The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (32 page)

Preheat the oven to 425°. Place the beef in a roasting pan. Spread the mustard on the beef. Combine the peppers, allspice, thyme, and salt, and rub the seasonings into the beef. Roast the beef for 45 minutes.

Cover the beef loosely with foil, and continue roasting it until a meat thermometer inserted straight down from the top into the center registers 125° (for rare meat), about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven, and let the roast stand for 30 minutes before carving it.

To make the sauce, skim the fat from the pan juices, add the red wine, and deglaze the pan over medium heat, scraping up the brown bits. Boil the liquid until it is reduced by half, and transfer it to a saucepan. Add the broth and sherry, and boil the mixture 5 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Add this mixture to the pan, whisking to prevent lumps. Bring the sauce to a boil, and boil it for 1 minute. Season it with salt and pepper, and remove it from the heat.

Spoon a little sauce over each serving of meat. Serve the roast with Creole Horseradish Cream with Pecans (recipe follows).

 

Makes 8 servings

Stir together the sour cream, horseradish, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, beat the cream to soft peaks. Whisk the sour creammixture to soften it, then fold in the whipped cream and toasted pecans. Serve the horseradish cream with sliced roast beef.

 

Makes about 3 cups

If you can't find christophene, zucchini makes an excellent substitute.

 

Score the steak, and pound it slightly. Mix together the marinade ingredients. Place the steak in a shallow dish, and cover it with the marinade. Allow the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, turning it often.

To make the filling, put the christophene in a sieve, and lightly salt it. Allow it to stand for about 20 minutes, and then squeeze it to remove excess moisture.

In a large skillet, cook the sausage meat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat. Add the onion, and sauté another 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, and add the salt, egg, bread crumbs, almonds, and 3 tablespoons of the steak marinade.

Preheat the oven to 450°. Remove the steak from the marinade, reserving the remaining marinade. Place the steak on a large cutting board. With a sharp knife, split the meat horizontally from a long side, leaving about ½ inch at the opposite edge intact. Open the steak as you would a book. Place the steak between two layers of plastic wrap, and pound it with the flat side of a mallet to a uniform thickness.

Spread the christophene filling to within 1 inch of each side. Roll the steak jelly-roll fashion, and tie it with string to secure it. Place the meat in a shallow roasting pan, and baste it with some of the marinade. Roast it, basting and turning it occasionally, 20 minutes for rare meat, 35 minutes for medium-rare.

Allow the meat to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before cutting it into ½-inch slices. Arrange the slices on a warm platter, and garnish them with parsley and cherry tomatoes.

 

Makes 6 servings

We like to serve this dish on a deep-green bed of fresh spinach leaves that have been stir-fried briefly with oil, garlic, and minced ginger.

 

Heat the oil in a skillet, and sauté the garlic, green onions, and peppers for 2 minutes. Add the meat and spices, and brown the meat over high heat. Add the cilantro and coconut cream, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Do not overcook the meat, or it will toughen. Garnish with sliced red onions, and serve.

We named this recipe for the West Indian troops who fought valiantly in World War II. It would have been "His Majesty" then, but we've updated the name in deference to the current queen.

 

Cut the beef into cubes, removing the fat and bones. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy pot. Add the onions and sauté them until they are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon to a paper towel. Add the remaining butter to the pan, and brown the beef cubes. Return the onions to the pan, and add the ginger, sugar, salt, pepper, curry powder, and milk. Mix well. Cover the pot, and simmer the mixture over low heat 1 hour.

Add the coconut cream and grated coconut. Cover the pot, and cook thecurry 5 minutes. Gradually stir in first the lime juice and then the cream. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the beef is tender. Serve the curry on fluffy rice with the condiments.

 

Makes 10 servings

Tamarind pods are about 3 to 6 inches long and contain large seeds surrounded by a thick date-like pulp. The pulp is used to make tamarind nectar, and is a principal ingredient in Worcestershire sauce. This tamarind-flavored brisket, delicious served hot or at room temperature, makes a great picnic dish when thinly sliced and served on lettuce, as a salad, or on crusty rolls.

Tamarind fruit-drink concentrate is available in many Caribbean, Indian, and Latin American markets.

 

Make a paste by mixing together the garlic, cumin, cloves, hot pepper, and tamarind or prune juice and Worcestershire. Using the point of a sharp knife, cut slits all over the brisket, and stuff the paste into the holes.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy casserole or Dutch oven. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper, and brown it quickly on both sides in the hot oil. Drain off the oil, and add the beef stock, orange juice, onion, and bay leaf. Cover the pan, and cook the brisket over low heat for about 3 hours, or until the beef is tender. Skim off the fat. Slice the meat, and serve it garnished with watercress and orange slices.