A Taste of the Caribbean

As I mentioned before, we celebrated my son's birthday at my Mom's house on Sunday. Also as mentioned before, I made a pirate cake. We thought it might be fun to do a Pirate's of the Caribbean theme for the night and do Caribbean food for dinner. Sure, my son only turned two. He, of course, didn't know any better. He would have been cool if we had hot dogs for dinner. But, we thought it would be fun for everyone else.

It was a really fun dinner--especially for this time of year. It was so refreshing to have something so different from all of the rich holiday meals everyone had been eating for the past few months.

If you associate pork with being tough and dry, you're not eating pork tenderloin. Pork tenderloin is so moist and tender. The pineapple relish that went with it was fantastic too. The side dishes were fun and easy too. Also, it was so nice to have tropical fruit and fruit dip on the side. Yum!

Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Fresh Pineapple Chutney

For more heat and spice flavor, use up to one tablespoon Easy Jerk Seasoning (recipe below). The chutney is also delicious over chicken and fish. You can sprinkle the seasoning over meat, chicken, or seafood, and grill, bake, or broil. It is even tasty over popcorn. Store in a jar or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces pork and about 1/2 cup chutney)

Ingredients:

Pork:

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (1 1/4 pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
2 teaspoons Easy Jerk Seasoning (recipe below)

Chutney:

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple (about 1/2 cored pineapple)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

To prepare pork, heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Rub pork with 2 teaspoons Easy Jerk Seasoning. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Place pan in oven; bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees (slightly pink). Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

To prepare chutney, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add pineapple and remaining ingredients. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve over the pork.

Nutrition information: Calories 276, Fat 9.8 g, Iron 1.9 mg, Cholesterol 97 mg, Calcium 25 mg, Carbohydrate 14.8 g, Sodium 377 mg, Protein 31.5 g, Fiber 1.6 g.

Source: Cooking Light, January 2006

Notes: We probably cooked the pork for an extra 5-10 minutes because my family doesn't tend to like really pink pork tenderloin. Don't worry though, it will still be juice and tender--even if it is a little more well done.

Easy Jerk Seasoning

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: about 1/2 teaspoon)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons apple-pie spice
1 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

Nutrition information: Calories 5, Fat 0.1 g, Iron 0.3 mg, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Calcium 6 mg, Carbohydrate 1.1 g, Sodium 71 mg, Protein 0.2 g, Fiber 0.4 g.

Source: Cooking Light, January 2006

Gallo Pinto (Beans and Rice)

This classic dish is breakfast fare in Costa Rica, but in the States, it's definitely for the main course.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients:

2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 bay leaves
1 cup uncooked long-grain parboiled rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/ teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
Tangy Tamarind Sauce (recipe below)
Bottled Pickapeppa sauce

Ingredients:

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir in the rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Discard the bay leaves. Set rice aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (onion through garlic); saute 5 minutes or until tender. Add rice, cilantro, and beans, and cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve with Tangy Tamarind Sauce or Pickapeppa sauce.

Nutrition information: Calories 136, Fat 2.9 g, Iron 2.1 mg, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Calcium 38 mg, Carbohydrate 23.7 g, Sodium 310 mg, Protein 5.2 g, Fiber 3.1 g

Source: Cooking Light, April 1995

Tangy Tamarind Sauce

Yield: 1 cup (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Tamarind Puree (recipe below)
6 tablespoons water
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 large jalapeno pepper, halved and seeded
1 garlic clove

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.

Nutrition information: Calories 5, Fat 0.0 g, Iron 0.1 mg, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Calcium 3 mg, Carbohydrate 1.1 g, Sodium 74 mg, Protein 0.1 g, Fiber 0.1 g

Source: Cooking Light, April 1995

Tamarind Puree

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package wet tamarind pulp (see notes below)
2 cups hot water

Directions:

Combine tamarind and hot water. Let stand 1 hour; then using your fingers or a fork, break tamarind into small pieces while it is still in the water. Let tamarind soak an additional 3 hours.

Press tamarind mixture through a sieve, reserving liquid; discard seeds and fibers.

Source: Cooking Light, April 1995

Notes: Tamarind and tamarind paste isn't very easy to find. You would probably have to go to a specialty store to find it. My mom asked someone at Harmon's and the person there said that usually, the closest you can find is dried apricots. Harmon's sure is a great store for stuff like that. The employees are really knowledgeable and helpful. The dried apricots made a great substitute. So, basically, you would soak the dried apricots in water and then mash them with a fork or throw the mixture (with the water) in a blender to puree it.

Cuban-Style Black Beans

Though it's tempting to rush a dish like this, the flavor improves with a slower cooking time. Packed with half of a day's fiber supply per serving, these luscious beans taste even better after a day in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cans (15 ounces each) no-salt-added black beans, drained
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 avocado, sliced

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes or until the onion softens.

Stir in the cumin and cook for 1 minute longer or until fragrant.

Add the beans and orange juice and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

With the back of a large silicone or wooden spoon, smash some of the beans into the sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Serve with the avocado on top.

Source: recipes.prevention.com, copyright 2007 Rodale

Caribbean Fruits with Key Lime Dip

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 fruit skewers and about 1/3 cup dip)

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) carton key lime pie fat-free yogurt (such as Breyers or Yoplait)
1 1/2 cups fat-free cream cheese
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1 cup mango cubes (about 1 medium mango)
1 cup fresh pineapple chunks or canned pineapple chunks in juice, drained
2 cups whole fresh strawberries
2 kiwifruit, peeled and cut into wedges
12 (6 inch) wooden skewers

Directions:

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until smooth.

Thread fruit alternately onto each wooden skewer. Serve skewers with dip.

Nutrition information: Calories 151, Fat 1.3 g, Cholesterol 6 mg, Calcium 158 mg, Carbohydrate 25.9 g, Sodium 329 mg, Protein 10. g, Fiber 2.9 g, Iron 0.6 mg

Source: Oxmoor House, January 2001

Notes: We skipped the skewers and simply used our forks to dip the fruit into the dip.



Laurie here: Might I add an entry to the Caribbean theme dinner? My hubby LOVES this dish. In fact he says it is one of his favorite things that I have ever made! I made it for him a long time ago and then lost the recipe! So I did a google search and found it. Good old google! Not sure if its exactly the same, but the concept is the same. It is pretty tasty. This picture isn't the greatest, because I snapped it right before hubby took a bite! It would be even better served with the tasty sides listed above and a nice tropical salad, but I am poor and we just had it with couscous and a regular salad.

Peanut Crusted Fish with Fried Bananas

• 2 unripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• two 6- to-8 ounce skinless flounder or orange roughy fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice plus lime wedges as an accompaniment

Peel the bananas and cut them lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a large ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, in the fat sauté the banana slices for 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden, and transfer them with a spatula to a plate. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle it with the cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Have ready in separate shallow dishes the egg beaten with the salt and the peanuts. Dip each fillet in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, and dredge it in the peanuts. To the skillet add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, heat it over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, and in it sauté the fillets for 3 minutes. Turn the fillets, top them with the banana slices, and sauté them for 2 minutes more. Drizzle the fish with the lime juice, transfer the skillet to the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven, and bake the fish for 5 minutes. Transfer the fillets with a spatula to 2 heated plates and serve them with the lime wedges.

NOTES: I used tilapia this time instead of orange roughy because of cost and it was still delicious. The first time I used orange roughy and it was even better.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peanut-Crusted-Fish-Fillets-with-Fried-Bananas-10409#ixzz1C5Ft7dcc