Week end cook out menu

Appetizers

Smoked herring pate/ Papita
Onion tartlets
Croustade de courgettes


Meats

Stuffed fillet of beef
Grilled chicken


Grilled crayfish
Meat stuffed papaya


 Red bell pepper and Mirliton salad
Grilled asparagus/ hollandaise sauce

Drinks
Soursop juice
Passion fruit juice

Dessert
Blanc mange/mango sauce
Snow cone (fresco) Syrup Tamarind

Tasso Tasso de boeuf

Tasso is an old method of preserving meat that is almost no longer used today; except in the country. It's one of our Taino Indians cooking heritage.
Tasso can be made of any kind of lean strip of meat heavily seasoned, dried and either fried or grilled, but never smoked. Although it can be used as a seasoning for vegetables and soups,its not like the famous Cajun tasso , but it's more of beef jerky type only not as chewy, tasso can also be used for sandwiches,salads and,pastas.
In Haiti Tasso is mostly made with beef or goat occasionally with turkey. The very distinctive and delicious flavor of the meat is carried on today in a modern version.

3 lbs of fresh brisket, flank steak, pot roast
cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inches slices
juice of 2 sour oranges
juice of 2 limes
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 scallions finely chopped
1 tabs of salt
2 scotch bonnet pepper chopped
4 sprigs of thyme
1tsp of ground cloves (yes this is correct, one teaspoon)
1 tsp of ground black pepper
1/4 of a cup oil

Place meat and the rest of the ingredients in a large plastic bowl, cover, let marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
When the meat is well marinated it can be put to dry in the sun for 2-3 days or until the meat is totally dried without any moisture and it will be ready for frying or grilling.
The other way to proceed is to place the meat in a pan , add enough water to cover it ( about 3 cups) boil until meat is cooked but not tender, because it's going to be cooked again. Drain meat , reserve the cooking broth to make sauce ti Malice. At this point it's ready for frying or grilling  Fry meat in hot oil quickly to obtain a nice golden color, but not too long so the meat doesn't dry up too much, or grill 3 inches from the fire to obtain a  golden color.
Tasso is usually serve with fried plantain, , avocado salad, acrats, red beans and rice, sauce ti malice, pickliz




Enjoy

Grilled crayfish

In the countryside of Haiti many streams and rivers are abound of  fish and crayfish, specially the Artibonite river. Around that river there is an abundance of crayfish ,  and the vendors are often on the road  offering their catch for sale.
Crayfish is delicious, but grilled crayfish is divine.
This recipe can be used as an appetizer or a main course serve with white rice, avocado salad and  sweet fried plantains.
If crayfish is not available you can substitute for shrimp

2 lbs of crayfish
1/4 cup oil to brush crayfish


For the sauce

3 tabs of butter
1/4 cup peeled, sliced shallots
4 cloves of garlic smashed
1 tabs of tomato paste
1 small green scotch bonnet pepper seeded and chopped finely
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
2 tabs of finely chopped parsley
1 tsp of finely chopped fresh thyme ( leaves only)
1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper
2 tabs dark rum
1/2 cup of stock

Brush crayfish with oil all over, place on hot grill for  one minute per side or until they turn into an orange color and the peel is charred.
Remove from grill , peel crayfish reserve shells. Place crayfish in a bowl, cover and put aside.
Place crayfish  peels in a small pot add one cup of water boil to reduce to half. Strain the broth and discard the peels.
In a medium size saucepan on medium heat melt the butter, add the shallots cook for a few minutes then add garlic, hot pepper and tomato paste, stir constantly for one minute add broth and the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, add crayfish. Remove from heat , cover , let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Avocado salad

Salads are the best accompaniments for barbecues because of their freshness, crispiness and lightness. Some of the most delicious salads of  just a  few  ingredients are sometimes the best.

Dressing:

1/4 cup of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic finely smashed
juice of one lime or lemon or
2 tabs of vinegar
1 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of black pepper
3 drops of Tabasco sauce

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients and put aside

Salad
3 ripe  avocados peeled and cut into  1 inch cubes
4 cups of cleaned watercress
1 medium red onion finely sliced
2 tabs of  chopped parsley

In a large plate place watercress , onion and lay avocado on top. Pour dressing  over salad, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.




Enjoy

Oysters on the half shell with herb butter

2 dozen of oysters
Mittens, towels, brush, and oyster knife



Herb butter
  
1 cup of salted butter
1 cup of cracker crumbs
2 garlic cloves smashed finely
2 tabs of lime or lemon juice
2 tsp of Tabasco sauce
2 tabs of finely chopped parsley
2 tbs of finely chopped scallions white parts  only
1 tsp of finely chopped thyme leaves only
Dash of nutmeg

Melt butter on a low heat in a small sauce pan. Add the rest of the ingredients  to the melted butter, stir for about 2 minutes.
 Remove pan from heat, cover  and put aside.

Under cold running water scrub and wash oysters. Discard any open ones
Place oysters bottom sides down on grill about 3-4 inches from the heat. Grill for 5 to 10 minuted depending on sizes. Remove as soon as they open , detached meat from shell with an oyster knife, cover with a 1/2 teaspoon of the herb butter and serve immediately with lime slices.




Enjoy

Happy 4th of july

Today's menu  is barbecue, grilling, grilling, grilling from meat to sea food , vegetables, fruits,and marshmallow there is no end to it.

Appetizers

Brochettes of goat
Grilled oysters on the half shell with herb butter
Chiquetaille de Morue


Grillades

Chops and Steaks
Grilled salmon or Pimentad
Burgers and Sausages


Tomato salad
Avocado salad

Grilled sweet potato
Grilled corn

Sea food gratin
Spinach souffle

Drinks

Water melon juice
Lemonade

Desserts

Grilled brochettes of Pineapple
Coconut Ice cream



Bon appetit

Grilled fish - Pimentad

This is a simple and delicious preparation for fresh small fish or fish fillets.
Made with sardines or other small fish, it can also be used as an appetizer.

12--15 cleaned sardines
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tabs of lime or lemon juice
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of ground pepper
1 Scotch bonnet peppers minced
1 tsp of finely chopped fresh thyme

In  a bowl mix all the ingredients, make a few diagonal slits on the fish and place them in the marinade for about one hour. Discard marinade, pat dry the fish, place on hot grill and cook 3-4 minutes on each side until skin is crispy and charred.

Sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tsp salt
 1/2 cup sliced shallots
2 Scotch bonnet peppers chopped finely
2 tabs finely chopped parsley
1 tsp of finely chopped fresh thyme

Mix all the ingredients and let marinade for one hour. Serve with fish.

Grilled chicken

We grill in Haiti with a  light sauce in which the meat was marinated ,that sauce is also used  to baste the meat while being cooked. It's more of a Churrasco (South America) style of grilling where no tomato based sauces are used and the food specially meats are constantly being brushed with butter and  marinade. The marinade,  after the cooking is done is usually cooked, reduced and served with  the  meat.

Grilled chicken

2  cleaned  (2- 21/2 lbs) chicken or
6 chicken breast  or
5 lbs chicken wings
1/2 cup of sour orange juice
1/4 cup of lime juice
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup of dry white  wine
1/2 cup of good dark rum
1 medium onion finely chopped
6 shallots sliced
3 scallions finely chopped
6 cloves of garlic  mashed
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1-3 red scotch bonnet peppers
2 tbs finely chopped fresh parsley
1tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1/4 tsp of nutmeg
Dash of clove
Grated zest of one lime
1 stick of butter
Place chicken in a large bowl pour rum  and spread it all over the meat .Add all the other ingredients excluding the butter and shallots.  Cover the bowl and let marinate at least four hours or overnight in the refrigerator, turn 2 or 3 times.
When ready to grill, remove meat from marinade and reserve , pat dry all the pieces of meat  brush with butter and cook, Baste time to time with butter and marinade. When meat is ready, remove from fire , put it away, cover to keep warm while making the sauce. Pour marinade in a small saucepan, add shallots,  cook for 10 -12 minutes. Reduce or add water to make about 2 cups of sauce and  serve  with the chicken.

Roast suckling pig ti cochon de lait grille

July 4th is a great American holiday that is enjoyed by everyone natives or not. It's not a Haitian Holiday, but in Haiti we do have  a lot of outdoor gatherings in the summer time, and roast suckling pig is a great favorite for outdoor cooking

The piglet can be roasted on the grill or in the oven. It's usually cooked whole and stuffed, but it can also be split to lie flat on the grill , by breaking the spinal bone with a meat cleaver from head to tail.  Whatever way you decide to prepare it, it should be marinated overnight.

Roast Suckling Pig

Marinade

1cup of rum
1 cup of sour orange juice
1/4 cup of lime or lemon juice
1/2 cup of oil
2 onions sliced
1 cup shallots sliced
1 heads of garlic crushed
6 cloves of garlic sliced
4 scallions minced
1/4 cup  of salt
2 Scotch bonnet pepper minced
1 tsp of whole peppercorn
1/2 tsp of ground cloves
2 tsp of ground black pepper
2 tbs of mustard
2 bay leaves  crushed
In a small bowl mix together all the ingredients except the rum and sliced garlic.

1--10 t0 15 lbs baby pig with the giblets

Place piglet in a tub remove the tongue and save , remove the eyes and discard, fill the tub with water add a cup of salt , 6 limes or lemons, 4 sour oranges and let soak at least one hour. Rub the skin with the lemons and sour oranges.   Rub inside the pig and and scrub the ears, nose, teeth and feet to remove any remaining dirt.
Rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a towel.
Place piglet and giblets back into the tub, sprinkle the cup of rum over it , let stand for about 10 minutes  then rub the  spices in and out of the body.  Stick the meat with a fork or inject the marinade with a cooking syringe , make some small slits on the skin around the legs and neck and insert the slices of garlic inside the holes and under the skin.  Remove the giblet with the tongue, put them in a bowl. Cover the piglet and refrigerate overnight. Turn a couple of times.

Stuffing

2 lbs of ground beef
1/2 lb of salted pork cut in 1/2 inch pieces
2 stalks of celery minced
1/2 cup of minced green bell pepper
1/2 cup of minced red bell pepper
3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
2 onions minced
2 leeks sliced very thinly
6 shallots sliced
4 scallions minced
6 cloves of garlic mashed
3 sprigs of thyme finely chopped
6 sprigs of parsley finely chopped
2 tbs mustard
1 tbs of tomato paste
1 Scotch bonnet pepper finely minced
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp of salt
1 tsp of ground black pepper
1/2 tsp of nutmeg
1 pinch of ground cloves
1 stick of butter or 1/2 cup
1/2 cup of Madeira wine
1/2 cup chopped raisins
2 cups of cooked rice
4 cups of bread crumbs

In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt the butter and sear the liver heart, lungs, kidneys,and tongue. Brown on all sides, remove from the pan and put aside.
Add salted pork and brown, then add all the vegetables  and spices and let them release their juices,  add ground beef and brown along with vegetables.
Put the giblet through a grinder or food processor and reduce it to a paste, once the ground beef has browned , return giblets to the pan, mix very well, add wine, continue to mix, check seasoning and remove from fire.
Divide stuffing into two equal portions, add the rice and raisins to one portion and the bread crumbs to the other. 
When ready to cook the piglet, remove from marinade, pat dry, fill the cavity with the rice stuffing,   tie  the legs, cover the ears with aluminum foil , make a ball with foil and put it in the mouth to keep it open during the cooking.  Brush the whole body with oil. Piglet should be cooked at 325- 350 covered for about 2 hours and uncovered during the last hour .  On a charcoal grill  fire must be red with a small layer of ash at all times . For electric grill cook at 300.

Traditionally sucking pig giblets are used to make a stuffing for small turnovers.  Buy  2 packets of good quality frozen puff pastry dough,  tow them and cut into desirable shape and  bake according to manufacturer's instructions.


Bon appetit

Hot shallots sauce

This hot sauce is an all purpose hot sauce, it can be used like pickliz with Fritay and all type of grilled meats or grilled or poached  fish . It's specially good with grilled barbecued conch.

1 cup of finely sliced shallots or red onions
1/4 cup of sour orange juice
juice of 1 lime
2-4 Scotch bonnet pepper chopped roughly
1 tsp salt

In a Small non reactive material bowl, place  all the ingredients , cover and let marinate for at least one hour.

After at least one hour,  strain the juice from the sauce , bring the juice to a quick boil and pour back over vegetables.

Let cool completely before serving.



Bon appetit

Picklise---Pickliz

Plickliz is a fresh made hot delicious relish found in every street stand in Port-au-Prince to be served with  Fritay.

It's made daily, and it shouldn't be confused  with the  preserve hot pepper pickle in the jar.

4 cups of thinly shredded white cabbage
2 medium carrots thinly sliced or roughly grated
1 small onion or 4 shallots thinly sliced
1--3 scotch bonnet peppers thinly sliced or
pounded to a paste which releases more flavor but requires more attention
1/4 cup of lime juice
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp of ground black pepper
few sprinkles of  MSG   (optional)

In a large  non reactive  material bowl, place cabbage, carrots, onions, peppers, mix well.

Sprinkle over  mixture, lime juice, salt , pepper and MSG if using. Mix thoughly and set aside for one hour before serving.

Some other crips vegetables are sometimes added to the pickliz like : sweet
green and red bell peppers , radishes, thinly sliced or chopped tomatoes and cucombers ,chopped parsley . They are all good as long as they are sliced very thinly . Use a mandoline.

It's a delicious refreshing relish  there is never enough to  go around.


Bon appetit

Grilled Conch -- Lambi boucane

Conch is another delicious food that we grill in Haiti, and grilling is one of the most delicious way to prepare Conch.

It is also very simple, because all you do is lay the clean fresh conch meat on a very hot grill, cook 1 minute on  each and  Voila.


ONLY FRESH CONCH SHOULD BE GRILLED


6 large  clean conch meat or
12 small ones
1/4 cup of olive oil (optional)

In a bowl place the conch meat, pour the oil over them or use a cooking brush to spread the oil over the meat. Lay each conch on a very hot grill.

By the time you've finished to place all the conch on the grill the first ones placed are ready to be turned on the other side.

And very quickly removed them from the grill,  and place  on  a serving plate . They should not be cooked more than a minute, otherwise they'll become tough.




Serve with Picklise   and  Hot shallots sauce.


Bon appetit