooked plantain as you did for your snack and it went down very well in our house.

Hope you have a good few days away :)

KJxx

Roz said...

oh yes I know what you mean about some of the caribbean food does give you a kick. I love hot and spicy, even more when I was pregnant with both my kids. Food looks lovely as usual. I so wish my little one could be as adventurous with food as yours, my daughter who is 11 is quite good, she had a quick peek at your blog and her eyes lit up!

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY...

Shola

Cottage Smallholder said...

Hi Amanda,
I have tagged you for the seven random gardening facts meme as I love the photographs of yout home grown veg. Follow this link
http://www.cottagesmallholder.com/?p=391

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Anh, Thank you for visiting.

Marie, I think it was Sainsbury's, either that or Tesco. I wasn't in our normal town so can't remember. If I'm losing my memory now, what will I be like in 30 years time...

David, Just saw your lovely quick curry. I'm a huge fan of curry. Any curry - Indian, Caribbean, Chinese. So if you're going to try Caribbean food I'd start with a West Indies inspired curry.

Meeta, Thank you x

Feeder of the hungry beans, I do love it and it does make me proud.

CC, Thank you so much!

Georgie, Thank you

Veron, Thank you, it's hard to make a bad lamb stew.

Kelly-Jane, It's lovely like that.

Shola, Thank you. Hope all is well with you.

Fiona, Thank you. Funnily enough as it was a nice day yesterday we spent the day gardening. My, did it need it! I shall be selective about the pics I take and wax lyrical about how it will be in the future...

Thank you all very much for your comments.
Amanda x

Cynthia said...

Aha! so wait until I was out of town to make all your goodies. I do love a Caribbean lamb stew. All your dishes are so hearty and comforting, Amanda.

Hope you and the family have a great time.

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Hi Cynthia, It's birthdays and holiday time so we're definitely having some fun. Have a great weekend.
Amanda x

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