Jamaican Fruit Cake

 (Non white rum version)

Ingredients

  • 2 cups organic butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 9 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon almond extract
  • 1 grated zest of one lime
  • 2 pounds chopped dried mixed fruit
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 1 cup dark molasses
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (or sifted whole wheat flour)
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 pinch salt

 

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 – 9 inch round cake pans. 
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, lime juice, vanilla, almond extract, and lime zest. Stir in mixed fruit, wine, and molasses. Sift together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, and salt. Fold into batter, being careful not to over-mix. Pour into prepared pans. 
  3. Bake in preheated oven for 80 to 90 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Ackee and Saltfish

Ackee and saltfish is Jamaica’s national dish.

 

INGREDIENTS:

Serves: 4

  • 1 Can of ackee, drained
  • 1/2 lb boneless salt cod
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 scotch bonnet pepper skin finely chopped up
  • 1 small tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 sweet pepper chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

  1. Soak the salt cod in a pot of water overnight to remove most of the salt. If the cod is still very salty, boil in water for 20 minutes. Drain cod and cut or break into small pieces.
  2. Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the onions, thyme and scotch bonnet pepper, tomato, and green peppers. Stir for a few minutes. Add the cod. Stir. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the can of drained ackee. Do not stir because this will cause the ackees to break up. Cook for a few more minutes then sprinkle with black pepper.
  3. Best served with bammy, roast breadfruit, fried or cooked dumplings, or fried or cooked plantains, cooked yams and Jamaican sweet potatoes.

Jamaican Rice & Peas

 

This is really a rice and beans dish, but in Jamaica, beans are called peas. 

Servings: Serves eight to ten

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves  garlic, smashed
  • 1/2-inch piece ginger, unpeeled, crushed with a mallet or the side of a knife
  • 10   whole allspice berries
  • 5 ounces  (3/4 cup) dried red kidney beans, picked over and rinsed
  • 1 can  (about 14 ounces) coconut milk
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons  kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon  cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 sprigs  fresh thyme
  • 1   scallion, root trimmed
  • 2 cups  raw long-grain rice
  • 1   fresh Scotch bonnet chile or habanero

Directions

  1. Tie the garlic, ginger, and allspice berries in a small cheescloth pouch. In a 3-quart ovenproof pot, combine the beans, coconut milk, and 3 cups of water, along with the tied spice pouch. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the beans are soft, 1-1/4 to 2 hours. If necessary, add more water during cooking to keep the beans covered.
  2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Add the salt, pepper, thyme, and scallion to the beans. Add the rice and enough water to cover the rice by about 1 inch (about 2 cups). Bring to a boil and add the whole chile; don’t break, crack, or cut the chile.
  3. Cover and bake until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the chile, thyme sprigs, scallion, and ginger-garlic pouch before serving.

Steamed Fish

My Version

 

INGREDIENTS :

  • 2.5 lbs fish
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 stalk scallion
  • 2 oz cooking oil
  • ½ cup water
  • apple cider vinegar (My choice)
  • 2 sprig thyme
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • salt and black pepper.
  • 5-12 Grains of Pimento
  • 1 large Onions
  • 1 whole scotch bonnet

Instructions:

  1. Wash fish with salt water or vinegar & water.
  2. Season fish with with garlic, salt and black pepper.
  3. Cut up tomato
  4. Sauté sliced onions in oil 
  5. Remove and place onions in a dish
  6. Stir fry scallion, thyme and all other vegetables in oil.
  7. Add water, & teaspoon Vinegar
  8. Allow spices to cook.
  9. Add fish, pimento and onions.
  10. Add 1 whole scotch bonnet (do not allow to burst – must have a stem)
  11. Simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked.