Jamaican Chicken Back Soup

Ingredients

8 cups water
4-5 chicken backs
1 pack grace cock noodle
1 Sweet Pepper (Orange or Yellow)
4-6 small Irish potatoes 
1 piece of yam 
And additional ground provision as desired (sweet potato etc.)
2 stalks escallion
2 sprigs thyme
1 large carrot
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 clove garlic
pimento seeds
Wheelers/ Dumplings
salt to taste

Method

1. Put water in large soup pot
2. Chop and add garlic, pepper, thyme, escallion, pimento and bring to rapid boil.
3. Add chopped chicken back and let cook for hour until almost cooked
4. Blend sweet pepper add to pot and bring to boil 
5. Then add chopped carrots, potato and yam etc.
6. Make and add wheelers/ dumplings 
7. Stir thoroughly and add cock noodle soup for final 20 minutes or until all ingredients are cooked.
8. Taste and season accordingly.

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.

Christmas Ham Breakfast Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 4

8 Large eggs
4 slices white or whole wheat bread
2 tbsp. butter for buttering bread
6 slices wafer thin ham cut in small pieces
4 oz. cheddar cheese (grated)
1 finely chopped sweet pepper
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped tomato
1 small can pineapple chunks (optional)
salt and black pepper

Method

1. Butter the bread and cut the slices into quarters. 
2. Arrange the bread in a glass baking dish with cover.
3. Tuck the ham slices between the bread
4. Crack the eggs into a jug, add the milk and seasoning
5. Beat together with a wire whisk, then pour over the bread, pressing down so it can absorb milk
6. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and turn.
7. Add cheese and return to oven baking for 10 minutes
8. Let cool and serve with tomato and lettuce.

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Stuffed Christmas Roaster

Ingredients

1 Roaster Chicken
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
5 gloves garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped
Roaster gizzard & liver from the giblet pack

Stuffing

2 tbsp. honey
3 rashers bacon, cut into small pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 cup stale bread, cubed
1/3 cup raisins
1 cup pumpkin peeled and cubed
1 cup irish potato peeled and cubed
1 sprig thyme
1/4 cup chopped escallion or parsley

Method

1. In a pan covered with water, boil gizzard and liver until tender (about 1 hour)
2. Place bacon in a cold pan, turn heat on medium and sear the fat for 5 minutes
3. Turn heat to medium high, add onions, chopped gizzard and liver. Cook for 4 minutes
4. Remove from stove, add bread, raisins, thyme and pumpkin. Allow to cool slightly.
5. Mix salt, black pepper, chopped garlic, onion, soy sauce, scotch bonnet pepper and honey
6. Season inside and outside of roaster with seasoning mixture
7. Lightly pack the stuffing into the cavity of the bird
8. Place in preheated oven (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for approximately 2 hours until juices run clear.
9. Garnish and display on platter

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 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.

Escoveitched Fish

2lbs fish
1/4 cup flour
oil for frying
Escoveitch Sauce:
1cup vinegar
1cup water
a pinch of salt
1tsp sugar
1cup julienne strips of chochos and carrots
2-3 medium size onions, cut into rings
hot pepper to taste
6 pimento grains


Steps:
1. Prepare fish for frying
2. Lightly dust with flour
3. Fry fish in 1/2 inch deep oil
4. As soon as flesh is opaque, fish is ready. Set aside
5. Boil 1 part of water with 1 part of vinegar with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar.
6. Add julienne strips of chocho, carrots, hot pepper to taste, some pimento grains and onion rings
7. As soon as liquid boils, pour over fried fish. This is done the  day before it is eaten and it is not kept in the refrigerator.
(Serves 4-6)