Jamaican Christmas Ham Recipe

Ingredients
1 7lb smoked pre cooked ham
Whole cloves

Glaze:
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2tbsps guava juice
2 tbsps honey
3 tbsps brown sugar
1tbsp lime juice
Pimento

Decoration: 
Maraschino Cherries
Pineapple Slices or Chunks
Toothpicks

Method

• Heat oven to 350 F
• Clean up ham removing extra skin and fat
• Use a sharp knife to make criss cross design in ham
• Please cloves in the sections where the lines intersect 
• Place ham in a roasting pan lined with foil with fattier side facing up
• Combine the ingredients for the glaze in a bowl and pour over the ham
• Bake ham at 350 F for 45 minutes, basting every 15 minutes.
• Cool ham for 15 minutes before slicing 

Serves: 10 people

Photo Credit and Ham Design Inspiration: Grace foods...until I put up my own pic. :D

Jamaican Coconut Ginger Bun

We're in Lent inching towards Easter which means alot of bun and cheese as Jamaicans reflect on the life and death of Christ. If you're tired of the same ole traditional buns here's a DIY coconut inspired recipe to try. If you do, leave a comment below to let us know how it turned out!

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup Grace coconut milk
3 tbsps grated ginger
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 cups flour
3 tsps. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsps. cinnamon powder
2 cups grated coconut
1 cup soaked raisins
3 whole green cherries
3 whole red cherries

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C and grease a loaf/bun pan.

2. Beat egg and vanilla then add Grace Coconut Milk, melted margarine, grated ginger and sugar. Mix well until all the sugar granules are dissolved.

3. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, shredded coconut and soaked raisins.

4. Add half the dry ingredients to the liquid mixture and mix then add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix well.

5. Scrape the batter in bun tin then decorate with green and red cherries.

6. Put to bake for about 1 hour.

*Recipe adapted from original Grace foods recipe book published in the Jamaica Observer.

Jamaican Hominy Corn Porridge

Ingredients

1 Cup Hominy Corn

2 cups Coconut milk 

3-5 cups water

3-6 tablespoons cornmeal (depending on desired thickness) 

6 tablespoons water

½  tsp. salt

Brown sugar to taste

½ cup Condensed Milk

1 tsp nutmeg to taste

1 tsp vanilla to taste

Cinnamon to taste

Method:

1. Put the Hominy corn in a slow cooker and fill with 3-5 cups water and leave for 3-4 hours. The Hominy corn should be completely covered with enough water if you are leaving it overnight. Add a teaspoon of salt to taste.  
2. Once the hominy corn is cooked drain the water and set aside.
3. Pour coconut milk in a large pot.
4. Pour the Hominy corn into the large pot with the coconut milk. Continue to cook on a medium burner for 2-4 minutes.
5. Mix the 2 tablespoons of cornmeal and 6 tablespoons of water together until combined. 
6. Pour the flour cornmeal mixture into the pot and stir
7. Add the condensed milk
8. Add sugar to taste
9. Add vanilla to taste 
10. Stirring constantly to prevent lumping.
11. Sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon to taste
12. Continue cooking and let it simmer over low heat for 2-4 minutes.

Serves 4

Christmas Black Cake

Ingredients

1/2 lb butter
1 tsp. almond flavouring
6 ozs. bread crumbs
1 tbsp. mixed spice
1/2 lb granulated sugar
2 tsp. lime or orange rind
4 cups mixed fruits (raisins, currants, prunes, citron,
 cherries, dates)
6 ozs. flour
1 cup white rum
1 tbsp. browning
6 eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 pint red label or port wine
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Method

1. Prepare tin by lining insides with grease paper. Grease with butter.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in browning, vanilla and almond flavouring, lime juice and rind.
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat in well. Add soaked fruits, cherries, dates and nuts.
5. Mix breadcrumbs, flour, baking powder, salt and mixed spice.
6. Add alternately, rum and port wine.
7. Pour into prepared baking tin and bake at 250°F (125°C) for about 2 hours.

Yield: 4 lb cake

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 Stew Peas

Ingredients
1 pint kidney beans (red peas or fresh gungo peas)
1/2 lb salted pig's tail, cut up
1/2 lb salt beef stew, cut up
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
6-8 whole pimento berries
1 whole green Scotch bonnet pepper
2 stalks scallion
1-2 carrots cubed
Sprig of thyme
2 cups coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Soak peas in five cloves of garlic to soften and flavor (preferably overnight)
2. Soak pig's tail in enough water to cover up to 3 inches above meat (preferably overnight).
3. Place pig's tail and peas together in a large saucepan with enough water to cover, add coconut milk and simmer for about two hours or until soft.
4. Add thyme, scallion, whole Scotch bonnet pepper, carrots, pimento berries, ginger, garlic, tomato ketchup. (Spinners may be added at this time.)
5. Cook until flavours are mixed for approximately 30 minutes. Serve hot with plain rice, freshly sliced tomatoes, fried ripe plantain, and a slice of avocado pear to get the perfect meal.

Corn Fritters

1lb can whole kernel corn
1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2tbsp sugar
2 eggs beaten
milk
oil for deep frying


Steps:
1. Drain can of corn and save liquid
2. Make up liquid from can to 1cup with milk. Set aside.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
4. Combine beaten egg, milk mixture and corn.
5. Add to dry ingredients and mix just until flour is moistened.
6. Drop batter by tbsp into hot oil (375ºF)
7. Fry until golden brown, (about 3minutes)
8. Drain on paper towel.
9. Serve with warm maple syrup.
(Serves 18)