Home to Baseballs (Week 12 - Haiti)

I don’t normally like Caribbean food, if you remember I wanted to put Costa Rica back into the hat. But I have really enjoyed Haitian food, loved it. I didn’t know what to expect, but it seems to be a mixture of French, African and Creole, lovely... First up was Poule en sauce (stewed chicken. I altered the recipe a little and used a tin of chopped toms, I didn’t rub the chicken in lemon and white wine vinegar and then wash under hot water, but instead I incorporated that into the marinade and cooked it all.  I served it with rice (with mushrooms in) and cabbage, and my husband and I loved it; my son didn’t like the chicken - I think the marinade had left a vinegary (if that is a word) residue which he didn’t agree with him. We all enjoyed Joumou, my husband thought it was better than my homemade chicken soup. I wasn’t too sure about the pork and rice dish, but again we were very surprised, as it was delicious, the only downside was I didn’t do enough of the pork. I mixed my pork in with the rice, and preferred it that way, but my husband wasn’t bothered how it appeared on his plate he thought both elements were good on their own or combined. The beef meal was a hit with all of us, and I served it just with plain rice; again it was lovely. One thing I have learnt is that it all required time to marinade the meat and time to cook the various elements. I loved it and I would say it is now one of my favourite foods. So, you can imagine my delight when we saw that Simon Reeve was travelling to the Caribbean on his new BBC2 show and Haiti was in the first episode. It was great seeing the country and seemed such a shame that such a vibrant country with wonderful food was not a tourist location. Maybe one day we will make the trip and find out just how authentic my recipes were! Israel, is the next place to visit and I am looking forward to that as I tend to like middle eastern food.

Cooked with score (out of 100):

Poule en sauce (chicken stew)...........................................70 (but my husband and I scored it 80)

Joumou (Pumpkin Soup)…………………………………………………80

Groits and Diri ak Pwa…………………………………………………….80

Boeuf a l’Haitienne…………………………………………………………83

Wanted to cook:

Bonbon Sirop

Macaroni au gratin

 

Joumou (Pumpkin Soup)

 (pronounced joo-moo)

This savoury soup is served in all Haitian households on New Years day in commemoration of Independence day. It was on January first, 1804, that Haiti became the world's first independent black republic by defeating the French.

Prep time: 30 min, Cooking time 150mins

Serves: 10

Ingredients

Beef marinate made by crushing 4 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon thyme 1/4 teaspoon pepper, shallot and 2 sliced scallions and 2 teaspoons of salt
1lb beef stew meat
10 cups water (add more later if necessary to make soup less thick)
1 whole scotch bonnet pepper with stem
2 pounds pumpkin (or winter squash / butternut), peeled and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 stalks celery,  sliced lengthwise and cut into pieces
5 parsley sprigs
1 large onion, cubed
2 medium turnips, peeled and cubed
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound cabbage, sliced fine and chopped
¼ pound vermicelli or other thin pasta, broken into shorter lengths
2 limes juiced
¼  can tomato paste (for browning meat)
½  cup or 1 can tomato sauce
1 low sodium beef bouillon cube (optional)

 

Method

1. In a medium pot, cook pumpkin over medium heat in 6 cups water for 30 minutes. Puree the pumpkin in the water. While pumpkin is cooking, clean meat with lime, rinse with hot water and drain. Marinate meat with meat rub. Rub the meat with the spice paste-scallions, onion, thyme, garlic, shallot, green pepper, salt and black pepper ground together. (For an enhanced flavour, you can marinate the meat from 1 hour up to one day in advance.)
2. In stockpot, add the meat with the oil and tomato paste and brown by adding small amounts of water to caramelise the meat. Cook covered over medium heat for 20 minutes. Add 3 cups water and puree pumpkin and bring to a boil.
3. Add the cabbage, carrots, celery, onion, turnips, tomato sauce, potato and parsley to the soup, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour with a whole scotch bonnet on top. (The whole scotch bonnet is for flavouring not to make the soup "hot". Remember to find and remove the pepper as you stir the soup and remove it before it bursts)
4. Add the spaghetti broken in to short pieces and cook until soft and tender. Taste and add a minimal amount of salt, black pepper or hot pepper to taste. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit until ready to serve.
    

Macaroni au Gratin

By Haitian Recipes

Cooking time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Serves 6 - 8 people

Ingredients

1 ½ / 16 oz macaroni packages
1 whole onion, diced
2 chicken broth cubes
Hard cheese block, cut into small cubes
1 carnation milk
½  cup of butter
1 cup of parmesan cheese

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300f, Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and let it cook until soft yet firm.
2. Add the onions and chicken broth reduce the heat and keep stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in the Velveeta cheese, until melted. Keep stirring constantly to avoid the cheese from sticking to the bottom. Add butter and parmesan cheese.
4. Pour in the carnation milk and stir. Remove from heat and pour into a greased baking sheet.
5. Place in oven and bake for an hour and 20mins
    

Bonbon Sirop

By Haitian Recipes

Makes: 12-15 servings

2 cups of butter, softened
3 eggs
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 tbsp of grated ginger
1/2 tbsp of ground cinnamon
1 tsp of nutmeg
1/2 cup of molasses
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 tsp of baking soda
4 cups of all-purpose flour

Glaze (optional)
1/3 cup of water

1 cup of sugar
1 cup of butter
1 tbsp of rum
1 tsp of orange zest
1 tsp of lemon zest

 

Description

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Beat butter, eggs, and brown sugar together.
2. Combine with remaining ingredients in a mixer and beat into a thick dough-like paste.
3. Spread the paste onto a pre-greased baking dish and bake for approximately 45 minutes.
4. Set aside and prepare the glaze (optional).
5. Glaze: In a saucepan, pour water, sugar, butter, lemon zest, and orange zest over high heat.
6. Stir constantly for 10 mins until caramelized into a semi-thick syrup.
7. Remove from heat. Add rum. Drizzle the glaze over the bonbon sirop dessert
    
   
   
   
   

Poule en Sauce  - Stewed Chicken

A traditional recipe that is cooked using various methods, it is typically served with a side of rice. This version is stewed in a creole sauce.

Ingredients

1 lb Chicken

½ Onion diced

2 tsp Minced Garlic

1 tbsp of lime juice

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 sprigs of fresh parsley

1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 Red pepper julienned

1 Maggi Chicken Bouillon Cube

1 tbsp of Adobo all seasoning

1/2 cup White vinegar

2 tbs Tomato Paste

Method

1. Clean the chicken using the Haitian meat cleaning method. Clean the chicken with lemon or sour orange juice and vinegar. Rinse in hot water.
2. Create a marinade with garlic, parsley, thyme, black pepper, chicken cube, and seasoning salt. Season the chicken with the marinade and let it marinade at least 15 min. Marinating the chicken overnight in the refrigerator will give the meat more time to take on the flavor.
3. In a large saucepan, brown the chicken on both sides. Add a half cup of water to the sauce pan along with the tomato paste, onions, and peppers.
4. Stew the chick on medium high heat for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer until it is ready to serve.
    
    

Diri ak Pwa -  Rice and Beans

Needless to say rice and beans are a staple in the carribean. A meal is not a meal unless there is a side of rice and beans. Haitian rice and beans can be made with a variety of beans, but the most popular are Pinto, red kidney beans, and black beans. The process is pretty much the same regardless of which beans you use.

Serves 8- 10

Ingredients

3 cups rice

1 cup dry beans (Pinto, red, or black beans)

8 cups water

3 tbs olive oil

1 tbs butter

1 large onion (diced)

1 tsp salt (or to taste)

1 tsp ground black pepper

3 cloves (1/4 tsp ground cloves)

1 cup coconut milk

3 cubes chicken bouillon 1 whole scotch bonnet pepper 2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 tsp thyme (2 sprigs)

 

 

Method

In a large pot, add the water, beans, salt, 1 tbs olive oil and allow the beans to cook for about 1 hour on medium high heat or until beans are soft. Once cooked, strain the water into a seperate container for later use.

In another large pot, add 1 tbs of olive oil, and sauté the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add coconut milk, chicken bouillon, beans and mix thoroughly.

Add cloves and 6 cups of the bean water to the pot and bring to boil. Mix in the rice and whole scotch bonnet pepper and allow the rice to cook for about 20 min or until there is just a little amount of water left.

Reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid and allow the remaining water to be absorbed. About 10-15 min. Once cooked fluff the rice and serve

 

Griots – Fried Glazed Pork

Source: whats4eats

Is one of Haiti's most popular dishes, invariably served at parties and family gatherings.

6 to 8 servings

 Ingredients

4lbs Pork shoulder, cubed

1 Onion, thinly sliced

1 Green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 or 2 Scotch bonnet peppers, chopped (optional)

2 or 3 Shallots, thinly sliced

3 or 4 Garlic cloves, chopped

2 tsps Thyme

2 tsps Salt

1 tsps Pepper

2 Oranges

3 Limes

¼ cup Oil

Method

1. Add the pork and all the other ingredients except the oil to a large, non-reactive bowl and mix together well. Refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours to let the meat soak up the marinade.
2. Pre=preheat the oven to 375°F. Place the pork and its marinade into a large roasting pan and cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil. Place in the oven and roast for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the pork is tender.
3. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Remove any extra liquid in the pan, putting it into a saucepan, and set aside. Add the oil to the pan and stir it into the meat. Return the roasting pan to the oven and let the pork cook for 20 to 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Any liquid will evaporate away and the meat will begin to fry in the oil and brown.
4. While the meat is frying in the oven, place the saucepan with the reserved liquid on the top of the stove and boil it down until it is well reduced and thickens. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and mix the reduced sauce into the browned pork. Serve hot with with sos ti-malice, banan peze and a side of pikliz.
   Variations
   Use sour orange juice if you can find it. Or substitute pikliz vinegar for some of the orange and lime juice if you like.
   Griots can also be made on the stovetop. Use a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid.
   Finely chopped scallions can be substituted for the shallots. Use four or five scallions.
    
    
    

Boeuf à l'Haïtienne – Beef with tomatoes and peppers.

4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1lb Beef shoulder or chuck roast, cubed

2 tsps Salt

Water, to cover

¼ cup Oil

1 Onion, thinly sliced

2 Red or green peppers, chopped

2 to 4 Garlic cloves, minced

1 to 4 Hot chili pepper, minced

2 cups Tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp Red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper, to taste

 Method

1. Place the beef and salt in a large pot and add enough water just to cover the meat. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the beef is tender and the water is almost completely evaporated, 45 minutes to an hour.
2. While the beef is simmering, heat the oil in a skillet over medium flame. Add the onion, peppers, garlic and chili peppers and sauté until the onions and peppers are wilted.
3. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer until almost all liquid is evaporated, 20 to 25 minutes.
4. Stir the beef into the onions and peppers and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, adding a little water if necessary. Adjust seasoning and serve with rice.
   Variations
   This dish can be made fiery hot or very mild, depending on the amount of chili you add. You can also add fresh lime juice, tomatoes, a tomato paste, onion, cut up carrots, fresh cilantro, black pepper, thyme, Italian seasoning.