Jamaican Villa Cuisine

Of the many pleasures of villa life in Jamaica, perhaps the best of all is the food. It is an accepted fact in Jamaica that the best food in the island is prepared by the villa cooks. These cooks, many of whom do not have formal training as chefs, but learn their skills through a kind of apprentice program, can usually prepare a wide variety of dishes, ranging from Jamaican to European and North American cuisine. Jamaican cuisine has its roots in the cooking of Europe, Africa and India.

When you first arrive at your villa, you should let your cook know your culinary preferences. This will help her in planning your menus and selecting cooking methods and seasonings. Remember that if you tell your cook you like hot and spicy foods, Jamaican food can be very hot indeed, the pepper of choice on the island is the Scotch Bonnet (Habanero). This pepper is not your run-of-the-mill hot pepper, but is many times hotter than any other pepper you have ever tasted. Hot peppers aside, you will find that your cook is skilled at creating many dishes to please your palate.

I recommend that if you are unfamiliar with Jamaican cuisine, you should ask your cook to make some Jamaican style meals for you, but tell her to be moderate with the hot peppers. After sampling the initial meals, you can decide if you want more, or less spiciness to your food.

Some Jamaican dishes are made from familiar ingredients, but prepared in different ways from what you are probably familiar with at home, others are made from ingredients you more than likely did not even know existed. Also, because of the diets of the local livestock, you will notice a difference in the flavors of meats such as pork and chicken. Jamaican chickens in particular have a wonderful flavor you will not find in those at home.

The national dish of Jamaica is not the renowned Jerk Pork or Jerk Chicken, but Ackee and Salt Fish. Ackee is the fruit of an African tree brought to Jamaica by the infamous Captain Blygh as food for the slaves. The appearance of the dish is somewhat like scrambled eggs, but there the resemblance ends. Although ackee itself is fairly bland in taste, the combination of the salt cod and spices give it a flavorful and distinctive taste. Some people find the taste of the salt cod too strong for their liking, so ask your cook to be moderate with her use of the cod. Bacon or salt pork may also be added as flavoring for the ackee. A word of caution; unripe ackee can be poisonous. It is very easy to tell if the ackee is ripe, and ready for eating. When ripe, the bright red pod opens to expose the yellow fleshy edible section of the ackee. Your experienced cook will have no trouble selecting ackees that are ready to be eaten, and any she will buy in the market will be edible.

Jamaican breakfasts tend to be more substantial and varied than the typical North American fare of cereals or eggs. One of our favorites is Bully Beef and Johnny Cakes. Bully Beef is actually a spicily seasoned version of corned beef hash: the name comes from a brand of canned corned beef that was popular in Jamaica, but you can use your favorite brand instead.  Recipes for Johnny Cakes vary widely according to the tastes of the cook; the one included here is a typical   representation of these hearty biscuits.

Other typical breakfast foods include Calaloo, a leafy green that has the appearance of spinach, but with its own distinct flavor.  Calaloo is usually served sautéed with onions, peppers, salted cod and spices, but may also be used a filling for omelets.  Standard accompaniment for sautéed calaloo is boiled green bananas.   Green bananas are simply regular bananas that are eaten before they are ripe.   These need to be cooked, and may be used as a replacement for potatoes or other starches.

Although I have not included recipes for Jerk Pork or Chicken, there are a number of excellent commercially available Jerk seasonings available both in Jamaica and most major North American cities. I have included a simple recipe for Jerk Seasoning if you would like to try your hand at making.

Over the years of staying at my favorite villa, I have developed my list of favorite dishes as prepared by our cook. No doubt, your cook will have her variation for many or all of the following dishes, have her make some of them for you.

For the seafood lover in you, try the Escovitch Fish, in this dish, the fish is fried then marinated in a spicy vinegar sauce, and may be served either hot or cold. Another seafood favorite is Curried Lobster, spicy and flavorful, with a strong East Indian influence.

Jamaicans eat a lot of chicken, and have many wonderful ways to serve this mainstay. Sampling of the Curried Baked Chicken is a must. The preparation is not that alien to how we would do it at home, however, the subtle differences in spices result in a unique taste experience. The Fricassee Chicken is truly one of the great Jamaican contributions to the art of chicken preparation. The chicken is browned then braised in a flavorful liquid which is then used to make a gravy. You may also want to try the [Curried Chicken], one of the many Jamaican dishes of East Indian origin.

Jamaican style Pork Chops is another dish that is a variation on familiar North American fare. These pork chops are seasoned, browned and then braised. An excellent accompaniment for this dish is the famous Jamaican Rice and Peas. Another rendition of Jamaican pork chops is the recipe we got from Hyacinth, the cook at Almond Tree Villa in Mammee Bay. The Honey-Ginger Pork Chops demonstrate the variety in Jamaican cuisine, and have their roots in Chinese cooking, which has a surprising influence on Jamaican cuisine.

Those of you with a sweet tooth will be pleased to know that desserts are not overlooked in Jamaican cooking. Your cook can provide you with many familiar favorites, or some unusual ones like Mango or Soursop Ice Cream, both well worth trying. One of my favorite desserts is the Sweet Potato Pudding. The Jamaican version differs from the American version in that is made with coconut milk. This adds a richness to the flavor you will not find in your traditional recipes. The version shown here has all the normal ingredients, however the method takes advantage of modern kitchen tools. Jamaican cooks usually grate the coconut and potatoes by hand. I have found that although you can use almost any variety of sweet potato, the New Jersey variety comes closest in taste to the Jamaican ones.

The ingredients for all the recipes here should be readily available at your local supermarket. Try them sometime to recreate the memories of your Jamaican villa vacation, or simply to surprise your friends with the wonderful flavors of Jamaican cuisine.

See Below for Recipes

• Escoveiched Fish

• Fricasseed Chicken

• Baked Curried Chicken

• Pork Chops

•  Honey-Ginger Pork Chops

• Rice and Peas

•  Sweet Potato Pudding

• Bully Beef

• Johnny Cakes

• JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING
  

ESCOVEICHED FISH

Recommended: King Fish, Swordfish, or any firm textured fish
Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. Fish --in ½ inch thick slices

• 2 cups Cane or Malt Vinegar

• 4 tsp. Black Pepper

• 1/2 cup Cooking Oil

• 4 tsp. Salt

• 2 tsp. whole Allspice Berries

• 3 Limes or lemons

• 2 large Onions -- sliced

• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper - seeded and cut into strips

• 1 tsp. whole Black Peppercorns
  

Serves 12

1. Wash fish thoroughly in water with lime or lemon juice added. Dry thoroughly.
   

2. Combine salt and black pepper and coat the fish with mixture. Set fish aside on paper towels. Heat oil in frying pan over hot heat. Fry fish on both sides until cooked dry. Set fried fish aside in a glass baking or casserole dish.
   

3. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, sliced onions, scotch bonnet pepper, allspice and peppercorns, and bring to a boil. Simmer until onions are tender, remove from heat and cool. Pour over fish and let steep in refrigerator for several hours. This dish is usually served at room temperature, but may also be served cold, or slightly warm.

4.  

5. Back To: Jamaican Recipes

FRICASSEED CHICKEN

Jamaican Style

Ingredients:

• 1 Cut up chicken (5 - 6 lb.)

• Black Pepper & Salt --to taste

• 2 large Onions - coarsely chopped

• 1/4 tsp. Powdered Ginger

• 3 medium Tomatoes - coarsely chopped

• 1/2 tsp. Ground Allspice

• 2 cloves Garlic -- chopped fine

• 1 large Onion -- sliced

• 1 whole Green Scotch Bonnet Pepper

• Oil for frying

• 3 sprigs Thyme

• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
  
  

Serves 6

JAMAICAN JERK SEASONING

Ingedients:

• 6 oz. Ground Allspice

• 6 Scallions
• 2 -3 Scotch Bonnet Peppers - optionally seeded
• 2 Cinnamon, Allspice or Bay leaves
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 3 Tbl. Vinegar
• 1 tsp. Salt
• Black pepper - to taste
• Water
  

1. Cut scallions into medium sized pieces. Put Allspice, scallions, scotch bonnet peppers, garlic, broken cinnamon leaves, salt and pepper in food processor, and puree with metal blade. Add vinegar and enough water to make a spreadable paste. Seeded scotch bonnet peppers result in a milder flavored marinade.
   
2. The Jerk seasoning may be kept in a covered jar in refrigerator for several weeks.
   
3. To jerk pork or chicken:
   Rub one tablespoon of Jerk seasoning per pound into pork or cut-up chicken, and let marinate for 2 hours or more in refrigerator. Cook at lowest possible setting on barbecue; if possible add aromatic wood to the barbecue to enhance flavor. In Jamaica, allspice branches are added to the barbecue pit.

Wash chicken and dry thoroughly. Season with sliced onion, thyme, salt, pepper, powdered ginger and allspice. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, to allow the seasonings to permeate the chicken.

About an hour before cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Wipe away any of the marinade seasonings from the chicken, saving the thyme. Heat oil in a heavy skillet, and brown chicken on all sides over moderate heat. Lower heat and add chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, salt, Scotch Bonnet pepper, paprika, and 2 Tbls. hot water. Also add sprigs of thyme saved from the marinade. Cover and simmer, adding small amount of water to prevent chicken from drying out. When chicken is fork tender, add 1 Tbl. butter if desired, and serve hot.

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JAMAICAN CURRIED BAKED CHICKEN

Ingredients:

• 5 lb. Cut-up Chicke
  1/4 tsp. Ground Ginger
  1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  1 tsp. Onion Powder
  1 tsp. Paprika
  2 Tbl. Curry Powder
  8 ounces Melted Butter
  2 small Onions - sliced
  Salt & Pepper - to taste
  

1. Rub chicken with salt and pepper.
   

2. Combine melted butter, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and curry powder.
   

3. Set chicken pieces in shallow roasting pan and thoroughly baste on all sides with the butter mixture. Bake with skin sides down at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and continue baking 20 minutes more.
   

4. Pour juices from roasting pan into a small saucepan. Add sliced onion and simmer gently over low heat.
   

5. Place chicken under broiler until brown, spooning some of the sauce over chicken from time to time. Pour the rest of the sauce over chicken and serve immediately.
   

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Jamaican Rice and Peas

(This dish is made with Red Kidney Beans, but Jamaicans call them Red Peas.)

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

Directions

1. Cook soaked beans in water, coconut milk, thyme, garlic, scallion and Habanero until just tender. If you prefer, substitute whole or skim milk for the coconut milk. Add the bacon, salt and pepper. Taste for seasoning. If too spicy hot, remove the Habanero. Add rice and simmer over low heat 40 minutes until rice is tender, and liquids have been absorbed. If necessary, add more water as dish is cooking.
   

2. This dish can be made ahead and kept warm. Remove bacon, scallions and thyme before serving.

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SWEET POTATO PUDDING

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. Sweet Potatoes - peeled & grated

• 2 cups Brown Sugar

• 3 cups Coconut Milk

• 2 tsp. Almond or Vanilla Extract

• 1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. Grated Nutmeg

• 1 lb. All-purpose Flour

• 1/2 cup Jamaican Rum

• 1 cup Raisins

• 1 tsp. Salt
  
  

1. Soak raisins in rum for 3 hours.
   

2. Peel and grate potatoes into a large mixing bowl.
   

3. Instead of grating the sweet potatoes, you can use a food processor with the fine shredding blade attached. The initial appearance of the potatoes will be different than if using the grating method, however, the texture of the finished pudding will be identical.
   

4. Crack open a dry coconut, and remove the meat from the shell with a knife. Grate the coconut meat into a bowl. Add water to the grated coconut, and squeeze coconut to extract milk into the water. Strain out solids. If necessary, add enough water to make 3 cups of coconut milk.
   

5. An easier way to make the coconut milk is to use a blender. After removing the coconut meat from the shell, cut the meat into small pieces, and place half the meat in blender jar with enough water to cover it. Grate until coconut is very finely chopped, if necessary add more water to allow the mixture to circulate in the blender jar. Strain coconut mixture into a bowl to remove the solids, and repeat process with remainder of the coconut. Squeeze the grated coconut to extract as much milk as possible.
   

6. Mix coconut milk, brown sugar and almond extract together. Add to the grated potatoes and mix until blended. Mix flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Stir in flour mixture to potatoes, then add rum/raisin mixture.
   

7. Pour mixture into 9inch or 10inch round pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 hours, or until pudding is firm.
   
   Back To: Jamaican Recipes

Jamaican Style Pork Chops

Jamaican Pork chops browned and braised, seasoned with onion, garlic, thyme, spices and hot peppers

Ingredients:

• 8 thin Pork Chops

• 1 small Tomato - chopped

• 2 sliced Medium Onions

• 2 cups Water

• 3 cloves Garlic - chopped

• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper (Habanero) - seeds and membranes removed and cut into quarters

• 1/2 tsp. Celery Salt

• 1 tsp. Ground Allspice

• Corn Oil - for frying

• 2 Tbs. Soy Sauce

• 3 sprigs Fresh Thyme

• Salt & Pepper - to taste

• 3 Scallions
  

Directions

1. Place the pork chops in a dish, large enough to hold them in at most two layers. Add the sliced onions, chopped garlic, celery salt, allspice, thyme, Habanero, soy sauce, salt and pepper to the pork. Thoroughly rub the seasonings into the pork, cover the dish with plastic wrap, and let marinate in the refrigerator for four hours.
   

2. An hour before you are ready to begin cooking, remove the pork from the refrigerator, and let return to room temperature.
   

3. Add just enough corn oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet, and heat over moderate heat until a drop of water sizzles when added to the skillet. Set aside the seasoning mixture. Brown the pork chops thoroughly on both sides, in two or more batches if necessary, keeping browned chops warm while the others are browning. Remove browned pork chops from skillet, and add seasoning mixture and cook until onions are translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and continue to cook two minutes. Add 1/4 cup of water and deglaze the skillet, then add the remaining water and scallions and bring to a simmer.
   

4. Return the pork chops to the skillet and simmer covered, over low heat for 30 minutes. Do not overcook the pork chops. Taste the cooking liquid for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
   

5. Remove the pork chops to a warm serving dish. Reduce the sauce over moderate heat until desired consistency is reached. Remove the scallions and thyme, and pour sauce over the pork chops and serve. Jamaican Rice and Peas] is an excellent accompaniment to this dish.

7.  

8.  Honey-Ginger Pork Chops

   Recipe by : Hyacinth Francis

   Serving Size: 6

   Preparation Time: 6 hours

   Marinade:

   8 medium pork chops
   1 teaspoon garlic powder
   ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
   2 tablespoons soy sauce
   2 teaspoons Jamaican All Purpose Seasoning -- optional
   1 scotch bonnet pepper (habañero) -- optional
   salt and pepper -- to taste

   Sauce:

   1 ounce ginger root -- finely grated
   ½ cup water
   ¼ cup honey
   1 tablespoon Pickapepper sauce
   ¾ cup ketchup

   Season pork chops with garlic powder, allspice, soy sauce, all purpose seasoning and pepper. Let marinate in refrigerator for at least three hours. The all purpose seasoning and soy are both salty, so additional salt may be unnecessary.

   Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put pork chops in a shallow baking pan and bake for about 1½ hours, turning once or twice.

   While chops are cooking, make the sauce.

   To Make the Sauce:

   Rinse any ginger from grater with the ½ cup water. Add honey, Pickapepper and ketchup to ginger liquid and mix well. Spoon and spread the sauce over pork chops and bake for ½ hour more.

   Serve hot.

   
   

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Bully Beef

Johnny Cakes

NOTES: Try altering the amount of butter to adjust texture to suit your taste. Less butter will result in chewier cakes; more will make them flakier. Also try substituting ¼ cup of cornmeal for flour.