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Fast & Easy Dinner: Jerk Burgers With Mango Salsa

partysugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:45:10 -0700

Bored by the basic all-American burger? Take a trip to the Caribbean with this innovative recipe.

The beef patty is seasoned with jerk sauce and bread crumbs. Instead of the typical tomato, lettuce, and pickle condiments, the burger is topped with a quick mango, pepper, and ginger salsa. A ciabatta roll replaces the bun and Monterey Jack cheese finishes off the scrumptious burger.

Throw in plantain chips and a daiquiri and you've got a meal that's ideal for impromptu entertaining. To kick-start your weekend with this dish, read more.

Jerk Burgers With Mango Salsa
From The Nest

Ingredients

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium mango, seeded, peeled, and chopped
1/4 cup apple jelly
1 tablespoon lime juice
Dash salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup bottled jerk sauce
1/4 fine dry bread crumbs
1 pound lean ground beef
4 ciabatta rolls or hamburger buns, split
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces)

Directions

For salsa, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onion, and ginger; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add mango, jelly, lime juice, and salt; cook and stir until jelly melts. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine egg, 1/4 cup of the jerk sauce, and the bread crumbs. Add ground beef; mix well. Using hands, shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.
For a charcoal grill, place patties on the grill rack directly over medium coals. Grill, uncovered, for 10 to 13 minutes or until done (160°F), turning and brushing once with the remaining jerk sauce halfway through grilling. If desired, toast ciabatta rolls on the grill. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties, then ciabatta rolls, if desired, on gas grill over heat. Cover and grill as above.)
Divide cheese among bottoms of rolls. Serve burgers in rolls with some of the salsa. Serve remaining salsa on the side.

Makes 4 burgers.

Per Burger: 808 cal., 50 g fat (20 sat. fat), 167 mg chol., 740 mg sodium, 60 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 31 g pro.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Caribbean Chicken Kabobs

partysugar — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:45:40 -0700

During Summer, kabobs are ideal for quick, simple dinners. While you can load the skewers with any proteins or vegetables, this recipe takes inspiration from the Caribbean. Chicken chunks are seasoned with jerk before being layered with bell peppers, red onions, and pineapples. The sweet, fresh fruit counteracts the spicy seasoning. To get the uncomplicated recipe, read more.

Caribbean Chicken Kabobs
From Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1 3/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Caribbean jerk seasoning (dry)
1 small pineapple, rind removed and pineapple cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.
Brush chicken with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Place chicken and jerk seasoning in resealable plastic food-storage bag. Shake bag to coat chicken with seasoning.
Thread chicken, pineapple, bell pepper and onion alternately on each of eight 12-inch metal skewers, leaving 1/4-inch space between each piece. Brush kabobs with remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
Cover and grill kabobs over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Serves 8.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Jerk Chicken With Corn Bread

partysugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:30:19 -0700

Why not start the weekend with a spicy, fragrant chicken? This chicken is rubbed with a mixture of spices typical to Jerk seasoning: paprika, allspice, cayenne, and garlic powder. Although the recipe roasts the chicken in the oven, it would be equally delicious cooked on a grill. The corn bread accompaniment is simply a jazzed-up box variation. Paired with an icy cold beer, this makes a delicious dinner. Get the recipe now and read more.

Jerk Chicken With Corn Bread
From Real Simple magazine

Ingredients

2 bunches scallions, trimmed
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons molasses
1 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces
1 8.5-ounce box corn muffin mix
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
Lime wedges (optional)

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F.
Thinly slice the dark green tips of 4 scallions; set aside. Place the remaining scallions in a roasting pan.
In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne, salt, black pepper, oil, lime juice, and molasses. Spread the spice mixture over and under the chicken skin. Place the chicken on top of the scallions. Roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the corn muffin mix according to the package directions. Stir in the jalapeno and reserved sliced scallions and scrape the batter into a greased 8-inch-square pan. Place in oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve the chicken with the roasted scallions, corn bread, and lime wedges, if desired.

Serves 4.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: CALORIES 893.44(43% from fat); FAT 42.81g (sat 11.03g); CHOLESTEROL 238.97mg; CALCIUM 147.84mg; CARBOHYDRATE 59.78g; SODIUM 1141.23mg; PROTEIN 66.01mg; FIBER 7.47g; IRON 7.59mg

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Costa Rican Fruit Cocktail

YumSugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 14:00:25 -0700

Recently I visited Costa Rica. One of my first stops was a local farmers market set up in a small plaza in the town of Quepos. It was a bustling place with a variety of stands: fruit, flowers, vegetables and makeshift restaurants serving local fare. Amongst many known fruits and vegetables were plenty foreign and exotic variations - all a must try. My two new favorites were the mammones and guaba. To meet all the fruits of Costa Rica, just hit the "Start" button.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Caribbean Pork and Plantain Hash

partysugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 05:30:27 -0700

When you're stuck in a middle-of-the-work-week rut, a great way to spice things up is through food. While this exotic meal may sound difficult to make - the ingredients are a bit unusual - the cooking techniques are simple and ordinary. Plantains are sautéed with onions, bell pepper, and garlic before being tossed with chunks of pork tenderloin. The final dish is mouth watering, exciting, and complex. To look at the recipe - I discovered it on MyRecipes.com - read more.

Caribbean Pork and Plantain Hash
From Cooking Light

Ingredients

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 large yellow plantains, chopped (about 3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon habanero hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Get more recipes at MyRecipes.com

Directions

Combine soy sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, thyme, and next 4 ingredients (thyme through pork); toss well to coat.
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork mixture; sauté 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and butter to pan. Add onion, bell pepper, plantains, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper; cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in garlic; sauté 2 minutes or until plantains are tender.
Drizzle with hot sauce, and stir well. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Serves 4 (serving size: about 1 1/2 cups).

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 384(29% from fat); FAT 12.5g (sat 4g,mono 3.8g,poly 3.7g); PROTEIN 26.8g; CHOLESTEROL 81mg; CALCIUM 38mg; SODIUM 674mg; FIBER 4.7g; IRON 2.8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.9g

Like the recipe above? Try out some of these other ones:

- Dinner Tonight Recipes in 45-Minutes or Less
- Quick and Easy Meal Ideas
- How to Cook Caribbean from Cooking Light
- Get More Pork Tenderloin Recipes

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Caribbean Chicken Salad

partysugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:13:31 -0700

Instead of serving chicken salad piled on top of a bed of lettuce, or slapped between two slices of bread, consider serving it in halved fruit. It makes for an exotic and interesting twist. This recipe seasons the chicken with green onions, pineapple, ginger, and water chestnuts. The resulting salad is then heaped into a halved papaya or melon. Another alternative is to serve it in avocado halves. Look at the recipe when you read more.

Caribbean Chicken Salad
Modified from Meal Time

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded into chunks
1 can (8 ounces) pineapple chunks, thoroughly drained
1/2 cup drained, canned water chestnuts, quartered
1/3 cup sliced green onions
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons minced gingeroot
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 papayas or 2 small melons, halved and seeded
Lime or lemon wedges

Directions

Toss the chicken, pineapple, water chestnuts and green onions.
Mix the mayonnaise, ginger, lime juice and salt and pepper. Toss with the chicken mixture.
Cut a thin slice from bottom of each fruit half to make a flat surface for plating; place halves on 4 serving plates.
Mound the chicken salad in the fruit halves. Serve with lime or lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 340; Fat 12g; Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 350mg; Carbohydrate 41g; Fiber 6g; Protein 17g

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Sunday BBQ: Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings

YumSugar — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 01:38:11 -0700

Somehow, I always forget that I'm a huge fan of chicken wings. They're simple to fix up, and are small enough that you don't feel like you're eating a lot - even after you've chowed down an entire platter. They also make perfect party food, and go great with the fall sporting season. You can do them in the oven, but why not make the most out of the last few weeks of summer by throwing them on the barbecue. To check out a great recipe for grilled jerk chicken wings, read more

Grilled Jerk Chicken Wings
From Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious

1/2 cup Caribbean jerk seasoning
18 fresh chicken wingettes (2 to 3 pounds)
2 cups honey barbecue sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Yield: 6 servings.

Coat grill rack with nonstick cooking spray before starting the grill.
Place jerk seasoning in a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken wings, a few at a time, and shake to coat.
In a small bowl, combine the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, mustard and ginger; set aside.
Grill chicken wings, covered, over medium heat for 12-16 minutes, turning occasionally.
Brush with sauce.
Grill, uncovered, 8-10 minutes longer or until juices run clear, basting and turning several times.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (3 each) equals 548 calories, 24 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 113 mg cholesterol, 2,217 mg sodium, 47 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 28 g protein.

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Definition: Jerk Seasoning

partysugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 11:03:10 -0700

Jerk Seasoning
A type of dry seasoning that is native to the Caribbean. It's primarily used in preparing meat - most commonly pork and chicken - for grilling. Although the ingredients can vary, it generally consists of chilies, thyme, spices (cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves), garlic, and onions. The seasoning can be directly applied to the meat or mixed with a liquid to create a marinade.

Burning Question: Are Cajun and Creole Cooking the Same?

YumSugar — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:50:18 -0700

It's an age-old question: is there a distinction between Cajun and Creole cooking - or are they really just the same thing?

The answer is somewhere in between. Creole cooking evolved out of the cosmopolitan culture of New Orleans, a city affected by the influx of international colonists who settled there after the Louisiana Purchase. New Orleans's denizens adopted spices from Africa and the Caribbean, butter and cream from France, tomatoes from Italy, and peppers from Spain and took advantage of the abundance of oysters, shrimp, and crab abundantly available in the Gulf.

Cajun cooking developed in Louisiana's rural backcountry. Acadians drew from their French and Southern roots, cooking whatever could be farmed and trapped locally, along with other inexpensive ingredients such as crawfish, rice, beans, and pork fat. Some of Louisiana's dishes are distinctly Creole, like shrimp rémoulade. Others - take crawfish étouffée, for instance - are credited to the Cajuns. But certain dishes shared by both cuisines, such as jambalaya, possess subtler differences: the Creole version typically contains tomatoes, while its Cajun counterpart employs a roux.

Over time, as the two terms have been used more generically and interchangeably, the differences between Cajun and Creole cooking have become blurred, and food historians have taken to focusing on regional differences within the state. What's your take on Cajun versus Creole? Which do you like more?

Happy Hour: Mo'Gingerito

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:20:09 -0700

Waiting for a table at a Caribbean joint a few weeks back, my friends and I were enchanted - possibly a bit too enchanted - by the ginger mojito on the cocktail menu. Fresh and crisp like the traditional rum drink but with a kick of aromatic ginger to balance the tang of the lime and the coolness of the mint, these mo'gingeritos were so good, I had to replicate the recipe.

While I have no idea how the restaurant made its cocktail, my at-home version tasted remarkably similar. So get gingery at your next Summer soiree with this delicious recipe