West Indies Coffee Recipes

JAMAICAN COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Combine butter and sugar, beating until almost white. Add eggs, 1 at a time, then bananas. Stir in yogurt and vanilla. Fold in combined dry ingredients a little at a time until completely incorporated and mixture is smooth. Pour into buttered and floured 8-inch cake tin and bake for 40 minutes. Turn onto wire rack to cool. Regrease cake tin with butter only and set aside.
• For filling: Beat together sugar and butter until almost white. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly before each addition. Mix together cocoa and coffee. Then add Tia Maria to coffee/cocoa mixture and add all to filling.
• Cut cake into 2 layers, horizontally, and place 1 layer in bottom of greased cake pan. Cover with half of filling and then the remaining layer of cake. Top with remaining filling. To rid cake of air holes, hold it 12 inches from table and drop it so it lands flat. Repeat this twice. Cover cake with plastic wrap and freeze for 2 hours. Serve ice cold with vanilla ice cream.
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

WEST INDIAN CURRIED CHICKEN ROTI

Steps:

• In a medium skillet or saute pan combine the turmeric, chili flakes, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, ginger, garlic powder, mustard seeds, pepper, allspice, and cinnamon and cook, shaking the pan frequently, until spices are fragrant and just beginning to smoke. Remove from the heat, transfer to a shallow plate and allow to cool completely. Transfer to a coffee grinder or spice mill and process until very finely ground. Reserve 6 tablespoons of the spice mixture separately and transfer the remainder to an airtight container and save for another purpose.
• In a mixing bowl combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons of the curry powder, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and set aside, covered, for 20 minutes.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and, when hot, add the chicken pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, thyme, hot pepper if using, and remaining 4 tablespoons curry powder and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, and brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is very tender and falling from the bone and the sauce has reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the cilantro and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
• (Note: traditionally, curried chicken roti is eaten with the chicken still on the bones. If you prefer otherwise, at this point you can remove the chicken from the sauce and remove the meat from the bones and then return the meat to the sauce before serving.)
• Serve the chicken and sauce ladled into the center of the roti breads, then fold both sides over the filling. Fold the top and bottom ends over the sides to form a neat square package, and serve.
• To make the breads, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Combine the oil and water and add this mixture to the well. Using your hands, mix to form a dough. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Divide the mixture into 6 balls of dough and set aside for about 2 hours, covered with a damp kitchen towel. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball of dough into a thin, flattened circle about 9 inches in diameter. Set aside, covered, until ready to cook the breads to serve. (Do not stack.)
• Heat a large griddle or 12-inch skillet over high heat and add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. When hot, add the bread dough and cook until brown spots form on the bottom, about 1 minute. Turn the bread and cook on the second side, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a large plate or baking sheet and cover with a damp towel to keep warm while you prepare the remaining breads.

WEST INDIES GUAVA BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over low heat, stir together the guava, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and brown sugar until well blended. Stir in liquid smoke, fresh lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, habanero sauce, and molasses. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Cover, and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

44 CORDIAL

Steps:

• Poke 44 1 inch slits all over the orange with the tip of a paring knife. Stuff a coffee bean into each slit.
• Put the orange, sugar and rum in a wide mouthed jar with a tight sealing lid. Place in a cool, dark spot, swirling the jar occasionally, for 44 days.
• Remove and discard the orange. Strain the liqueur through a cheesecloth lined strainer into a clean bottle and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Serve neat or over ice.

WEST INDIAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large stockpot or dutch oven, over medium heat, combine the vinegar, barbeque sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar. Stir in the tomatoes, green pepper, and mushrooms. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then add the chicken. Continue to simmer until chicken is tender and pulls from the bone easily, about 30 minutes.
• When chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and tear the meat off of the bones into bite sized pieces. Discard bones and return the chicken to the pot and heat through. Serve hot over rice.

HISPANIOLA COFFEE CHILI

Steps:

• Brown the meat in a large Dutch oven, cook the beef over medium-high heat, about 4-5 minutes.
• Remove contents from the Dutch oven and set aside. Reduce heat to medium low and add onions and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Replace meat and add bay leaves, chili powder, cumin, nutmeg, pepper, allspice, salt, thyme, capers, olives, chiles, coffee, molasses, and tomatoes. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Finish the chili: Add raisins and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Garnish with almonds. Serve hot over cooked rice.