The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (33 page)

 

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Because it contains an enzyme ca-Iftvpable of digesting protein, papaya is used as a meat tenderizer and as a digestive aid. Using papaya pulp in this marinade assures that your meat will be tender.

 

Heat the oil in a skillet, and sauté the onion and garlic over low heat until they are tender. Add the papaya purée or nectar, curry powder, vinegar, brown sugar, and salt and pepper, and mix well. Remove the skillet from the heat, and let the mixture cool. When the marinade is cool, put the meat into a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over. Marinate the meat for 4 to 8 hours.

Prepare a charcoal fire for grilling, or preheat the broiler. Drain and reserve the marinade. Thread the meat and fruit on skewers, and grill or broil them, basting often with the reserved marinade.

Remove the meat and fruit from the skewers, and serve them hot on a bed of fluffy rice.

 

Makes 6 servings

In the Sugar Mill dining room we never serve our steaks nude except by special request. We like to enhance them with butters and sauces in such intriguing flavors that even a devout meat-and-potatoes diner will appreciate them. By the way, all of these butters work equally well on hamburgers, and the Lemon Butter is delicious on grilled fish and on chicken breasts.

After you've mixed your butter, put it on a piece of waxed paper, and form the butter into a cylinder, wrapping it in the waxed paper. Refrigerate or freeze the butter until it is firm. When you are ready to serve, slice the butter into ½-inch rounds, and set one on top of each just-cooked steak.

Combine the shallots, parsley, vinegar, tarragon, and pepper in a food processor, and mince them by turning the machine on and off several times. Add the butter, and blend well.

Combine the Madeira and shallots in a heavy saucepan. Boil them over high heat until the liquid is reduced to 3 tablespoons. Add the cream and stock, and boil until the mixture is reduced to 1½ cups. Blend the butter, blue cheese, and mustard in a food processor. Whisk the butter mixture into the hot Madeira mixture about 2 try tablespoons at a time. Simmer the mix ture until it is creamy, about 3 minutes. Strain it, and season it with salt and hot red pepper flakes. Let the butter cool to room temperature, then spoon it onto your steaks.

Put all the ingredients into a food processor, and whirl them until they are well combined.

pieces

Put all the ingredients except the butter into a food processor, and whirl them until they are well minced. Add the butter, and continue processing until the mixture is smooth.

Blend all the ingredients, by hand or in a food processor.

Avocados were once known around the Caribbean as "midshipman's butter" or "poor man's butter" because they are so abundant here in the islands. No one would ever call this a poor man's dish, however, although it takes advantage of our profusion of both avocados and peppers.

Roast the peppers over a grill, in a 450° oven, or over a gas flame until the skins blacken and blister. Put the peppers into a plastic bag, and refrigerate them for 30 minutes. Then peel off the peppers' skins.

 

Prepare a fire for grilling.

Put the peppers into a saucepan with the shallots, tomato paste and white wine. Over high heat, reduce the mixture by half. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor, and purée it. Return it to the saucepan, and add the heavy cream, sugar, and salt and pepper. Boil the mixture until it is reduced to a sauce consistency.

To make the avocado butter, blend the butter with the herbs, shallots, and lime juice in a food processor until the contents are well combined. Add the avocado cubes, and continue processing until the mixture is smooth. Form the butter into a cylinder, wrap it in waxed paper, and refrigerate or freeze it until it is firm.

Season the meat with salt and pepper, and grill it until it is done to your taste. Spoon the sauce onto plates, place the tenderloins on top, and add slices of avocado butter. Serve immediately.

 

Makes 6 to 12 servings

Oranges, both sweet and sour, grow luxuriantly in our tropical climate. When buying oranges, choose those that are heavy for their size and have a thin rather than thick peel, as they will be juicier.

 

Put the cutlets between two layers of plastic wrap, and pound them with the flat side of a mallet to a uniform thickness. Season the flour with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, and shake off the excess. Add the cutlets to the pan (do not crowd them), and cook them 30 seconds on each side.

Discard the pan drippings. Add ¼ cup orange juice to the skillet, and boil it, scraping up the browned bits, until it is reduced to a glaze, about 1 minute. Add the remaining orange juice and sage. Season with salt and pepper. Boil the mixture until it thickens and just coats a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Pour in any juices accumulated from the veal. Transfer the veal to heated plates, spoon the sauce over, and sprinkle with fresh sage or parsley. Serve immediately.

 

Makes 6 servings

Abouquet of bright vegetables tops tender slices of veal in this dish. Substitute chicken breasts or turkey for the veal, if you like.