Barbados

I like Caribbean cuisine. It is somewhat exotic but not overwhelmingly so. The Bajan cuisine that I cooked this week has influences from all over the world: European, African, West Indian and, of course, Caribbean region. This multicultural mix becomes especially apparent with the names of traditional Bajan dishes: coucou, rice and peas, pelau, macaroni pie, etc. Many of the traditional dishes are also the representatives of “comfort food” being simple, rich and satisfying.

Bajan Fried Fish
It’s just fried fish but it’s not just any fried fish. The secret is in the marinade. Matthew who usually doesn’t like fish very much was very pleased and had seconds. The original recipe is not specific about the amount and composition of spices and seasonings for the marinade, so I had to be a little creative. Here is how I’ve done it.

Seasoning Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 tbsp of mustard (I used Trader Joe’s mustard)
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground red pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp salt

Main Ingredients

  • Fish fillets cleaned and pat dried (I selected cod fillets for this recipe)
  • 2 limes
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup flour
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp white pepper
  • Oil for frying

Extract juice from limes to a large bowl and add fish fillets. Marinade for about half an hour. Meanwhile, in a food processor combine seasoning ingredients and an egg. Blend. Take the fish out of the lime marinade and pat dry. Now, put the fish into the egg and seasoning mixture. Let it marinade for another half an hour. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the flour, breadcrumbs, white pepper, paprika and a salt (other spices could be added here as well).

Heat some oil in a large frying pan. Shake off excess marinade from fish fillets and coat them in the breadcrumb mixture. Fry the fish over the medium/high heat for a couple of minutes on each side or until done. Take off the heat and place on a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Serve hot over pigeon peas and rice.

Bajan Fried Fish

Curry Chicken Salad
I looked at the recipe of the curry chicken salad I found on one of the websites about Bajan cuisine and decided to make it. It is simple and yet very unusual, especially compared to American style chicken salads.

Ingredients

1 lb cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1/4 cup of mayonnaise
1 cup peeled & chopped apple
1/4 cup of celery, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup red seedless grapes
1/4 cup roasted almonds
1 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients, mix and place in a fridge for about half an hour to allow the flavors to develop. That’s it. Enjoy!

Curry Chicken Salad

Curry Chicken Salad

Macaroni with Beef Casserole
This dish was a huge success. Alex couldn’t stop eating it. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb lean ground beef
  • 16 oz elbow or other macaroni
  • 1 Large onion, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup green beans
  • 1 lb mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of half and half (or heavy cream)
  • 2 cups cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Brown ground beef. Remove from a pan and keep warm. Sauté onion and mushrooms in just one tbsp of olive oil until juices evaporate and mushrooms start to brown. Add seasonings to taste. Meanwhile, cook macaroni as directed. Combine meat, cooked noodles, and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add sour cream and half-and-half. Mix well. Add mixture to a casserole dish and top with cheese. Bake in oven at 350ºF for 20 minutes or until done.

Macaroni with Beef Casserole

Macaroni with Beef Casserole

Bajan Pineapple Pie
I started to judge the success of a dish that I prepared by the quantity of its leftovers. Based on that scale, the Bajan Pineapple Pie receives 1.5 out of 5 (which means that it spend about a week in the fridge :)). It’s a pity because I kind of liked its fresh and tangy taste.

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