14. Antigua and Barbuda

Ducana (Antiguan Sweet Potato Dumpling)

 Servings 4 Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely grated sweet potato
• 3/4 cup fresh grated coconut
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup raisins optional
• 1- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• Banana leaves and kitchen twine/foil for wrapping

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil.
2. In a large bowl, combine the grated sweet potato and coconut. Mix in the sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and raisins.
3. Mix in just enough flour to form a cohesive dough. If it is too dry, add about 1/4 cup water.
4. Cut the banana leaves into squares, 6-10 inches depending on how large you want your Ducana. Rinse the banana leaves under hot water or heat lightly over an open flame until they are pliable. Transfer some of the dough into the center of a banana square and form into a rectangle/cylinder. Fold the banana over the dough to cover on all sides, then wrap with the twine to secure or wrap with foil. Repeat with remaining dough.
5. Reduce the boiling water to medium-high for a gentle boil. Add the packets of dough and cook to desired doneness, 30 minutes for slightly soft and 45 minutes for more firm. Remove from the pot and allow to cool for 10 minutes before unwrapping.

FUNGEE AND PEPPERPOT

Fungee

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1/2 cup corn meal

2 okra, finely chopped

salt

Directions:

1) Lightly fry the okra in a little oil in a saucepan. Add the water.

2) Take 1/2 cup of the water and mix with the cornmeal. Add the cornmeal mix to the boiling water. Stir constantly.
3) When the mix becomes stiff, remove from heat. Let cool then roll into a ball.

Pepperpot

Ingredients:

1 garlic clove

1/2 onion

150 grams spinach

100 gram egg plant

6 okra

100 gram pumpkin

1 zucchini

1/2 cup peas

1 clove

1 tea thyme

chives

1 table tomato paste

1 table butter

Directions
1) Cut the vegetables and soak briefly in cold water.

2) Heat oil and then add onion. Fry for about 5 minutes. Add all vegetables except the peas. Cover just with water (about 2 cups). Cook for 15 minutes (until the veggies are just about cooked)

3) Add the peas and herbs and tomato paste. Simmer for about 15 minutes.

Pork Chops with Bananas and Bacon

Country: Recipes from Antigua and Barbuda 
Course: Main 

 

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• 3/4 tablespoon cumin
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 bananas
• 6 slices bacon
• beer (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine the butter with the cumin, salt and pepper. Rub the pork chops all over with the mixture.
2. Now put the pork chops on the grill and cook them over medium heat for about 7 and a half minutes per side.
3. Cook the bacon in a frying pan for just a couple of minutes, long enough for some of the fat to render. Remove and let cool.
4. Cut the bananas into chunks sprinkle them with lemon juice. Wrap the bacon around each chunk. Skewer each wrapped piece through the overlap in the bacon.
5. After the chops have been cooking for about 15 minutes, turn the heat down to medium low and put the bacon and bananas on the grill. Use a meat thermometer to make sure the chops aren't cooking too fast.
6. Continue to turn the chops and the bacon/banana skewers. At this point you can also start basting the chops with beer.
7. When the chops and bacon are thoroughly cooked, remove from the grill and serve.

Pan-seared Red Snapper with Parmesan Risotto, Tomato Salsa and Arugula Pesto

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS: Tomato Salsa

6 ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1 large bunch coriander, chopped including stalks
1 onion, finely diced
1 large clove of garlic, finely grated
Juice of 1-2 limes
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Milled sea salt

INGREDIENTS: Arugula Pesto

1 ½ cups arugula, roughly chopped
1 ½ cups basil
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1⁄3 cup pine nuts
Kosher salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

INGREDIENTS: Parmesan Risotto

1 ltr vegetable stock
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small knob butter
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
400 g risotto rice
2 wine glasses, dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 knob of butter
90 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

INGREDIENTS: Red Snapper

2 fresh caught red snapper, scaled, cleaned and filleted
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying

METHOD for Tomato Salsa:

Add the first 4 ingredients to a medium bowl and combine. Add the juice from 1 lime and the oil. Mix well, then season to taste with salt and adjust lime juice if needed. Refrigerate until service.

METHOD for Arugula Pesto:

To a blender, add the arugula, basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper to taste and olive oil. Blend for at least 30 seconds. Add the Parmesan and pulse to combine. Set aside.

METHOD for Parmesan Risotto:

Heat stock in a saucepan. In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add onions, garlic and celery; fry very slowly for about 15 minutes until softened and translucent over a medium heat. Increase heat, add the rice to the pan and keep stirring. After a minute the rice will look slightly translucent. Add the wine and continue to stir. Once the rice absorbs the wine, stir in 1 ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding stock 1 ladle at a time, continuously stirring the creamy starch out of the rice.Allow the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladle full. Continue to add stock until rice is cooked, but al dente. Adjust seasoning. Remove pan from heat stir in butter and Parmesan. Place lid on pan; allow to sweat for 2 minutes.

METHOD for Red Snapper:

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet drizzled with oil over very high heat. Just before searing, season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Sear fillet, flesh side down for 2 minutes in the pan. Flip and cook for a further 2 minutes. Both sides should be golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve each fillet on a bed of risotto, top fillet with tomato salsa and drizzle with pesto.

Papaya Pie

Country: Recipes from Antigua and Barbuda 
Course: Dessert 

 

Ingredients

• 1 medium pie shell
• 3 ripe papayas (the riper the better)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 pinch cinnamon
• 1 dash orange extract
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 4 egg whites

Directions:

1. Peel the papayas and remove the seeds. Roughly mash them.
2. Add the lime juice, the lime zest, the cinnamon and the orange extract. Mix well.
3. Fold in the flour and sugar. At this point, you might want to taste the mixture and adjust the ingredients according to how sweet you like it.
4. Beat the eggs until they form stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold the egg whites into the papaya mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and slightly brown on top.
8. Serve chilled.

Traditional Antiguan Rum Punch

45ml /1.5oz Antiguan dark rum – I’m using English Harbour 5 year old, which is smooth and full of character, while being launched as recently as 2001.

15ml / 0.5oz fresh lime juice

15ml / 0.5oz cane sugar syrup – the least refined sugar you can get, mixed with equal water, boiled and cooled.

60ml / 2oz fresh orange juice – see how the oranges here are green and speckled on the outside? When you slice through them however, they are as orange as you expect!

60ml / 2oz fresh pineapple juice – obviosuly the Antiguan black pineapple is the most authentic and they are in season Now!

2 dashes Angostura bitters

Mix all of the ingredients and pour over cracked ice. Add a dash of Grenadine for colour. Grate some nutmeg over the top and garnish with a slice of pineapple or lime. Add a glacé cherry to the glass if you wish. Drink ice cold!

(Good Eats: Southern Biscuits)