The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (16 page)

Island Shrimp Salad
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Creamy Dill Dressing
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Lemon Mustard Dressing
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Curry Dressing
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Parsley Dressing
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Chicken Salad with Mango Mayonnaise
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Red Bean and Rice Salad
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Spinach Timbales
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Corn Timbales with Basil Cream
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Curried Citrus Rice
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Black Beans and Rice with Rum
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Pete's Hot Sauce
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Major Morgan's Mango Chutney
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Tomato Chutney
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Make these any time you have extra sweet peppers. They keep very well in the refrigerator and are terrific in salads, spooned over brie to serve with crackers, or simply on their own to brighten up an otherwise dull dinner plate.

 

Combine the water, vinegar, honey, onions, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large pot, and bring the ingredients to a boil. Add the peppers and thyme, and simmer them for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, let the peppers cool, and refrigerate them, with their cooking liquid, in a covered container. They will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

 

Makes 6 servings

One day a visitor, one of those footloose types who roam the islands, dropped in at the Sugar Mill. He could weave hats and intricate birds out of dried grass, and he seemed to know a lot about living off the land. One night, after helping some of our staff take trash to the dump, he returned with the trunk of a Sabal palm tree that someone had discarded. He whacked away at it with a machete until he retrieved the tender heart, and then cooked it with salt pork. For us it was a terrific new taste experience, and when we said so he replied, "Well heck, it's nothin' but old swamp cabbage."

Alas, we've never again found such a treasure at the dump.

 

In a bowl, gently mix together all the ingredients except the hearts of palm and the lettuce. Arrange the lettuce on individual salad plates. Place the hearts of palm in a fan shape on each plate of lettuce. Mound a portion of the chopped vegetables at each apex, and serve.

 

Makes 6 servings

Peppers—hot and mild, green, red, orange, yellow, and purple—all grow in happy profusion in the islands, and we're always looking for new ways to use them. This colorful and sophisticated salad has become a real favorite.

 

Slit the green portion of the leeks with a knife, and wash the leaves thoroughly under running water to remove all grit. In a pot, simmer the leeks gently in salted water for about 10 minutes, until they are just tender when pierced with a knife.

Whisk together ½ cup of the oil, the thyme, the garlic, the orange zest, the wine, and the salt and pepper in a bowl. Set the marinade aside.

Drain the leeks on paper towels. While they are still warm, place them in a shallow dish and cover them with the marinade. Allow them to sit for 1 to 2 hours at room temperature, turning them occasionally.

In a food processor or blender, whirl the olives, walnuts, rosemary, hot pepper, lemon juice, zest, and brandy. Don't overprocess them; the mixture should have some texture. With the machine running, gradually add the remaining oil. Set the sauce aside.

Prepare a charcoal fire for grilling, or preheat the broiler.

Broil the leeks and peppers, or grill them over charcoal, until they are charred. Put the peppers in a plastic bag, and leave the bag in the freezer while you prepare the leeks. Discard the burned leek leaves, and cut any large leeks in half lengthwise. Arrange the leeks cut side down on a plate, fanning out the leaves. Remove the peppers from the freezer, and peel them under running water. Cut them in half vertically, and remove the stems and seeds. Lay the grilled pepper halves between the leeks. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper. Place some of the tapenade in the center of the platter, and garnish the plate with fresh rosemary. Serve the salad at room temperature, with the remaining sauce in a separate bowl.

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

This can be served as a first course or as a salad. Either way, the sweet, salty, and tart flavors will dance on your taste buds.

 

To make the dressing, put the wine, water, and ginger into a saucepan, and bring them to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer the ingredients ½ hour.

Uncover the pan, raise the heat, and reduce the liquid until only ¼ cup remains. Pour it into a bowl, and let it cool. Add the vinegar, and whisk in the oil, salt, and pepper.

Arrange the lettuce on a platter or on individual plates. Place the papaya or melon slices on top. Sprinkle the prosciutto on top, and spoon the ginger vinaigrette over all. Garnish with the watercress or parsley and red pepper, and serve.

 

Makes 6 servings

If you have some of the wonderful tomatoes of summer so much the better, but even if your tomatoes are tasteless pink tennis balls, this treatment will give them a lift. We particularly like this dish as a prelude for barbecued, grilled, or roasted meat.

 

Combine the onions and tomatoes in a bowl. Add the salt and pepper, and chill the mixture well.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, parsley, and curry powder. Add the curry dressing to the tomato mixture, and mix well. Spoon the tomato-onion mixture onto lettuce leaves, and serve immediately.

 

Makes 6 servings

In the islands, we don't use papaya only when it's ripe; we also use it when it's green, much as you might use zucchini. Try this salad the next time your greengrocer is overloaded with underripe papayas. Select dark green papayas with no streaks of yellow, if possible.