Left: Enjoy your greens in Pepperpot Soup (top), and above, Shrimp Florentine. Ray Chen/ From 'Real Taste of Jamaica', Ian Randle Pub.How many times have you commanded your children to eat their greens (the way your parents did to you) while quietly sliding your own portion out of view? It's a fact that many of us are not enthralled by the leafy green vegetables although we know they are good for us. Well, we bet that by the time you cook up a batch of these dark, green and delicious recipes you'll be chomping down your greens and coming back for more. Oh, and your kids too.
CALLALOO
Shrimp Florentine
Jamaican Pepperpot Soup
Cream of Callaloo Soup
Shrimp Florentine
This delicious dish makes a quick vegetable and shrimp meal in a hot casserole.
7 cups callaloo, washed
and cut up
1 onion, chopped
4 stalks escallion, finely cut
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 lb. shrimps, cleaned
and deveined
METHOD
1. Put all ingredients, except shrimps, in a saucepan to cook. (No water is necessary to cook callaloo).
2. Simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Make a medium white sauce (see below)
4. Add callaloo to white sauce.
5. Mix in shrimps and bake at 350 degree F for 15 minutes, just until shrimps are cooked and heated through.
Serve hot. Serves 6.
WHITE SAUCE THIN
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup milk
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
MEDIUM SAUCE
2 tbsps. butter
1 cup milk
12 tbsps. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
THICK SAUCE
3 tbsps. butter
1 cup milk
3 tbsps. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
METHOD
1. Blend the melted butter and flour thoroughly (to make a blonde roux).
2. Gradually add the cold milk while heating slowly.
3. Heat and stir constantly until smooth and thickened.
4. Cover over steam for 10 minutes longer then add salt.
Yields 1 cup.
SUCCESS TIP:
For a smooth sauce, if the roux is hot, the milk should be cold and vice versa.
Jamaican Pepperpot Soup
The main ingredients in the Jamaican Pepperpot soup is callaloo which is of African origin and is teamed with ochroes, kale and other tender heart leaves from the eddor family (dasheen, badoo, coco etc). It mixes corned pig's tail, salt beef, ham hock, fresh beef and shrimp (if liked) with vegetables like yam, coco, and dumpling in a broth.
Spicy flavourings like pimento, thyme, garlic, escallion and green scotch bonnet pepper are cooked in the soup. Cassava wafers used to be served with Pepperpot soup but the light wafers seem to have been blown away by hurricane Gilbert. Now pita bread or, as Jamaicans say, Syrian bread, cut in wedges and toasted, is served, with this gumbo-like favourite.
1 1/2 lb. callaloo
1/2 lb. kale
12 ochroes
1/2 lb. yellow yam
1/2 lb. coco
4 qts. water or stock
1/2 cup coconut milk
(optional)
1/4 lb. salted beef
1/2 lb. pickled pig's tail
1/2 lb. stewing steak, cut up
1/4 lb. shrimps
1 green pepper
1 clove garlic
2 stalks escallion
Flour and salt for dumplings
METHOD
1. Cut salted beef and pig's tail in 1-inch cubes and soak in cold water to `get rid of excess salt. (They can be soaked overnight if meat is very salty). Strain.
2. Put beef and pig's tail in 4 qt. of water with cut up meat (not shrimps) to cook. This will take 25-30 minutes in the pressure cooker, or about 2 hours in a large saucepan.
3. In the meantime, wash callaloo and kale well, and when the meat is cooked, add the callaloo.
4. When callaloo is cooked (about 10-15 minutes), take out of stock and puree in a blender or food processor.
5. Cut up ochroes. Peel yam and coco and cut in 1-inch cubes.
6. Add ochroes, yam, coco, green pepper and garlic to stock.
7. Make spinners (dumplings).
8. Add dumplings, and return callaloo and kale to pot. Simmer for 45 minutes approximately or until soup is thickened.
9. About 15 minutes before serving, add escallion, thyme and coconut milk, (claimed to be the secret of delicious Pepperpot).
10. Add shrimps and cook for about 5 minutes more.
11. Serve hot with pita bread.
Serves 8-10.
Cream Of Callaloo Soup
2 tbsps. butter
2 tbsps. flour
2 cups milk
1 onion, chopped
1/2 lb. callaloo
Salt and black pepper to taste
METHOD
1. Wash and boil callaloo (reserve water).
2. Put callaloo in blender container with about 1 cup of water from boiled callaloo and process on high until smooth.
3. Heat saucepan. Add butter and sauté onion.
4. Add flour and make a blonde roux.
5. Pour cold milk on hot roux and stir with wooden spoon until flour is cooked and milk thickened.
6. Add salt, pepper and callaloo puree. Stir and simmer 5-10 minutes.
7. Serve with boiled shrimps or crisp bacon on top.
Serves 3-4.
- Enid Donaldson-Mignotte
CABBAGE
Bohemian Cabbage Rolls
However it's stuffed, every good cabbage roll begins with a tender, well-shaped leaf that's been trimmed and precooked. (See how to prepare and cook cabbage)
Bohemian Cabbage Rolls
Stuffed with ground ham and pork, these savoury rolls are first browned and then braised to tenderness. Steamed rice is a traditional accompaniment.
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. each ground allspice,
dill weed and white pepper
2 cups ground ham
1/2 pound ground lean pork
6 large green or red cabbage
leaves, trimmed, precooked
and drained
Paprika and flour
2 tbsps. butter or olive oil
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
1 medium tomato, peeled and
chopped, or 1/2 cup canned
chopped tomatoes
1 medium onion, finely
chopped
1/2 cup each dry white wine
and tomato juice
Sour cream and chopped
parsley, for garnish
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To prepare stuffing, beat egg with milk; mix in bread crumbs, salt, allspice, dill weed and pepper, then lightly combine with ground meats (see below for Food Processor Version).
2. Divide stuffing among the 6 prepared leaves, placing it near the bottom of the leaf. For each cabbage roll, fold in the sides and roll up loosely; secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Sprinkle rolls lightly with paprika, then coat with flour.
3. In a large frying pan, heat butter or olive oil until nearly smoking. Brown rolls lightly on all sides; transfer to a 3-quart casserole. Spoon carrot and tomato over the rolls.
4. In the same pan, sauté onion until it just begins to brown; add wine and tomato juice. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour over rolls.
5. Bake, covered, for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Remove toothpicks, if used. Serve, garnished with sour cream and parsley.
Serves 6.
FOOD PROCESSOR
VERSION: To grind the pork for the stuffing, cut the meats into 1-inch pieces. Using a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the motor about 10 times to chop the meats uniformly. Add egg, milk, bread crumbs, salt and spices. Process 5 seconds to combine.
BRUSSEL SPROUTS
Brussel Sprouts Stir-fry
Glazed Brussel Sprouts
Brussel Sprouts are members of the cabbage family, resembling minuscule heads of cabbage. Cultivate your taste for them by leaving in some of the crunch when cooking these nutty, sweet morsels.
The secret is to not overcook them (steam or boil for between 8 and 10 minutes), but to bring out their nutty taste.
When buying Brussel sprouts, look for heads that are tight and bright green. The littlest ones make the tastiest eating.
Brussel Sprouts Stir-Fry
Combined with sweet carrots and red peppers, Brussel sprouts make a fortifying dish.
1 1/2 lbs. Brussel sprouts,
trimmed and halved
lengthwise
2 cups small cauliflower
florets
4 slender carrots, peeled and
cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 shallots (or small onions),
finely chopped
2/3 cup (1/4-inch dice) red bell
pepper
2/3 cup (1/4-inch-thick shreds)
red cabbage
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
METHOD
1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the Brussel sprouts and the cauliflower for 4 minutes. Add the carrots and cook for 1 minute. Drain in a colander and refresh under cold water. Pat the vegetables dry on paper towels. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the bell pepper, cabbage and the blanched vegetables. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the water, salt and pepper and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp-tender. Transfer to a serving bowl.
Serves 8.
Just a dab of butter and a sprinkling of minced sweet shallots bring out the delicate taste of this vegetable. They make a perfect understated accompaniment for ham, roasted pork or turkey.
Glazed Brussel Sprouts
2 lbs. Brussel sprouts
3 to 4 tbsps. unsalted butter
2/3 cup thinly sliced shallots
2/3 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper
METHOD
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, trim the bottoms of the Brussel sprouts and remove any shrivelled or discoloured leaves. Cut the sprouts in half lengthwise, or into quarters if large.
2. Add the sprouts to the boiling water and cook just until tender and bright green, 3 to 5 minutes; drain immediately. (The sprouts can be prepared ahead to this point, cooled, covered and refrigerated).
3. In a large deep skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the Brussel sprouts, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until heated through and just beginning to brown slightly, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.
Serves 8.
PAK CHOY
Stir-Fried Pak Choy
1 bundle pak choy
2 tbsps. oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices ginger, minced
2 tbsps. oyster sauce
1 dash sesame oil
METHOD
1. Cut pak choy into one-inch pieces.
2. Heat oil in saucepan, add garlic and ginger and stir fry. Add pak choy, stir fry for 2 minutes longer or until pak choy is tender.
3. Arrange on serving dish.
4. Garnish with mix of oyster sauce and sesame oil.
Salad Nicoise
1/2 lb. green beans,
ends trimmed
12 small red new potatoes
2 tbsps. olive oil
6 small plum tomatoes, halved
or quartered, or 12 cherry
tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, peeled, halved,
seeded and sliced 1/4 inch
thick
1 bunch red or white radishes,
ends trimmed
2 cans (6 1/2 ounces each)
canned solid-pack albacore
tuna, drained
3 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
and halved or quartered
1 tin (2 ozs.) anchovy fillets in
olive oil, drained, for garnish
1 red onion, thinly sliced, for
garnish
2/3 cup Nicoise olives `1 head
romaine lettuce (pale, young
inner leaves only) Croutons or
crisply toasted sliced baguettes
(optional)
Herb Vinaigrette (recipe
below)
METHOD
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add green beans and cook until barely tender (3 to 4 minutes). Drain and refresh under cold running water to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry.
2. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and cook until just `tender when pierced with a knife (5 to 6 minutes). Drain thoroughly and pat dry. Place in a small bowl and add olive oil. Toss to coat.
3. On large platter, arrange beans, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber and radishes in neat mounds. Place tuna in centre. Fill in spaces with hard-cooked eggs. Garnish with anchovies and onion slices. Scatter olives randomly. Tuck romaine leaves around outside of platter. Add croutons, if used, or serve separately. Just before serving, lightly drizzle salad with some of the Herb Vinaigrette. Pass remaining `Herb Vinaigrette separately.
Serves 6.
Herb Vinaigrette
Store any leftover vinaigrette in an airtight jar and refrigerate for up to three days. Whisk, taste and adjust seasoning before using.
1/4 cup mixed fresh herbs
(parsley, chives, basil,
tarragon or a blend)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground
pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups olive oil
METHOD
In a small bowl, combine herbs, vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk in oil and let stand 5 minutes. Whisk again, then taste and adjust seasoning. Makes approximately 2 cups.
