Jamaican Recipe Junction

JAMAICAN DRINK MIXES

This Homemade Carrot Drink is one of the favorite drink treats to have during Sunday's dinner in Jamaica. What makes this so different from other carrot juices is that milk is mixed with it as well as beetroot with a dash of nutmeg. Well..beetroot is optional. I hope you'll try it with your Sunday dinner. You'll love it. :)

Ingredients

2 cups diced carrots
2 cups water
1 cup evaporated milk
7 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla

Note: Condensed milk can be used either instead of evaporated milk or with it. Also if you use the condensed milk, then granulated sugar is optional. Unless you want it extra sweet.

Instructions
1) Boil carrots in water for just a little while..maybe 5 minutes. Let cool.
2) Then add carrots and the water into the blender and blend for 30 seconds or
until the carrots are blended.
3) Some people will strain the juice to remove any bits of the carrot. But if it blends
well, you may not have to strain it.
4) Add the other ingredients, mix or blend again. Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

This liquor called Rum is the backbone of the spirit of Jamaica. It is used as a topical treatment for ailments like headaches, muscle aches and even for colds and flu. Also it is used in drinks, for cooking and baking. In Jamaica, when a drink or food is tasteless, one would drop a capful of rum to 'add life to it' or to 'wake it up'.
The Jamaican Rum has a long held reputation as the finest in the world. So much so that in personal experiences, whenever I come to the United States, it's mandatory to carry a bottle of Jamaican Rum for my family and friends.
Over the course of the summer, I will share with you, Jamaica's Favorite Drinks mixed with this spirit of Jamaica.

There is a rhyme that goes with the recipe of this Jamaican Rum Punch: "1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong, and 4 of weak. So:

1 of sour = 1 measure of lime juice
2 of sweet = 1 measure of granulated sugar and 1 measure of syrup
3 of strong = 3 measures of rum
4 of weak = 4 measures of water

Mix all ingredients together and serve over ice.
Please note: measures can be any measurement of your like, just as long as you use the same ratio of one to the other. For example using tablespoon to measure.

Some of the drink mixes that I will share with you may require flavored syrup or just plain sugar syrup. I should think everyone knows how to make sugar syrup but I will share just in case not everyone knows.

A measure of Sugar
A measure of Water

Cook over low heat until thick.
Pour into a bottle for later use in your drink mixes.
Please note: I say 'measure' here because it depends on how much syrup you want to make.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 1

1/4 oz. sugar syrup
2 oz. evaporated milk
3 oz. pineapple juice
3 drops angostura bitters
1/4 oz. apricot brandy
1 oz. coconut rum
A pinch or dash of cinnamon and nutmeg

Add crushed ice and blend ingredients together.

As we enter into the summer season, though we can feel it already, I want to share with you my first summer treat. You'll sure to find this soursop drink very delicious and befitting for the hot summers soon to come. This is my favorite drink as well as the fruit itself. It's so refreshing especially when you put it in the refrigerator to chill. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
serves 3-4

1 ripe soursop
condensed milk
nutmeg
1/2 tsp. lime juice
3 cups of water

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Remove the skin from the soursop
2. In a blender, put the water and 1 cup of the
soursop pulp.
3. Blend for a few seconds on low speed.
4. Strain to remove seeds
5. Sweeten with condensed milk, put a dash of
nutmeg, and the lime juice
6. Serve with ice/chilled.

Punch a Creme is a drink that is widely enjoyed by Trinidadians mostly during the Christmas season. In fact, the drink was originated in Trinidad. A friend of mine introduced it to me. It's a delicious drink but I find it to be too sweet (don't mind me, I have a problem with things being too sweet). Also it's not a drink you want to drink too much of. If you like to take a punch at it. Go right ahead:

Preparation Time: 3-5 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Serves/Yields: 4

INGREDIENTS
6 medium eggs
2 Tbsp. condensed milk
2 Tbsp. evaporated milk
1/4 cup(60 ml)rum
1/2 tsp. lime rind (zest)
1/8 tsp. angostura bitters
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Blend together eggs, condensed milk, evaporated milk, rum, lime rind, bitters and nutmeg, then strain.
2. Put to chill in the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving time.
3. Serve chilled Punch a Creme over crushed ice sprinkled with nutmeg.

All of us no matter where in the world we are from, enjoys a glass of rich delicious eggnog during the Christmas season. If you wish to make your very own rich delicious delightful eggnog, here is a recipe you will delight in:

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Serves/Yields: 4

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk
1 medium ripe banana, peeled and cut in chunks
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 medium egg
2 scoops vanilla ice cream

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a blender, blend together the milk, banana, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and egg at high speed.
2. Add ice cream to mixture in blender and whip for a minute.
3. Serve over cracked ice, sprinkle with nutmeg and decorate with cherries.

In this segment I would like to introduce to you one of my favorite Christmas drink that I look forward to every Christmas. It's called Sorrel drink made from a special plant grown in Jamaica called sorrel.
Try the recipe. Trust me you'll love it.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Chill Time: 20 minutes
Serves/Yields: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

3 cups sorrel sepals/petals
1 oz.(30 grams)ginger, crushed
1 piece dried orange peel
6 whole cloves
6 cups boiling water
2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup white rum (optional)
1 Tbsp. white rice

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place sorrel, crushed ginger, orange peel and cloves in a jar.
2. Pour on boiling water and allow to steep for 24 hours.
3. Strain and sweeten to taste. Add rum if necessary.
4. Pour into bottles adding a few grains of rice to each bottle. Rice added to sorrel helps to hasten fermentation. Hence, making it flavorful.
5. After sorrel is made allow to remain at room temperature for at least one day before drinking.
For a even better than better results, why not let it remain until next Christmas.:)

SOME REAL JAMAICAN COOKING

Monier made a request for the Jamaican meat balls. Honestly, I'm not aware of any official Jamaican meatball recipe out there, but this is how I normally do it whenever I prepare meatballs. I guess you can consider it the Jamaican way since I'm a Jamaican. I hope you'll enjoy it, Monier! :)

INGREDIENTS

3 lbs. ground beef
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon of Grace All Purpose Seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
4 ounces breadcrumbs
2 eggs

Sauce:

1 - 2 cups tomato ketchup
3 tablespoons Grace Fish and Meat Sauce
1/2 cup of water

Note: you may have to adjust the measurements of sauce ingredients according to
your liking as you cook the meatballs. Sometimes you may need more sauce, sometimes not, so look out for that. I, for one love a lot of the sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Combine all the ingredients except the sauce in a large bowl. Mix well
using hand. Form into small balls.
2) Brown under broiler no longer than 10 minutes or you can fry with low to
medium heat in saucepan with some cooking oil (a little of it as possible - if you
are health conscious) until nicely brown.
3) Then set aside in a baking pan.
4) Combine all the ingredients of the sauce in a saucepan. Bring to a slow boil or
simmer until hot. Pour over meat balls. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

Note: You may keep baking temperature lower and simmer for a longer time.
Be sure too that the meatballs do not stay above the sauce and dry out.

Enjoy!

I am making this post especially for Patricia M. who said her fry chicken never comes out right. I'm assuming that maybe it comes out too soggy and not soaked properly. Sometimes chicken will come out flaky outside but raw inside. I find that frying chicken the oven baked style is the best way..it's healthier and the texture comes out perfect. If you don't wish to do it oven baked style, then what you do is to slow cook the pieces of chicken in a pan or pot over very low heat for a short time like 10 minutes or so or until the chicken turns white. In that way, the chicken is half cooked and will be properly soaked inside when frying it. No oil or water is needed. Just place the pieces as is. When you are ready, cover the pieces in flour or bread crumbs and fry.
Now here is the Fry Chicken Recipe done in oven baked style:

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken (cut in pieces) or chicken parts
3 garlic cloves
2 escallion stalks
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 tbsp. vinegar
3 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper, herb, poultry seasoning
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Rinse chicken parts in lime water and drain
2) Cut garlic, escallion, and thyme in pieces and blend with vinegar
3) Add these as well as salt, sugar, and any other seasoning of your choice to
season chicken. Leave for about 30 minutes.
4) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
5) Dip the pieces of chicken in bread crumbs or flour.
6) Place on greased flat baking tin and spray with Pam nonstick cooking spray.
This will give it that crispy look.
7) Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, no longer.

I hope this will help you get a better Fry Chicken results. Enjoy!

Callaloo is the main ingredient in the Jamaican Pepperpot Soup. For those who don't know, Callaloo is a vegetable that looks much like spinach. But I don't know if both tastes similar as I've never had spinach before. Funny enough, I've never like eating Callaloo. But in this soup, I absolutely love it especially the spicy flavorings. Yes! I'm a spicy girl. I hope you'll like it.
Also, there is a very interesting video that I found on youtube to show you. I didn't even know that George Washington was a fan of the Jamaican Pepperpot Soup. Watching it though, made me miss outdoor cooking. Wood fire plus dutchpot makes food tastes better than cooking on the stove.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lb. Callaloo
1/2 lb. Kale
12 ochroes
1/2 lb. yellow yam
1/2 lb. coco
1/4 lb. salted beef
1/2 lb. stew steak
1/2 lb. pickled pig's tail (optional if you don't eat pork)
1/4 lb. shrimps (optional if you don't eat seafood)
1 clove garlic
2 stalks of escallion
2 sprig. Thyme
2 scotch bonnet peppers
a good size dough to make dumplings.
1/2 cup coconut milk

Instructions:
1) Cut pig's tail and salted beef in small cube pieces. Soak in cold water to remove
the excess salt. Then strain. Put both as well as the stew steak meat to pressure
in pressure cooker for about 30 minutes in water. If you don't have a pressure
cooker, then cook for 2 hours in your regular saucepan - a large one.
2) When the meats are tender to some degree, transfer them to a stockpot along
with the water in which it was pressured. You may want to add more water
preferably boiling water. So that it maintains that cooking heat. Continue to cook.
3) Wash and cut ochroes, callaloo, and kale.
4) Peel yam and coco and cut in 1 inch cubes. You may want to wash them too
only if after peeling them, dirt is left on them.
5) Add ochroes, yam, coco, and garlic to the stock.
6) In the meantime, use the dough to make little dumplings or spinners.
7) Add spinners, callaloo, kale, escallion, thyme, scotch bonnet peppers, and
coconut milk to stockpot. Let simmer for about 45 minutes or until soup is
thickened.
8) Add shrimps and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
9) Serve with pita bread

Enjoy!

Ackee and Saltfish is a favorite dish among Jamaicans. In fact, it is Jamaica's National dish and Jamaica is the only island of the Caribbean that consider Ackee to be edible. As others consider it to be a poisonous fruit. If allowed to fully developed or ripen and properly cooked, it won't be harmful. When cooked, Ackee looks like scrambled eggs and tastes similar.

1 lb. Codfish
2 tins Canned Ackees
1 chopped large onion
3 diced plum tomatoes
1 chopped stalk escallion
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1 dash of black pepper to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

1) You can either soak codfish overnight in fresh cold water or boil in water until
cooked, then place it in cold water to remove the excess saltiness and makes it
easier to remove the skin. After that you flake the fish and set aside.
2) Saute onions, tomatoes, and escallion for a short while. Then add flaked codfish
to the mix and continue for about 5 minutes.
3) Drain ackees from the cans and add it to the mix and continue for another 3-5
minutes. Be sure to add a dash of black pepper to your taste.

There you have it..Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish. Enjoy!

It's not what you think. The festival I am talking about is a slightly sweet fried 'dumpling'. It is traditionally served with spicy meat dishes for example fried Escoveitched fish. It has to be eaten with such dishes because of how its sweetness offsets the meat, pepper and spices. Enjoy making this recipe and see how it feels to have festival in your mouth.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 20 minutes
Serves/Yields: 10

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. soft margarine
1/2 cup CORNMEAL
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a large bowl, sift flour and baking powder. Add margarine, cornmeal, sugar, nutmeg salt, lime juice and enough water to bind mixture for a manageable dough.
2. Leave to set for two minutes.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan, shape festival into finger-like shapes and fry.
4. Drain on absorbent paper.

Please Note:
Cornmeal in festival mixture adds fibre to the diet.

Escoveitched Fish is a popular fish dish in Jamaica. As I recommended, you can try this dish with the Festival "dumplings". Also there is a sauce that goes with it which is also included in this segment.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 25 minutes
Serves/Yields: 6

INGREDIENTS
6 slices snapper fish
1 1/2 tsps. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Rub fish with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat oil in skillet / frying pan and fry fish until very dry and crispy. Drain and place in a deep dish.
3. Pour Escoveitch Sauce over fish.

Please see recipe for Escoveitch Sauce.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 5 minutes
Serves/Yields: 6

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vinegar
2 small carrots, cut into thin strips
1 small cho-cho, cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp. crushed scotch bonnet pepper
6 whole pimento seeds
6 small onions, cut into rings
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Pour hot liquid over fish using vegetables as garnish.

In my younger days, I used to overindulge in eating these Jamaican Spicy Pepper Shrimps. So much so, I developed a intolerance for them. Boy! do I miss the taste of these. Anyway, they are used as an appetizer. But have them anyway you want. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
5 lbs. shrimps thawed and rinsed (leave in shells)
1 cup salad oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of salt
2 scotch bonnet peppers
2 tbsp of vinegar

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a frying pan or dutch pot, heat oil together
with garlic, salt, and pepper.
2. Add shrimps and stir for 5 minutes.
3. Then sprinkle vinegar and cook for a further 5
minutes

Please Note: You may used 5 pints of water instead of oil. In this case, boil everything together, except the shrimps, for 10 minutes. Add shrimps and cook for 10 minutes.

Right now, I am having the flu. I just had a warm bowl of chicken soup and I just thought I would share this chicken soup recipe.. the way Jamaicans do it. Trust me! This is the natural home remedy for the flu and cold. Enjoy!

½ Chicken (cut up in 8 Pieces)

2 sprig. Thyme

½ lb. Yellow Yam

2 Irish Potatoes

1 stalk Scallion

1 pkt Jamaican Chicken Noodle or Cock Soup

4 Pimento Berries (Allspice)

1 tblsp. Salt

1 Cho Cho(slice into 1 inch pieces)

2 lb. Pumpkin Squash (slice into 1 inch pieces)

Method:

In a stock pot, add three quarts of water and then add salt to taste. Bring water to a boil then add chicken, pumpkin, and cho cho together. Boil for 30 minutes.

Peel the skins off the yellow yam and potatoes and wash them in cold water to remove the dirt. Cut each into four slices and then add them to the pot.

You can add small dumplings to the soup at this time.

Turn the flame to high and boil for 15 minutes.

After which you can add the rest of the ingredients to the pot. Then turn the flame down to medium, and cook for another 10 minutes. Then simmer for another 5 minutes.

Check the yellow yam to make sure it is soft. If not, cook until it becomes soft but not mushy.

Lasagna is one of those meals that is very easy to prepare and the ingredients are very inexpensive. You save both money and time. Don't you wish all your meals were like that?
This Lasagna that I will share with you is made with Mackerel. Mackerel in Jamaica has always been termed as the 'poor man's food' perhaps because it is affordable. So what better name for this recipe.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Serves/Yields: 8

INGREDIENTS
1 box lasagna
1-15 oz. MACKEREL IN TOMATO SAUCE
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 lb.(225 grams)cheddar cheese (shredded)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
2 medium onions (finely chopped)
1 medium green sweet pepper (chopped)
1/2 small scotch bonnet pepper (chopped)
1/2 tsp. thyme
4 plum tomatoes (chopped)
1 tsp. oregano
1 can tomato paste
1 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook pasta according to instructions on the Package.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
3. Drain Mackerel and flake, drizzle on lime juice.
4. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan and sautè chopped garlic, onion, sweet pepper, thyme, tomatoes and oregano.
5. Add tomato paste and water. Simmer only for 3 minutes.
6. In a greased oblong baking dish, arrange 1 layer lasagna, tomato mixture, cheese and mackerel, repeat layers, top with cheese.
7. Bake until done.
8. Cut and serve

Note:
You can serve warm with a salad of your choice.

Jamaican Potato Salad is one of my favorite vegetable salads. Sometimes I eat too much, giving me flatulence.(LOL)
This recipe is one way of preparing it as there are variations. You have the option of using hard boiled eggs, relish, or parmesan cheese. It's all about what tastes good to you. So be creative! Use your imaginations!

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Serves/Yields: 6-8

INGREDIENTS
4 cups potatoes
1 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup chopped escallion
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced radish
2 Tbsps. finely chopped parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. vinegar
2 tsps. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 can mixed vegetables

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS
1. Peel, cut in cubes, then cook potatoes.
2. Let cool but not for long. As you need the heat
to ensure that the rest of ingredients can mix
well into the potato.
3. Combine potatoes and all ingredients.
4. Refrigerate for several hours ahead of serving
time.

Honestly, I've never enjoyed eating turkey the traditional way until a friend and I decided to try a new twist to roast turkey. We decided to marinate with jerk seasoning. For those who are not aware of Jerk Seasoning. It is a special seasoning, Jamaicans use to marinate chicken, fish, pork etc. Thus you have what is called jerk chicken, jerk fish, jerk pork(very popular). Now we have Jerk Turkey:

Preparation Time: 30 - 45 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 3 1/2-4 hours
Serves/Yields: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

12 lbs. turkey, remove giblets
3 Tbsps. jerk seasoning
1/2 cup soya sauce
2 Tbsps. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped onions, eskallion & thyme or as needed.

METHOD

Wash Turkey with some lemon/lime. This will remove the raw taste or smell.

Pat dry turkey inside out.

Combine and add the jerk seasoning, soya sauce, garlic, parsley, salt, onions, eskallion & thyme to rub over turkey inside and out, thoroughly.

Stuff turkey with your choice of stuffings.

Mix the lemon juice with the olive oil and brush over the turkey.

Place the turkey in a baking dish and cover with aluminium foil.

Bake for 30 minutes then, reduce the temperature to 325°F /160°C and bake for a further 3 1/2 hours.

Remove the aluminium foil, about 30 minutes before total cooking time.

Turkey is ready when golden brown.

Good Luck and Enjoy!

JAMAICAN SWEET TOOTH GOODIES

There is a Jamaican riddle that is associated with this sweet potato pudding. It is "Hell a top, Hell a bottom, Hallelujah in the middle". Why? In the dutch pot or oven, in which the pudding is baked, is laden with hot coals on the top as well as hot coals at the bottom. Hence, it is baked at the top and the bottom at the same time. The "Hallelujah" part comes in when the top layer of the pudding called "sof pon top" is softer than the rest of it. Which is very delicious.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs grated sweet potato
1/4 lb. grated yam
1/2 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 oz. butter
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 lb. raisins
1/2 tin evaporated milk
5 cups coconut milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sherry
1/4 cup rum

Instructions:
Mix grated sweet potato and yam with flour, raisins, and baking powder.
Mix evaporated milk, coconut milk, sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, salt, sherry, rum, and butter together.
Combine both mixtures and beat until smooth.
Pour into greased pan.
Preheat oven to 350 F and bake for 1 hr. and 30 mins. until center is set.
Pudding can be served hot or cold.

I should mention too, another alternative to grating the sweet potato and yam (if you don't have a grater) is to use the vegetable juicer. The shredded portion will still look and feel the same as if you had used the grater. And of course, you can use the juice part in the mixture.

This recipe was requested by Countrybumpkin. The Jamaican Coconut Toto is a coconut spice bread, more like a cross between cornbread and cake. I wish I had a picture of it to show you but I'll definitely find one. Do enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
¾ lb. Baking Flour
1 cup Sugar
2 Eggs
4 oz. Butter
2 oz. Milk OR Evaporated Milk
1 tsp. Browning
3 tsp. Baking Powder
8 oz. Grated Coconut (packaged)
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. nutmeg

Method:
1) Using a mixer, cream butter and sugar until
light and fluffy.
2) Add eggs. But before doing so, remove the
eyes(or lumps). The reason for this, is that
the lumps gives the cake a raw taste. To remove
the lumps, mix the eggs lightly in a bowl. Then
strain the contents.
3) Add Flour and the remaining ingredients and mix
alternately with the milk. Preferably using a
mixing spoon instead of the mixer. Using a mixer
will cause the cake to be too light and less
substancy.
4) Spread evenly in greased shallow baking tin
8" x 12".
5) Bake at 400F about 30 minutes.

Coconut Drops is one of Jamaica's favorite snacks. It is most popular among children. As a child, my friends and I would save our lunch money, just to buy coconut drops from the vendors at our school. Here is a simple recipe:

INGREDIENTS:
(Yields: 12)
2 cups diced coconut
1 tbsp. grated root ginger
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. brown sugar
A pinch of salt

Instructions:
1) Combine all ingredients, adding water
accordingly, in a saucepan
2) Cook until it becomes very sticky. Stir mixture
frequently so that it does not stick to the pot
or burn. (20 - 30 minutes)
3) Scoop and heap mixture onto a baking sheet/grease
paper and let cool.

The Jamaican Rum Cake is a special dessert that Jamaicans bake on special occasions like birthdays, weddings, and mostly during the christmas time. It is sometimes referred to as 'fruit cake' or 'black cake'.
In addition to basic cake ingredients, the Jamaican Rum Cake is baked with a wide assortment of fruits with some port wine or rum giving it a characteristic taste and aroma. Try out this recipe for your christmas or any special occasion and let me know what you think.

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Baking Time: 80 to 90 minutes
Yields: 1 cake

INGREDIENTS

1 cup prunes
1 cup mixed peel
1 tsp. lemon rind
1 tsp. rose water
2 tsp. vanilla
4 medium eggs
1 cup grandulated sugar (dark brown sugar)
1 cup soft margarine (optional: 1/2 cup
margarine;1/2 cup butter)
1 cup raisins
1 cup currants
1/2 cup cherries
4 Tbsps. browning
3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. mixed spice
1 cup rum
3 cups port wine

METHOD

Soak fruits(prunes, raisins, currants, cherries, and mixed peel) with 1-cup rum, and 3 cups port wine. For best results, fruits should be soaked in wine for at least 3 weeks, or boiled in the wine over very low flame. Afterwhich let it cool.
Please Note: Do not blend fruits. Chopped fruits give best result. It gives the cake a rich substance.

Using a mixer, cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs. But before doing so, remove the eyes(or lumps). The reason for this, is that the lumps gives the cake a raw taste. To remove the lumps, mix the eggs lightly in a bowl. Then strain the contents.

Add vanilla, rose water and lemon rind to mixture.

Add Flour and mixed fruits alternately to the creamed batter and add browning.
Please note: After adding all the mixtures to the batter, use a mixing spoon instead of the mixer. Using a mixer will cause the cake to be too light and less substance.

Pour mixture in a greased and lined 9-inch covered baking pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Bake in preheated oven for 80 to 90 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Additional wine or rum can be poured onto cake as needed to keep it moist.

Good Luck!

Yesterday, I wanted to entertain you with a few youtube videos showcasing live preparation of Jamaican meals. Unfortunately, the videos are not working. So until I find a working one, I will just share with you another favorite recipe: Jamaican Banana Cake with a special cream sauce courtesy of Enid Donaldson, author of Real Taste of Jamaica. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Serves/Yields: 6

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 ripe banana
2 oz. soft butter
5 oz. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

METHOD
1. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt
together in container.
2. Blend egg, banana, butter, sugar, and vanilla for
a minute or until a smooth consistency is seen.
3. Then pour the mixture onto the flour mixture and
mix thoroughly but not for long or else you'll
lose the substance.
4. Grease an 8 inch layer tin and dust with little
flour.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
6. Pour into greased tin and bake for 25 minutes
7. Cool on a wire rack

Now comes the Banana Cream.

INGREDIENTS

1 ripe banana
1 oz. sugar
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 pt. cream - whipped and chilled (you can substitute with evaporated milk)

Method: Blend banana, sugar, and nutmeg together
until smooth. Then add to cream and serve
with cake.

It is a tradition in Jamaica to bake easter bun during the easter season. It is kind of a spiced sweet bun with currants, raisins and sometimes nuts. This bun is normally eaten with cheddar cheese or with our local jamaican tastee cheese. For this season, I will share with you two easter bun recipe treats. They are basically the same, only a few difference. One is from my auntie while the other is from my mom. Enjoy!

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking/Baking Time: 45-60 minutes
Yield:18 slices (estimate)

RECIPE #1

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
2 tsps. mixed spice
1 bottle stout
2 Tbsps. soft margarine (melted)
1 Tbsp. margarine (melted)
1 medium egg
2 tsps. baking powder
1 cup mixed peel and raisins
1 Tbsp. honey

METHOD

1. Dissolve sugar, molasses and spice in stout over
low heat.
2. Add margarine and beaten egg.
3. In another bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
4. Gradually add liquid mixture to dry ingredients,
mix well.
5. Add mixed peel and raisins.
6. Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C . Grease meatloaf pan
7. Bake in a greased loaf pan for about 45-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
8. Combine melted margarine and honey to make a glaze.
9. Glaze hot bun and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Recipe #2

Ingredients:
3½ cups flour
1½ cups sugar
4 tsp. Baking powder
1 cup stout or beer
1 egg (beaten)
2 tblsp. spoon melted butter or margarine
2 tsps. vanilla
1 cup cherries
1 cup raisins, mixed peel, cherries*
½ tsp. ground allspice
pinch of salt
1 tblsp. spoon nutmeg
½ tblsp. spoon cinnamon
½ tblsp. spoon rose water
½ tblsp. spoon anise extract

It's okay to follow the method given for recipe #1
This recipe here, will make two loaf pans. Enjoy.

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