A Taste Of The Caribbean

There's nothing like an escape to the West Indies during the cold winter.However if you can't get away you still can have a taste of the tropics.Nothing is as fun and even fiery than island cooking.It's a great way of taking a break from the ordinary winter foods. Caribbean cooking is a fusion of African,Amerindian,European along with East Indian,Arab and even Chinese.Most of the island dishes have plantains, beans, cassava along with chick peas, coconut and tomatoes.Most people known only Jamaican and Puerto Rican cuisine however there are some good dishes from the other islands such as Trinidad and Cuba.One popular and easy to make dish is jerk.You can make it with the traditional pork and chicken but if you want to try London broil or flank steak this way you can.Some recipes call for that killer pepper ,the Scotch Bonnet however it is truly lethal.You can make a milder version with thyme ,allspice along with cinnamon and even cloves.Rub this on the meat and let it marinate overnight.Since the Caribbean is also all islands ,then serve up a sunny red snapper coked with coconut milk. The islands are chock full of different veggies and fruits. For fun think about fried plantains .These banana cousins are good sliced thin like potato chips and then deep fried.Another dish is a curried chickpea stew that's bbig in the East Indian influenced regions .Another side is the whimsically named callaloo. A traditional recipe that calls for amaranth ,you can sub in spinach and okra to make this verdant and healthy sides.Rice is a must have in all Caribbean cooking.You can mix it with any kind of beans for a tasty side.Another is mofongo ,a mash of plantains and garlic that's liberally laced with pork strips and crackling .Finish your meal with a coconut based dessert,whether ice cream or cake. A night of Caribbean food is a nice getaway from typical winter food.It has the bright colors and intense flavors of the islands.Plan a fun dinner and enjoy a culinary tropical getaway.