Cooking Tropical

 This is the time of year when many hit the islands, whether the Caribbean or the South Pacific. Unfortunately these are out of reach this year - however home chefs can recreate the islands' famed dishes easily in their kitchens. It's not quite a dinner on a balmy bay, but taste wise ti's close.

The Caribbean  has been one of the most desired winter getaways for over a century. There are around thirty four islands (not counting the tiny islets ) in the Caribbean Sea. It's  a cornucopia of different dishes from Europe, Africa , Asia and what's left of the indigenous culture.it is spicy but with spices easily found in everyone's spice rack. Most dishes include allspice, ginger, cinnamon,nutmeg, clove, garlic and paprika. An easy dish to recreate is rice and peas. This is really more rice and beans and is big in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Cook kidney beans in coconut milk with onion, garlic thyme and salt. The rice is added later and can be eaten on its' own or with jerk chicken. Jerk chicken is another tasty island dish.Jerk is a type of cooking found in Jamaica and can be applied to all sorts of meats. It starts with a marinade of  green onions, garlic, habeneros, and lime juice. To balance this brown sugar and thyme are also used. This is put into a food processor and pureed. The chicken is then placed in a plastic baggie with it for anywhere from three to twenty-four hours. The meat is then baked in a 375 degree oven for thirty minutes. You can also make the fiery Jamaican callaloo with kale or collard greens , tomatoes and Scotch Bonnet peppers. It's usually cooked with salted fish but you could also make it a side too.

On the other side of the world is the South Pacific. This is where islands have turquoise seas and warm balmy nights.It's also where luaus started. it;'s also where the first inhabitants came from the Asian mainland about 3,000 years ago. They brought such staples as bananas, coconuts, sweet potatoes yams and breadfruit. The Europeans later brought, beef, chicken and sheep along with carrots and turnip. Pigs were indigenous and they're a main attraction at all sorts of celebrations and dinner. Try Kalua pork which is a mix of shredded pork butt with cabbage and liquid smoke. You can make this in a slow cooker if you don't have the time.A side dish would be Polynesian cabbage wraps. It's red cabbage stuffed with shredded chicken, brown sugar, and soy sauce along with a host of spices such as chili powder and cumin.Pineapple, lime juice and peanuts top it off. This is the area of dozens of islands so fish and seafood are mainstays. Try French Polynesian shrimp in coconut vanilla sauce. It's a French influenced dish that has rum, cream, coconut milk and vanilla beans, The Tahitians also make their version of ceviche which has raw tuna being cooked in lime juice and then sprinkled with coconut milk. 

You don't have to travel to have good island food. You can easily make these at home. Enjoy them with a cool, frothy drink and pretend you're on the white sand beach beside a turquoise sea.