Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae Sauce

Reggae Reggae Jerk BBQ sauce is one of the most versatile ingredients/condiments you can find today. It can be used to flavour casseroles, spice up stir-fries, as a marinade, as a dip and as a table sauce. It is fairly sweet, spicy and with strong overtones of ginger and onion. Quite a complex flavour and difficult to describe. I don't find it particularly hot but the children prefer it in small amounts. One child enjoys it mixed with a little mayo and calls it 'spicy chipdip'.

My partner is not so keen on the ginger, as he thinks it is a little overwhelming. If you like a gingery zing, and I do, then you'll enjoy Reggae Reggae.

Reggae Reggae Sauce is now stocked by most major supermarkets and even my small local Spar store stocks it occasionally.

It seems that this recipe is one of the most sought-after at the moment. I have taken it from the current BBC programme, "Caribbean Food Made Easy".

Levi does not often specify quantities so you will have to judge for yourself and go by your own tastes and preferences. I'll do my best to guess at the amounts he has used. Please read the recipe right through as the ingredients are listed as they are added.

*600g or 1.5lbs stewing beef cut into 1cm or 1/2 inch pieces
*Thyme - a few sprigs
*Pimento or allspice seeds - about 7
*Garlic - 4 roughly chopped cloves
*Bayleaves - 4/5
*Ginger - a 4cm/1 inch piece, roughly chopped
*One medium onion, sliced
*0.5ltr/1 pint of beef stock/broth - you will have to use your judgement here; you may need a little more.

Put all ingredients into flameproof pan, cover and bring to a rolling simmer. Turn the heat down a little so the stew simmers along briskly without boiling over.

Next:

*Yams or waxy potato - looks like one large yam cut into large chunks. Levi's look huge - at least 4-5cm/1 1/2 - 2 inch cubes, maybe slightly larger.
*Sweet potatoes - 2 or three average size ones, again chopped as above.
*Butternut squash - one small to medium chopped as above.

Add to the stew already in the pan.

Then add the following:

*1 tin butterbeans
*1 tin coconut milk
*a fistful of callaloo or fresh spinach
*1 - 2 scotch bonnet peppers, deseeded and chopped. If you prefer it really hot, leave the seeds intact. Be careful not to rub your eyes!

*Bash two spring/green onions, leave whole and pop them in too, folding them if needs be.

Leave stew to carry on simmering while you make the Spillers Dumplings.

*You will need approximately 3 heaped tablespoons of plain flour and a pinch of salt. Add enough water to make a soft-textured dough. Remember, start with less than you think you need. It needs to be kneaded well to get the correct consistency.

Divide the dough up into small sausages as long as the width of your hand and about 1.5cm/1/2 inch thick. Add them to the stew.

Season the stew with black pepper.

Allow your stew to simmer until the dumplings are cooked - I think they should be like pasta.

Serve in bowls and enjoy!

This recipe, and another 99 'deliciosious' ones like it, are in Levi's book, Caribbean Food Made Easy.

These are the basic ingredients which will put sunshine in your soul and music in your food.

*Thyme - fresh or dried - easy to grow so why keep a pot outside your kitchen door?

*Coriander - you can buy it in the pot to keep on your windowsill. Won't last long as you'll be adding it to everything.

*Garlic - try some different varieties - have you used 'wet garlic'?

*Ginger - buy lots and make ginger tea... very good for you. Cut into 1 inch cubes and freeze. Can be grated or chopped a few minutes after taking it out of freezer.

*Scotch bonnet peppers - very hot, but don't limit yourself to one variety of chilli; experiment.

*Bayleaves - dried are more flavoursome.

*Allspice or pimento seeds - buy whole or ground.

*Whole nutmeg - you'll need a grater.

Additionally, keep a couple of tins of coconut milk, some pulses (black beans and butterbeans) in the cupboard and some onions, sweet potatoes, yams and a squash in the veg rack. I would also recommend some virgin coconut oil, if you can get some. It adds a delicious taste to all kinds of Caribbean and Asian dishes, and keeps for up to 2 years.

And don't forget a bottle of Reggae Reggae Sauce!

Ingredients
You will need:

* One small/med pumpkin or butternut squash
* Two sprigs of (or two tsp dried crushed) thyme
* 450 grams of basmati rice (washed several times to remove starch - Levi says twice, I say seven times!)
*Pinch of salt

Dice the pumpkin into small cubes, put in pan with plenty of water. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
Roughly smash the pumpkin in the water.
Add the rice and salt, bring to the boil and simmer slowly until rice is cooked. You may have to drain off any remaining water.
Serve with a big knob of butter, a sprinkle of coriander and your favourite Caribbean dish.

Thanks to Hoodrat for the photo.

Serves 4

* 1 kilo/2lbs Chicken thighs/ drumsticks
* 1 Bunch Spring/green onions
* 1 Bottle Reggae Reggae Jerk BBQ Sauce
* 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (personally I would use coconut oil)

* Heat the oven to 200C/390F
* Heat the oil in a baking tray and carefully add the chicken pieces. Brown lightly on each side
* Pour over the Reggae Reggae sauce and try to coat each piece of chicken.
* Place in the oven and cook for approx 40 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure the chicken gets nice and sticky.
* Serve with rice & peas
* Well done - you've just put some music in your food!

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into 1cm (½in) dice
150g (5 ½oz) carrots, cut into 1cm (½in) dice
300g (10 ½oz) butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1cm (½in) dice
4tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
4 spring/green onions, finely chopped
200g (7oz) can sweetcorn, drained
100g (3 ½oz) orange cheese (such as Double Gloucester), grated
2-4 tsp salt

For the patty pastry:
225g (8oz) plain flour
1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
Pinch of salt
115g (4oz) cold butter, cut into small cubes
½ egg, lightly beaten, to glaze

1. Put the flour, turmeric and salt in a bowl and rub in the butter. Add 4-5 tbsp water and mix. Roll into a ball and chill for 30 mins.
2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, 400ºF or gas 6.
3. Put the pepper, carrots and squash in a saucepan with a small amount of just-boiled water. Cover and cook for 4 mins. Drain, put in a bowl and mix with all the other ingredients, except the pastry and beaten egg. Leave to cool completely.
4. Cut the pastry into 6 or 8 pieces, depending on whether you want larger or smaller patties. Roll the first piece out into a large circle, with the pastry about ½cm thick. Put an eighth of the filling (or a sixth, if making 6 patties) on one side of the pastry, leaving about 1cm around the edge. Brush the edge with some of the egg glaze. Fold the other half of the pastry circle over the filled half and press the edges together to seal, using a fork to crimp the edges.
5. Brush the patties with the remaining beaten egg glaze, place on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and cook in the oven for 25 mins or until nice and golden on the outside as well as on the inside.

This recipe is taken from Levi Roots' Caribbean Food Made Easy, £17.99, Mitchell Beazley

* Grill your favourite British sausages to perfection, slit them lengthways without cutting all the way through, hold them open and douse with Reggae Reggae. Fabulocious!

* Add a couple of tablespoons to your favourite ground beef recipe - it will add a zing to spaghetti sauces and a delightful piquancy to cottage pie.

* Mix with mayonnaise for a spicy surprise dip - lovely with carrot sticks and bell peppers.

* Spread on chicken and steaks towards the end of barbecue cooking - don't put on too early or it will burn and blacken.

* Use as a salad dressing - mix with crispy bacon bits for extra yummyness. Or be really brave; try mixing with a little Balsamic or lemon juice and a teaspoon of honey and make a salad dressing to make your lettuce heart sing.

* I've seen lots of people saying that they love it in or on scrambled egg. Levi also suggests trying it with eggs.

*Cheese on toast; try spreading the toast with Reggae Reggae or Love Apple sauce before putting the cheese on and grilling. Yumbo.

*Read the Twitters below and see what other people are doing with their Reggae Reggae Sauce.

Serves 3 - 4

4 chicken breasts, chopped into 1 inch cubes
1/4 med white cabbage or Chinese leaves
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped finely
1 red pepper (capsicum), sliced into strips
1 scotch bonnet chilli, de-seeded and chopped finely
4 tablespoons of Reggae Reggae Sauce

Use a large skillet with a lid

Brown the chicken slightly in butter or coconut oil
Add everything else.
Turn the heat down and allow to 'steam-fry' for 40 minutes. You can, if you prefer, keep the heat up and stir fry it quickly but I prefer the cabbage to be tender.

Serve with rice or noodles.

Mixed it up any way you like:

Finely chopped onions, sweet red pepper (capsicum), cherry tomatoes and a tablespoon of Reggae Reggae. Maybe a splash of lime juice? Or how about balsamic vinegar?

Serves 3 - 4
Jamaican Rice and Peas Serves 6

You need:

* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 1/2 large onion, chopped
* 2 scotch bonnet peppers, deseeded and chopped finely (if you prefer less heat, then just use one)
* 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 450g/1lb Basmati or long grain rice
* 1 x 450g/16oz tin gungo beans, black beans or red kidney beans or whatever beans you prefer (no, not baked beans in tomato sauce!). Make sure they are rinsed.
* 960ml/32fl.oz. chicken stock

1. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan until hot. Add the rice and sauté until opaque.

2. Add the scotch bonnet pepper, garlic, and onion and fry for a few more minutes; don't allow the rice to get too brown.

3. Stir in the beans and stock, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat then simmer, uncovered until the liquid is slightly below the surface of the rice and holes form in the rice.

4. Cover the pan tightly and cook over a very low heat for 20 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.

5. Remove from the heat and allow to stand, still covered for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Tip: to make a golden rice add a teaspoon of turmeric when you add the stock.

Ingredients

* 100g spicy sausage (such as chorizo or salami), diced and casing removed, if necessary
* 2 tbsp vegetable oil
* 4 skinless chicken thighs, about 500g in total
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
* 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
* ½ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
* 200g long-grain rice
* 400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
* 500ml chicken or vegetable stock, hot
* TO GARNISH
* chopped fresh parsley
* TO SERVE
* hot pepper sauce

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ gas 6. Fry the sausage in a flameproof casserole over a moderately high heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove, using a draining spoon and set aside on kitchen paper to drain.
2. Add 1 tbsp of the oil to the sausage fat remaining in the casserole. Add the chicken pieces and fry for about 3 minutes to colour, moving them around occasionally so they don't stick to the pan. Remove with tongs or a draining spoon and drain on kitchen paper with the sausage.
3. Add the onion, peppers, garlic and chilli to the casserole and stir for about 5 minutes, until the onions are tender, but not brown. Stir in the cayenne pepper, then add the rice and stir until the grains are lightly coated in oil. Stir in the kidney beans, then return the sausage and chicken to the casserole and give all the ingredients a good stir.
4. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then cover the casserole and transfer to the oven. Cook for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and stir, then cover again and return to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender.
5. Remove from the oven and leave to stand, covered, for 5 minutes, then fluff up the rice with a fork. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with hot pepper sauce, to be sprinkled over each individual serving.

Recipe from Healthy One Dish Cooking p/b: Boost Your Fitness, and Save Time, with 250 Fabulous All-in-One Recipes (Readers Digest)

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