BLOGGIN' BIN REVUE

BMGE: Jamaican Me Watch Cutthroat Island Edition

HOW MANY TIMES HAS THIS HAPPENED TO YOU… Thanks to the f’n Yankees you’ve lost a pretty big bet to your buddy.  And given your options, you’ve agreed to throw him a Cutthroat Island party because there is NO WAY you’re putting your lips on that. 

So you’ve obtained a copy of the film and a lifetime’s supply of rum, and you’re got your eye patch and your pet parrot, Sir Yummagins, and your bikini briefs that say “Pirate Booty” across the backside, but you still don’t know what t–

What’s that?  This kind of thing happens to you all the time?  Oh… Uh, you may have a bit of a gambling problem.

There’s not much that Chef Tom or I can do about your compulsive gambling, but Chef Tom can help you provide a Geena Davis-licious meal for the scoundrels about to descend on your abode.

BAD MOVIES, GOOD EATS:
Jamaican Me Watch Cutthroat Island  Edition

By Chef Tom. Welcome to Jam-Rock!  The island most known for Bob Marley and copious amounts of cannabis consumption also has some great food coming out of it.  From the street food of Kingstown’s night life to the “ital” Jamaican cooking of the truly devout Rastafari, it’s a cuisine that takes and makes the most of the ingredients available to it on the island.

I’ve provided three recipes.  They are listed in chronological order of prep time.  The ginger drink is incredibly strong and makes you want to sneeze.  The jerk chicken is a nice spicy and hot Jamaican classic found cooking over half oil barrel grills on the streets outside the clubs in Kingstown.  The eggplant fritters are a nice crispy way to get your veggies.

Enjoy, praise to Haile Selassie and Jah most high!

Ginger Drink 

• 1 lb fresh root ginger
• 3 pints water
• 1/2 lb raw cane sugar
• juice of two limes
• sparkling water

1. Peel the ginger using the edge of a spoon to remove the skin and cut into thin slices. Add water and ginger to a pot and alow to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Cover the pan, kill the heat and allow to steep for 24 hours.
2. Strain through a sieve into a pitcher or similar container. Add the lime juice and sugar and stir until it is dissolved.
3. When serving add a bit of sparkling water for a bit o carbonation. Serve cold over ice.

  Jamaican Jerk Chicken

• 1 c. fresh lime juice
• 1 bunch of green onions, white and green parts roughly chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 habanero or Scotch bonnet peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp. dried)
• 2 tbsp ground allspice
• 1 tbsp kosher or sea salt
• 2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon dry or freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 pounds bone-in chicken drums and thighs

1. Combine the marinade ingredients and process in a blender or food processor for about one minute until pulverized. Use rubber gloves when handling the peppers.
2. Cut a few shallow slits in each piece of chicken. This will let the flavors of the marinade and the smoke seep into the chicken. Place all chicken pieces into a large, sealable plastic bag. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal, and mix it all around the chicken. Place in refrigerator to marinade for 12-16 hours.
3. Prepare a charcoal fire with higher heat on one side, and lower heat on the other (two-tone fire). Push the charcoal to one side so it only covers about 1/2 of the charcoal grate.
4. Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and let sit on a tray for 20-30 minutes before grilling. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and keep it refrigerated for the first hour of the chicken cooking. Bring the marinade to a boil, and let it boil for about 30 seconds or so to kill any bacteria. Brush the marinade all over the chicken.
5. When the charcoal is grey and ashen, yet orange underneath, start grilling the chicken, skin side down, over the side of the grill without the charcoal (indirect heat). Close the lid and keep closed as much as possible. Cook for about 7 minutes, then turn skin side up. Apply more marinade, move to the hot coal side and cook for another 5 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
6. Turn the chicken skin side down and cook until skin is nice and crispy, with a bit of char. Serve chicken warm.

　Eggplant Fritters

•  1 large eggplant
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp milk
• 3 oz whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• vegetable oil for frying

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the eggplant until it is tender. Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh from the skin. Place in food processor and mix until a well blended, yet slightly rough, paste develops. Add the garlic and milk and mix in. Stir in the flour and the baking powder, paprika and black pepper.
2. In a frying pan, add enough oil to have about an 1/8th inch deep layer that covers the whole of the pan. Heat the vegetable oil. When hot add the batter by the tablespoon. Fry on both sides until golden. Sprinkle with salt immediately after frying. Serve hot.