The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (7 page)

If you have a young fishing enthusiast in your family, this is a great way to serve the catch of the day, since any small firm-fleshed fish can stand in for the fliers.

 

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks well. Add the garlic purée, lime juice and zest, pepper, salt, and vinegar. Whisk again. Slowly add the olive oil, a drop at a time, while whisking constantly. Continue until all the oil is incorporated and the sauce is thick. Fold in the herbs and capers. Refrigerate the sauce until you're ready to use it.

Prepare a fire for grilling, or heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 375° in a heavy pot.

In a bowl, stir together the flour and cornmeal. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Dip the fish in the egg wash, then coat them on both sides with the cornmeal mixture. Grill the fish over the hot coals for about 5 minutes, turning them once; or fry them in the hot oil for about the same amount of time, turning them once or twice, until they are golden on both sides.

Top each serving with a dollop of the aïoli.

 

Makes 6 to 12 servings

The slightly sweet plantains and salty caviar make a great combination in this elegant cross-cultural first course. Ripe plantains are dark yellow with black spots. To peel them, cut off their ends and score the skin lengthwise in several places.

 

Put the beans into a saucepan with the onion, garlic, salt, and water. Cover the pan, and bring the beans to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer the beans, covered for about 2½ hours, or until they are tender but not mushy. Remove the onion and garlic, and drain the beans well. Mash them with a fork.

Soak the plantain slices in salted water for 30 minutes. Drain the slices, and pat them dry with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a deep skillet. When the oil has reached 375°, add the slices of plantain. Fry them until they are golden, then drain them on paper towels. Press them with the back of a spoon until they are ¼ inch thick. Fry them again for 30 seconds, and drain them well on paper towels.

Place a row of hot plantain slicesdown the center of a plate, and lay stripes of the beans, sour cream, and two caviars on either side of them. Arrange red onion rings over the top, and serve.

 

Makes 6 servings

This vivid first course was created by one of our former chefs, Jeff Oakley, who used a variety of island ingredients to create a sizzling symphony of flavors.

The spiny lobsters found in the Caribbean have no claws, but the tail meat is lean, white, and firm-textured. For this recipe, frozen spiny-lobster tails, which are readily available in most supermarkets, work very well. Be sure to select solidly frozen packages that are stacked well below the freezer's frost line.

If you are using a live lobster, sever the spine by inserting a sharp pointed blade at the joint where the body and tail section join. Split the shell lengthwise from the head to the tail. Remove and discard the black intestinal vein and sac located near the back of the head.

 

To make the banana chutney, sauté the peppers, onion, and garlic in a skillet. Add all of the remaining ingredients except the herbs and bananas. Cook the mixture over low heat until it thickens, approximately 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and fold in the herbs and diced bananas. Let the chutney cool to room temperature.

Make the red pepper–mango sauce. If you are using fresh peppers, turn them over a low flame, using a long fork, until their skins are charred black. Put the peppers into a plastic bag, seal the bag, and let the peppers steam for about an hour.

Peel the skins from the peppers, and slice them. Remove the seeds.

If you're using pimientos, slice them.

In a heavy pan, boil together the red peppers, onions, white wine, and water until the liquid is reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Add the cream, and simmer until the mixture is thickened. Put the mixture into a blender or food processor, and whirl until the mixture is smooth. Add the mango cubes, and blend until the mango is completely incorporated. Season with the lemon juice and salt and pepper, and set the sauce aside.

Wrap the flour tortillas in foil. Heat them in the oven until they are warm. This will soften them and make them easier to roll.

Meanwhile, dust the lobster pieces lightly with Caribbean seasoning. Put the lobster into a hot pan with the lime juice and white wine. Cook the lobster until it is firm, about 5 minutes.

While the lobster cooks, gently reheat the red pepper–mango sauce. Stir the cold butter into the hot sauce until the butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated.

Cut the warm tortillas in half, and put approximately ¼ cup hot lobster meat on each half. Roll the tortilla half into a cone shape. Serve the cornucopias surrounded with banana chutney, chopped parsley, and red pepper–mango sauce.

 

Makes 6 servings

These Jamaican salt-fish fritters are popular throughout the Caribbean, where salt fish is a staple. Although salt fish will never win any fragrance awards—some compare its odor to that of a thirteen-year-old boy's gym locker—it tastes delicious.

 

Cover the salt fish with cold water, and let the fish soak 4 to 12 hours.

Drain the fish, then place it in a saucepan, and cover it with fresh cold water. Bring the water to a boil, and simmer the fish 15 minutes or until tender. Let it cool in the cooking water.

Combine the ingredients for the key lime sauce, and chill the sauce until you're ready to serve it.

Skin and flake the fish. Mix the flaked fish, green onions, peppers, and tomatoes in a bowl. Stir in the flour and baking powder, and add enough water to make a soft, sticky batter. Heat the oil to between 350° and 375°. Drop the batter by the teaspoonful into the oil. Fry the fritters, a few at a time, until they are golden brown. Drain them on paper towels, and serve them immediately with the key lime sauce for dipping.

 

Makes 6 servings