Jamaican Festival

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
3 tbsp. cornmeal
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 tsp. baking powder
2/3 cup water

Method

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cornmeal and combine
2. Add the sugar and stir
3. Add the vanilla to the water, and then add the mixture to the dry ingredients, binding to form a soft dough.
4. Knead lightly
5. Leave covered for about 1/2 an hour. Divide the dough into eight portions
6. Flour hands
7. Knead lightly, then roll and pull each portion to form a 6 inch x 1 1/2 inch length, about 1/8 inch thick.
8. Dip the festival in a mixture of cornmeal and flour then deep fry in hot oil until golden brown.

Tip: Serve with Jerk Chicken or Jerk Pork.

Jamaican Gizzada

Ingredients
2 cups grated coconut
1 tsp. Powdered ginger or
1 tbsp. Grated root ginger
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 lb brown sugar
1 pinch

Method
1. Combine all ingredients adding sufficient water to cook coconut (about 1/2-3/4)
2. Boil until very sticky (about 20-30 minutes)
3. Beat a little and drop by spoonfuls onto a greased tin sheet
4. Allow to set.

Jamaican Rum Cake

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/3 cup white rum
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Method
1. Grease and flour 10 inch bunt pan.
2. Place nuts in small bowl. Sprinkle over 1 tbsp. flour. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in egg yolks.
5. Mix in rum and fold in flour mixture.
6. In separate bowl whisk egg whites to stiff peaks, fold in to cake batter.
7. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Jamaican Carrot Juice

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup carrot juice
1/3 cup condensed milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. rum

Method

Blend all ingredients thoroughly.
Serve over ice with rum if desired.

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Ingredients
4 lbs. boneless chicken
6 stalks escallion
1 whole garlic
3 cinnamon leaves
2 ounces pimento (pounded)
1 tsp. nutmeg (grated)
4 hot peppers (scotch bonnet)
1/2 cup brown sugar
salt to taste

Method
Combine all ingredients (except chicken) to a paste and rub into chicken parts.
Place in a covered dish to marinate for an hour. Tip: to speed the process make several small slits in the chicken parts for it to soak faster.
Place meat on a grill over a slow charcoal fire to cook until meat becomes brown

Bonus: Serve up a tasty meal with hard dough bread or festivals.

Jamaican Tie-A-Leaf (aka Duckanoo or Blue Drawers)

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

1 lb. cornmeal
2 ounces flour
1/2 lb. sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. molasses
2 tsps. vanilla
2 1/2 cups coconut milk or skimmed milk

Method

1. Blend all dry ingredients and grated coconut thoroughly. 
2. Mix together coconut/skimmed milk, molasses and vanilla.
3. Add mixture to dry ingredients stirring briskly
4. Place 1/2 or 1 cup of the mixture into quailed banana leaves or aluminium foil; wrap, gift wrap style and tie with twine or banana bark. OR Pour 1 cup of mixture into cooking bags and tie the bags with twine.
5. Put the small parcels into boiling water, enough to cover and cook for 40 minutes or until done.
6. Add grated coconut for extra bite in flavor. 

Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 ozs. cornmeal
1 pint water
4 tbsp. brown sugar or
2-3 tbsp condensed milk
1/2 cup skimmed milk powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated nutmeg or powder
1/4 tsp. salt
*Bay/Cinnamon leaf

Method

1. Mix cornmeal with a little water. Bring remainder of the water to boil with salt and Bay/Cinnamon leaf. 
2. Stir in mixed cornmeal. Continue cooking for about 7-10 minutes. 
3. Mix skimmed milk powder with an additional 1/2 cup water and add to porridge. 
4. Sweeten to taste and add vanilla and nutmeg.

Bonus: Serve with tough crackers (aka water crackers) or hardough bread for dipping.