Fish and Seafood Archives | Page 4 of 5

Back Home in Jamaica

December 15, 2010

Welcome home!

That is always the first response we hear when we arrive in Jamaica. Well, after they ask us how many times we’ve been there. This time was number five and after traveling to Antigua for our yearly Caribbean trip last December, I was glad to be back on one of my favorite islands.

If you’ve read my blog for a while you know that the trip we just returned from last night (delayed and minus one bag) is one my husband and I have taken since our honeymoon in 2003. We moved the date to December which happens to be an awesome time because there is nothing like Christmas ornaments and palm trees in lights in the middle of the tropics.

We switch resorts each year and often islands as well. While we consider most all of our other trips travel (which to me means exploration), this trip is vacation. We sometimes do go off the resort like our private tour of Antigua last year, but this year, we just sat, and read, and ate and drank.

Did I mention we ate?

The weather was unlike anything we have experienced in previous trips. We only had a few days of sun, lots of clouds and some pretty fierce wind. Despite that, it is hard to be disappointed when you can watch the ocean, touch the sand, talk to people of one of my favorite cultures, and eat amazing food.

We aren’t buffet people, but depending on the resort are sometimes forced into that at breakfast. Breakfast is where we have to exercise the most restraint and pace ourselves. If you are too tempted by breakfast, then you won’t be hungry for a jerk patty at lunch. If you eat too much at lunch then say good-bye to enjoying your 4 course dinner.

Jerk Chicken Caesar Wrap

Jamaican Beef Patty and a Red Stripe

I guess one could say we’ve learned over the years and try to avoid rookie mistakes. Passing on pancakes is well worth Jerk Pork Roti or Beef Wellington stuffed with spinach and mushrooms and paired with grilled shrimp.

Caesar Salad with a Jerk Chicken Toast

Beef Wellington, Grilled Shrimp and Vegetables

My photos are a mix those taken with good light, bad light, a point and shoot and my DSLR. For what it’s worth, enjoy!

I’ll be back in the North American Christmas spirit and baking away as soon as I get the suitcase unpacked!

Singapore Sling
They make a great one in Jamaica.

Pina Colada with dark rum

Chicken Curry with Poppadom and Mango Chutney

Fish and Chips

My favorite dessert – Coconut Bread Pudding with Ice Cream. Followed closely by…

Coffee Cheesecake with finely ground coffee baked into the top.

Bloody Mary in the morning. My favorite drink because it is made with the amazing
Catch A Fire Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce.

My husband’s favorite – 15 year El Dorado Rum on the rocks. Goes nicely with the Christmas decorations.

Chips with Curry. Yes, we had a lot of curry.

My favorite lunch. Salad with a little jerk pork and chicken on the side.

Every day needs a little Rum Punch.

*****************

Now, those of you who entered last for a chance to win the Oh Nuts gift certificate and have been waiting patiently.

The winner via Random.org is #2, Cynthia! I’ll contact you via email. Congrats! Thanks to all those who entered.

Mexican Tapas in Geneva, IL

July 9, 2010

It wasn’t until this past weekend that I realized there are some really enticing small towns that reside along the river outside Chicago. With their boutique shops and attractive landscaping, the main streets are overflowing with restaurants. It was on one of these streets in the small city of Geneva, IL that we had the pleasure of experiencing Bien Trucha.

My brother-in-law and his wife had told us about the place prior to our arrival so the anticipation had been building for a while. This little restaurant and its Mexican tapas are in high demand. Apparently the restaurant began with about six tables and has since expanded to twelve or so.

Lunch service began at noon and we arrived early to avoid a line which we’ve heard is the norm. Surprised to be the first ones at the door at 11:45 am, it took a mere 30 seconds before others started filing in. By the time the restaurant opened the line was long enough to fill every table inside.

The atmosphere was an inviting mix of quaint, cute, rustic and authentic. The dining room gave hints of a romantic evening ambiance, but at the lunch hour it was bustling with couples, friends and families, loud conversation and few cocktails round the tables.

I was still trying to soak everything in, with my camera in hand of course, as we were quickly asked for our drink order. I barely had time to look at the menu as the waiter rattled off several margarita selections. A quick glance and three were ordered at our table – Pinasada with grilled pineapple, Pepino or cucumber, and the Flor de Jamaica with hibiscus flower extract. The water of the day was also ordered which was mango.

My drink was the Pepino and the rim came adorned with a chili-type salt that melded the flavors together. It was refreshing with that familiar tequila kick. Yes, cucumber is a wonderful ingredient in a summer cocktail.

The menu boasts a creative list of appetizers, soups, salads and tortas, but the real draw are the tacos. Each order comes with four, tapas-style, served on a wooden platter.

Before we took on the tacos, we began with the guacamole of the day. What distinguishes the guacamole of the day from the traditional guacamole is that it is topped with fresh fruit. Ours had grapes and apparently watermelon has been the fruit of choice on other visits. For me, the texture was perfect as far as guac goes. Creamy, but still slightly chunky and the sweet grapes added a nice contrast with the slight heat of peppers and tart lime.

Still not done with starters we continued to look over the menu. My husband immediately noticed the ceviche. We weren’t sure how our hosts would feel about it, but fortunately they were game. I say fortunately because the ceviche was delicious, not to mention beautifully plated.

While the standard selection on the menu was with tilapia there was a special the day we were there. Our choice was the ceviche with shrimp, strawberry and melon with an avocado mousse. I’m not extremely experienced in ceviche, but this creation was outstanding.

We chose three different varieties of tacos, and with four people at our table this meant that we all got one of each. The Pescado came highly recommended by our family and included beer battered, fried tilapia topped with a red cabbage slaw made with chipotle-morita aioli. Crispy, crunchy, spicy, creamy – these tacos had it all. The red cabbage really added to the presentation as well.

As a side note, I was unfamiliar with morita. It turns out that Chile Morita is a small reddish-purple chile. It can literally be translated too small blackberry pepper.

Next up were the Pastor tacos with ancho-guajillo marinated pork, morita salsa and a piece of grilled pineapple. As you can imagine the sweet pineapple tasted wonderful with the mildly spicy flavor of the meat and salsa.

The grand finale was the Bien Trucha taco. These had both grilled skirt steak and homemade chorizo. The salsa was roasted tomatillo-serrano. What a way to end our meal! The chorizo really made this one for me. There was just a little bit added, but the flavor took over in a very good way.

To be honest, there is no way I could pick a favorite. Each item we sampled had its own appealing characteristics and individual flavors. Visiting Bien Trucha reminded me how much I crave authentic food which we tend to have very little of where we live unless you want a southern favorite.

There is little if anything on the menu that has been altered to appeal to the US American palate. Even the style of service from the refilling of water to serving sodas in a can was incredibly Latin American.

Bien Trucha is the type of place where you adapt to the food, the food doesn’t adapt to you. The type of place that makes this former expat think – perhaps this whole repatriation thing isn’t so bad after all.

Bien Trucha
410 West State Street
Geneva, IL 60134-2104
(630) 232-2665

Shrimp Taco Dorado and a Cookbook Review for Cinco de Mayo

May 4, 2010

This is one of the first cookbooks I reviewed here at Fake Food Free. I still go back to it on occasion for fun taco and drink ideas! This recipe remains a favorite for quick and tasty tacos.

It’s shameful. A complete disgrace. A food blogger in Kentucky without one post about the Derby or related food traditions. How could I?

Yes, I realize I have let you down. My excuse is that other than watching it on Saturday night there were no celebrations around here for the event. We didn’t even know the favorite horses this year which is uncommon for us. The reason? Well, it was also marathon weekend for my husband which I will recap later this week.

No pies with sugar or juleps with bourbon could be found in the house for several weeks before this event. We’ve vowed to do better next year. Fortunately, Derby should fall the weekend after the Flying Pig marathon events in 2011 so we are all good

I decided that I could not let another special day pass without a celebration in the form of a post and, as you know, tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. Lucky for me, I received a new cookbook to review for the occasion!

Mexican food has become of interest to me recently. I mean real Mexican, not the version we get here in Kentucky. In fact, I’m not sure I’ve ever had real Mexican since I haven’t been to Mexico or to many places in the southwestern part of the U.S. I just tend to watch it explained on television as my mouth waters.

So I was thrilled to check out the brand new cookbook, Amor y Tacos: Modern Mexican Tacos, Margaritas, and Antojitos by Deborah Schneider. The author is the executive chef and partner in SOL Cocina in Newport Beach, California and was also a nominee for the 2009 James Beard Award. She has written Baja! Cooking on the Edge and Cooking with the Seasons, neither of which I have checked out, but I plan to now.

This cookbook though small in height compared to others on my book shelf makes up for it by being tall on flavor and creative recipes. Its focus on tacos and antojitos (little bites, sometimes referred to as the Mexico version of tapas) makes you want to throw taco-tasting bash!

It is full of recipes using fresh ingredients from margaritas with a homemade sweet and sour mix and fruit juice blends to salsas and guacamoles with everything from pineapple to chipotle. There is one minor hiccup that doesn’t go along with my eating plan, the beef simmered in soda, but I can overlook that to see all the other great options the book has to offer.

I made the Shrimp Taco Dorado. It combines tender shrimp with smoky chipotles on corn tortillas with jack cheese. Simple, yet incredible flavor! The ingredient list suggests toppings of chipotle salsa, guacamole and mango habanero salsa all homemade from recipes in the book. I chose to go with only the chipotle salsa, a mix of chipotle peppers in adobo, mayonnaise and lime juice blended into a sauce. It alone was perfect on the tacos so I can only imagine how much better they would be with the additional toppings.

I’m thinking this is just the start of a taco and margarita summer!

Shrimp Taco Dorado

From Amor y Tacos by Deborah Schneider reprinted with permission from Abrams Books

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, tails removed and cut in half if large
1 teaspoon finely chopped chipotles in adobo
¼ teaspoon salt
Large corn tortillas
1 ½ cups grated Jack cheese
Cilantro sprigs
Suggested toppings: Chipotle salsa, Guacamole and Mango habanero salsa (recipes provided in cookbook)

Prep

1. In an 8-inch sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter or oil over medium heat. When it is heated, but not brown, add the garlic and shrimp, and cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink. Stir in the chipotles and salt and remove from heat.

2. Preheat a heavy pan or griddle over medium heat and brush it lightly with some of the remaining butter or olive oil. Set a corn tortilla on the griddle and scatter 2 tablespoons of shredded Jack cheese evenly over the tortilla. Set 3 or 4 shrimp on one side of the tortilla. When the cheese starts to melt, fold the tortilla in half over the shrimp, and continue to cook on both sides until the cheese is melted and the tortilla is lightly crisped and golden brown.

3. Open the taco. Dollop 1 teaspoon of the chipotle salsa on top of the shrimp (or drizzle from a squeeze bottle) and follow with the remaining toppings. Tuck a couple of cilantro sprigs into the opening and serve right away.

The recipe makes 12 substantial tacos, enough for 6 hungry people.

Disclosure: The review copy of this cookbook was sent to me free of charge. I was not under any obligation to write about it and I did not receive any compensation for doing so. This post contains affiliate links.

Salmon-Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

April 5, 2010

Over the past year or so we have progressively been eating fewer and fewer foods from cans. A positive, healthy move for us, but there are still a few things I grab when I zip down the canned food aisle. One of these is salmon.

Growing up I loved salmon patties which my mom always made from canned salmon. It seems kind of strange now because I don’t really see many kids excited about canned salmon. I think I mostly enjoyed eating the bones as they went from crunchy to magically disappearing altogether in my mouth. As I got older and began studying nutrition it just happened to be a bonus that these little bones are a source of calcium.

It had been a very long time since I’d even thought about salmon patties, but recently I decided to make up a batch. Of course, I was trying to find a way to give them a twist. It seems I rarely cook at all anymore without trying to give things a twist.

I don’t often by portabella mushroom caps, but had branched out and picked up a pack on a trip to the market a few days before. After a little quiet thought in the kitchen I could have sworn I heard them begging to be stuffed with salmon.

So I made up a batch of salmon patty mix, batter, dough – what the heck do you call it prior to being cooked anyway? I formed the nameless concoction into a nice mound inside a mushroom cap coated in olive oil and sprinkled on some parmesan cheese.

After about 25 minutes in the oven, I was greeted with a tender mushroom filled with soft salmon and a slightly browned and crispy edge. A definite winner and a nice change from the same ol’ patty.

This recipe makes enough for four stuffed mushrooms. I only had two portabellas so I just made two salmon patties for lunch later in the week. They are easy to cook, just form them into flat patties, heat some oil in a pan and cook for about three minutes on each side.

Salmon-Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Makes 4 servings

1 can salmon, drained
½ cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried parsley
2 green onions, sliced, greens and some of the white
2 tbsp fresh grated parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling
4 portabella mushroom caps
Olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a bowl combine the salmon, bread crumbs, egg, seasonings, onion and 2 tbsp cheese. Mix well until all ingredients are combined. Place mushroom caps in a baking dish that has been coated with olive oil. Rub more olive oil on the mushrooms, coating them well. Turn the caps top (smooth side) down.

Divide the salmon mixture into four equal parts, form into a ball and mound inside the mushroom cap. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese has browned a little. Serve warm.

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Coconut Crusted Salmon over Cauliflower and Kale

February 25, 2010

At the end of the month I’m always focused on using up what I have on hand. I enjoy working with a monthly food budget because I get shop away the first half of the month and then I challenge my creativity at the end. This process of using up all that I have really keeps me from overbuying fresh foods that might wilt or spoil before I have the chance to use them.

This recipe came about as a way for me to finish off the leftover veggies in the fridge and to finally put a can of coconut milk to use that I’ve had for a few weeks now. I wanted some protein with the meal so I turned to my freezer where I have some wild Alaskan salmon stocked up due to a recent sale.
I wanted to keep the flavors similar and I often coat chicken with coconut so I decided to try it with salmon too. A little curry with the veggies and the meal was set.

I wasn’t sure how the coconut and curry would mesh with the flavor of salmon, but I was pleased with the result. Creamy, spicy, sweet and salty, it is almost as if the three were made for each other.

Coconut Crusted Salmon over Cauliflower & Kale in Curry Coconut Milk

1 tbsp olive oil
½ small onion, sliced
½ large head of cauliflower, florets sliced
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped, about 3 cups raw
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tbsp curry powder
½ can coconut milk
2 salmon filets, thawed

2 tsp olive oil
¼ cup panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
Pinch of salt and pepper

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Next add the cauliflower and kale. Turn to coat the vegetables in the oil and cook until the cauliflower is slightly browned and the kale begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper and curry powder, add the coconut milk. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low, cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

The salmon can be prepared in a variety of ways. I use a grill pan with a press. This doesn’t result in the tenderest salmon, but it is the quickest method for me with very easy clean-up. Searing it in a standard skillet or baking it would work well too.

In a small dish, combine the bread crumbs, coconut, salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil evenly over both salmon filets. Place the filets in the pre-heated grill pan. Top with crumb mixture, pressing it into the fish. Place the press on top of the salmon and cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Remove the press and gently flip the salmon, place the press on top again and allow to cook 3 to 4 more minutes or until the fish is cooked through. Divide the vegetables on two plates, top each with a salmon filet, and serve.

Pumpkin Cheddar Risotto with Shrimp

January 19, 2010

Over the holidays our first visit back home after officially living back in the States was for Thanksgiving. At that time I was presented with all kinds of goodies from my Dad’s garden that my Mom had froze for me. I’m still making my way through the pumpkin, raspberries and blackberries with plenty to last me until spring.

Since what come to mind when I think of these things is often sweets and breads I’ve been challenging myself to use them in more savory dishes specifically the pumpkin. A few years ago I found a recipe for shrimp, corn and cheddar risotto and I’ve made it several times since. It came to mind when I was trying to figure out what to do with the pumpkin and this recipe is what developed.

I think risotto is sometimes perceived as a dish that takes a long time to make and this really isn’t the case. I had this meal done in 30 to 40 minutes. You do have to stand by the stove, but I usually use that time to multi-task keeping a magazine open to page through while I stir or even the laptop nearby to catch up on blog reading.( I know. I go a little extreme with the multi-tasking.)

However, if you put in the time, what results is a creamy, pasta-like dish full of vitamins from the pumpkin and carbs to fuel exercise with added protein from the shrimp and cheese. The risotto is so creamy that you need very little cheddar, just enough to add some rich flavor. At the end of cooking I decided to add in some spicy brown mustard and it really topped off the dish well.

Pumpkin Cheddar Risotto with Shrimp

1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
3 ½ cups chicken stock, warmed (I used my first batch of homemade!)
1 cup pumpkin puree (thawed if frozen)
1/3 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
½ tbsp spicy brown mustard
15 to 20 shrimp, cooked (thawed if previously frozen)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and cook 3 to 5 minutes longer. Begin adding the chicken stock about a ½ cup at a time, stirring the rice. Reduce the heat to medium. Ensure that all the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ½ cup of stock. Continue this process until the risotto is tender. It takes about 20 minutes.

Stir in the pumpkin, then add the cheese and stir until melted and evenly incorporated. Add the mustard, and then stir in the shrimp. Season with salt and pepper and continue to cook 1 or 2 minutes until everything is heated through. Makes 3 to 4 servings if you have other sides. Perhaps 2 to 3 if it is a main dish or if you are two incredibly hungry runners.

Walnut Crusted Tilapia

January 13, 2010

Whenever I visit a coastal location overflowing with fresh fish and seafood I tend to fantasize a bit about what it would be like to live there. I think about how creative I could be in the kitchen and even how my health would benefit. I’ve experienced this daydreaming all across the world, a couple years ago while visiting Howth, Ireland, last October in Hong Kong and then again in November in San Francisco.

Central Kentucky is pretty far away from all of these places and while I may live in a coastal location someday, I certainly don’t right now. Even though our fish isn’t always coming straight from the ocean, I’ve been trying to keep it regularly on our menu lately.

I still have a lot to learn. This goes for both proper preparation methods and sustainable practices. I’ve got a good grasp on the best sources for meats and poultry, but fish is an area I’m still learning about – the benefits, the risks, the best sources, the most sustainable options.

For now I’m settling for the frozen options we have available here, most often salmon and tilapia. I prefer the former, my husband the latter. Well, last night was his night and we enjoyed some tilapia.

When it comes to crunchy coatings on fish, I tend to always reach for the pecans. Last night I was feeling like I wanted something different so I thought I would give walnuts a try. In addition to that, I’ve been trying to cook with my virgin coconut oil more so I saw this as the perfect opportunity.

I used egg to help coat the fish, but I’m sure buttermilk or something similar would work fine too. The walnuts were every bit as good as pecans and the coconut oil made the coating nice and crunchy giving it only a slight coconut flavor. I’m thinking this is something that would work great on salmon and chicken too.

Walnut Crusted Tilapia

3 tilapia fillets, fresh or thawed
¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped
¼ cup bread crumbs
½ tsp garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp virgin coconut oil

Combine the walnuts, bread crumbs, and seasonings on a plate and set aside. Gently coat the fish in egg and place the fillets in the bread crumb mixture. This makes enough to cover one side generously or the whole fillet sparingly.

Heat the coconut oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Place the fillet in the skillet, coating side down if you just covered one side. Gently press the fish into the pan with a spatula. Allow it to cook about 3 minutes, then flip and cook 3 minutes more. The fish is done when it turns from opaque to white and begins to flake. You may need to reduce the heat a bit if your coating begins to darken too quickly before the fish is fully cooked. Serves 3, or for us, 2 for dinner and 1 for lunch sometime later this week.

Tasting Antigua

January 4, 2010

I wrote this post back in 2010, but we have since returned to beautiful Antigua! We hired Roger, the tour guide mentioned in this post, once again and had another great trip exploring this stunning island!

“What would you like for lunch?,” our guide asked.

“Something local,” my husband and I said in unison.

I think our guide was a little surprised. There are a lot of food choices available on the island of Antigua, especially considering its rather European history. I had, however, read up on some of local, native foods of island before our trip and had been looking forward to trying them for months.

For the past several years we’ve taken a vacation in the Caribbean the week before Christmas. This year we made our first visit to the island of Antigua. We stay at Sandals resort, which we love, but as we’ve traveled more and more we find it important to get off the comfy resort and learn more about the places we are visiting. That, of course, also means having some local food.

This year we hired a private driver, a local named Roger. He took us out driving for the day and taught us so much about the history of his island. Probably due to the focus of my questions a large portion of what we learned was focused on food. For starters, he showed just about every fruit plant that grows in the area. I tried to make a list of the things we saw, but I’m sure I missed a few.

Sorrel, breadfruit, pomelo, lemon, lime, cacao, guava, passion fruit, pomegranate, custard apple, pineapple, banana, soursop, mango, avocado, ackee, papaya, tamarind and coconut.

That’s a lot of tropical fruit for one small island! In fact, Roger told us that many fruits such as the lemon and mango simply go to waste because they aren’t used in a lot of local cooking.

Midday we passed a few roadside stands selling fresh fruit, the highlight being the Antiguan Black Pineapple. Roger assured us that it would be the sweetest we’ve ever tried. I was skeptical considering all the delicious pineapples we were able to try in Brazil, but Roger was spot on. The flavor rivaled those of South America.

As you can see the pineapple isn’t black at all. It is small in size with a dark, golden skin when ripe. The owner of the stand we stopped at prides herself on only selling the Antiguan Black Pineapple. We got a plate of the pineapple and some finger bananas (as they were being called). The bananas were much like the banana maça we used to get in Brazil, but I’m not sure that they are the exact same variety. What a plate of nature’s goodness!

Roger came across as a natural, unprocessed food advocate and we had a lot of interesting, informative conversations throughout the day. He told us that because Antigua is so small many foods are imported. That also means that many food trends come along with it. For example, he said when he was growing up they made their own sea salt harvesting it from the water around them. Then all of a sudden they started receiving shipments of table salt and it began showing up in stores.

They began eating that type of salt being told that it was better, likely because of the iodine. Of course, today the focus is back on sea salt because of its beneficial mineral content. So what they had done as kids turned out to be the best practice.

I think we can all relate to that. Food trends whether for health or taste always seem to upset cultures and often healthy practices whether it be a large landmass or a small island.

For lunch we ended up at a small restaurant called Caribbean Taste. The best way to describe it was a home-slash-restaurant. Family and friends came in and out while we ate and groups of women sat in the main area of the building eating and preparing more food for cooking.

I was hoping to get to try the sorrel drink which is made around the holiday season, but they had not made it that particular day. Instead, we got some homemade ginger drink. This stuff was amazing. I’ve had ginger beer before which is carbonated, but this was like lemonade, but made with ginger instead. It was sweet with that spicy burn specific to fresh ginger root.

When I found out there was only one order of Ducana left for the day I quickly decided what I wanted. I had read about it prior to our trip and Roger explained it to us on the tour as well. Made of sweet potato, flour, sugar, coconut and spices it is a dumpling steamed in a banana leaf. Mine was served with salted cod in a red sauce and chop-up which is a mixture of veggies most prominently spinach. A delicious sweet and savory combination.

My husband tried the curried goat. Okay, I did try it. Since I had pet goats growing up and my parents still raise them I have a really hard time enjoying goat as a meal. However, I do understand the fact that it is a common protein source for many cultures. So in the spirit of being open to foods and culture I tried a bite.

I can’t say I loved it and that had nothing to do with the fact that it was goat. It reminded me of a roast like my mom used to make when I was growing up. Kind of fatty, but with tender yet slightly chewy meat. The flavor of the sauce was great, but I didn’t enjoy the meat, however, I think my husband would order it again for sure.

Along with the great food out on the island, the food at the resort wasn’t too shabby either. I will say we were disappointed that more local foods didn’t make the menu. We talked to Roger about this and he expressed that he wished the people of Antigua would demand that local foods be used on the menu. I’m speaking of local dishes/recipes here, not necessarily local ingredients. Apparently in Jamaica it is a priority so although you may not have something truly authentic it is likely you will find a version of escovitch fish, jerk chicken and ackee and salt fish even on the menus of all-inclusive resorts.

The one exception was the Caribbean rock lobster for which Barbuda (part of the same country as Antigua) is known. We had grilled lobster many times during our visit. I also had a bit of fungi for breakfast one morning which is a cornmeal similar to polenta. This version was formed into patties or cakes and served with okra.

Sushi with spicy crab

Fried Calamari

Seafood Chowder

Curry Lamb

Paradise Punch from the swim-up bar

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Deconstructed Tiramisu

I love foods of the Caribbean and Antiguan cuisine was no exception. If you find yourself there, head out and explore the island and eat some fantastic food while you’re at it!

Need a guide when you are there?

Our day with Roger was fantastic!

Roger’s Taxi & Tours

(268) 764 -6331

rogertaxitours (at) gmail (dot) com

Finding Fish and Sweet Soy Dressing

September 17, 2009

I love just about every kind of fish and form of seafood there is. You would think I grew up near the sea given my attraction to it, but perhaps it was all those Catfish and Bluegill dinners from the lakes of Indiana that got me started.

When we first came here to visit before our move the girl who showed us around told us, in not so many words, that we should avoid buying the seafood or fish because it wasn’t fresh. This being because we are so far inland. (In case haven’t mentioned it, as much as I would enjoy lying on the beach all day with my laptop and a drink in hand, unfortunately it takes a eight hour drive to get to one from here.)

Like any good traveler/ex-pat we heeded the advice of the locals and at first it wasn’t so difficult at all. If you don’t what your fish dried in the form of bacalhau (salted cod), then frozen is your other choice. Unfortunately the frozen stuff here tends to look like something that has been in the back of my freezer for a year, long forgotten. Not so appetizing.

As time went on though, we started enjoying all the amazing sushi so prominent here due to the strong Japanese influence. Okay, so somebody was getting incredibly fresh and tasty fish somewhere. Later I found the fish market located just outside our Asian market. Not outstanding, but a resource.

It does have great fish if you catch it on the right day and eventually I got up the courage to order salmon. It is amazing just how much courage it takes to ask someone behind a specialty food counter for something in another language, at least for me anyway. I’ve only purchased it twice, but wow, what a welcome change from red meat!

A long time ago a good friend gave me the recipe for an Asian salad her mom would make and while I don’t make the entire recipe often, I make the dressing all the time. We usually have it with chicken on a salad, but when I recently bought my second round of salmon I thought the substitute would be perfect.

I didn’t do anything special with the salmon, just baked it with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. The salad isn’t anything special either, just the greens I have to use up and I often throw in some chopped green onions as well. The dressing, however, is what makes the dish.

You can substitute mascavo sugar or honey for the white sugar. The flavor will be slightly different, but still very good. This makes enough for a very large salad, like one you would serve at a party. It’s best to toss the lettuce in all of the dressing for full flavor, so when I am making salad for two I cut the recipe in thirds.

Sweet Soy Sauce Dressing

¾ cup oil (your choice, it would interesting to try coconut)
¼ cup white vinegar
½ cup sugar (again, your choice)
2 tbsp soy sauce

Whisk all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat and allow it to boil for one minute. Remove and cool before tossing with the salad. Toss with toasted sesame seeds if desired.

Shrimp and More Shrimp: Food in Florianópolis

May 1, 2009

We’ve only been to the coast of Brazil about three times now and when we go we overdose on shrimp and seafood to get us through until the next trip. It is possible to find salmon and some fish where we are in the interior of the country, but many shrimp dishes consist of those tiny little salad shrimp and really don’t satisfy.

I love eating shrimp in Floripa because I know it is so fresh. If you drive around the island to some of the beaches in the early morning you can see the shrimp boats out collecting the daily catch. There is nothing quite like shrimp and cold Brazilian beer.

They get really creative with shrimp on the island – steamed, fried, sautéed with garlic and oil, in a sauce over fish. My absolute favorite dish in Brazil has been Camarão na Moranga which is a shrimp and cheese stew baked in a moranga. Moranga, not to be confused with morango (strawberry), is a variety of pumpkin. Unfortunately on our first trip to the island I didn’t have my camera with me to get a picture and this time we didn’t get to have it, but I am searching for a recipe so hopefully I can feature it for you soon.

My other favorite is the siri – a version of crab usually stuffed in the shell or in the form of a fried bolinho or ball like a hush puppy. I had plenty of that this trip and the pictures to prove it!

As I mentioned in my last post you tend to sacrifice restaurant availability by traveling to Floripa in the off season, but fortunately we stayed at a hotel that was more of a resort. They had fantastic food and wonderful service all at great prices. So we ate at a local restaurant one night and had the rest of our food at the resort restaurants.

We started our first meal out with some bolinhos de siri served with a delicious homemade sauce similar to a tartar sauce, but much more flavorful.

The main course was a moqueca. This time we had it with shrimp and calamari. It was fantastic and as delicious as the version our friends helped us make at home. It was served with seasoned rice, farofa (toasted mandioca flour) and a pudding made out of mandioca flour that was almost like a polenta.

Lunch at the pool consisted of huge baked oysters. They were filled with a cheese and baked off until warm and crispy on the outside.

This was followed by my very favorite casquinha de siri, or crab mixed into a stuffing and baked into the crab shell.

The last time we were on the island we enjoyed sequência de camarão which is about seven courses of shrimp and seafood. We weren’t in an area of the island where this dish was popular so we had to settle for the Festival of Shrimp instead. It was tough, but someone had to enjoy this feast of differently prepared shrimp, fish in shrimp sauce, bolinhos de siri, potatoes and rice.

Waiters often serve you your plate at restaurants here, so I had to get the full plate shot and then a half empty shot of the whole dish. They kept the clay dish under a flame to keep it warm while we were eating.

All of the food was fantastic! They do seafood so well in Floripa.

I hope you aren’t quite full yet. We made a stop in Blumenau on the drive back. It is a city known for its rich German influences and resides in an area known as the European Valley in the south of Brazil. There is stuffed duck, spaetzle and German, well, German-Brazilian, beer to come.