Category: Poultry

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Brown Stewed Chicken – World Class Caribbean Cuisine

Caribbean brown stewed chicken
brown stewed chicken

Brown Stewed Chicken

From my experience chicken is either roasted (UK Sunday lunch), fried (KFC) or maybe wings, or steamed, grilled, or boiled. Go to a Chinese restaurant and they may offer, stir fried or steamed. Going out to the Caribbean many years ago and meeting this amazing dish was a revelation. My pictures do not do this justice, the taste is amazing.

When I first went to the Caribbean I was amazed by the above Sunday lunch I was given. This was was very rich and filling. Chicken, macaroni pie, rice, water cress, and red beans cooked with onions and peppers. But what amazed me was this dark brown stewed chicken which was the best chicken I ever tasted. It was amazing. I tried many ways to duplicate it but just could not get that taste. Then one day a cook showed me the Caribbean secret that comes all the way from Africa, sugar stew. I was stunned. It seemed simple, add a tbs of brown sugar to oil in a pot and then fry up the chicken (or pork or beef) in it and the caramelised sugar just enhances the dish beyond what you would imagine. But of course it was not that simple. The other key ingredient here was seasonings. Not the Western way a bit of salt and pepper, but an intense marinade made with local ingredients. The name changes, in Trinidad its just stew chicken, in Jamaica its brown stew, but the dish is unique and one of the Caribbean greatest culinary achievements

Caribbean brown stewed chicken

Brown Stewed Chicken

The beating heart of the Caribbean, every mother cooks this, if you have never tasted this it will amaze you. There is nothing bland about this seasoned chicken recipe using methods imported from Africa
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 4
Calories 332 kcal

Ingredients
  

Marinade

  • 1 small chicken Chop up a small chicken into serving size pieces, remove skin where practical, separate thigh and drumstick, wing parts and chop breast into 3, and back into 3-4 pieces. put in bowl with
  • 1 tsp dark soy
  • 1 tbsp soy
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 sprigs fresh Thyme
  • 1 inch chopped ginger
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 2 small tomatoes chopped mix together and leave to marinade for at least 2 hrs or overnight

Instructions
 

  • Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a wok medium heat with a good heaped dessert spoon of brown sugar. The sugar will get foamy as it melts. Ensure the sugar is caramelised, but do not let it burn, as it will taste bitter.
    Throw in chicken parts and stir swiftly to coat. Let simmer on high heat for a few minutes until the sauce generated is bubbling, and then lower heat to moderate and cover.
    After about 8-10 minutes add about a cup or so of water (usually I boil water and swirl it round in the seasoning bowl to get all the left over seasoning).
    Let it simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. At this point the chicken should be brown.
    Taste and adjust (check salt, add a tsp of dark soy and 1 tbsp of ketchup). Cook for another 5/10 minutes, stirring often.
    If there is too much liquid let it boil down a bit, but you do need sauce with the chicken. The sauce should be brown and syrupy and coat the chicken when stirred. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Serve with white rice, macaroni pie, mash or even pasta and a side salad. 
Keyword brown stewed chicken, Caribbean Chicken, stewed chicken
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Buffalo Sauce Recipe – Healthy option baked

Buffalo sauce recipe

What do we expect when we use a buffalo sauce recipe? The crispiest wings and the tastiest sauce would be my answer. Try this way. The dip is hot and flavourful with a rich smooth taste that gets to you, and after you have eaten one, you will be back for more… and more. We baked our chicken for a healthier snack, 4 wings is only about 200 kc. OK its not diet food but frying it doubles the trouble. 🙂

Whether you fry or bake is your choice but this buffalo sauce recipe is special, I have tried so many and they disappointed.

Our scotch bonnet is great for wings, buy it by clicking below

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buffalo sauce recipe
serving ideas

We always used to fry our wings, to get that crispy outer coating we would dredge them in cornflour and season. But recently I was reading a blog called recipe tin eats and I tried a method the lady recommended and I have to say it works and will be our go to wings from now on.

buffalo sauce recipe

Buffalo Wings and Sauce

Everyone's favourite snack. This version uses slow baked wings for a healthier option
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Prep Time 1 d
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 200 kcal

Ingredients
  

Sauce

  • 1 tbsp. Butter
  • 1/2 shallot or red onion fine chopped
  • 1 clove garlic finely grated
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar,
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup hot sauce (Ooft! Scotch Bonnet)
  • 1/4 cup Chipotle sauce (Ooft!)
  • 1/4 cup BBQ sauce (our preference Newmans)
  • 1 shot Scotch or rum
  • 3 tbsp. rich stock (we use dripping stock from roast chicken)

Baked Chicken

  • 1 kg wings separated
  • 5 tbsp. baking powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika

Instructions
 

Wings

  • Dry the wings using kitchen towel and then place in a bowl and for 1 kg of wings add 5 tbsp of baking powder and 1 tsp of salt and paprika. Stir this by hand until all coated and then take a wire rack and oil it (otherwise chicken will stick), then place the wings on it back up. place in fridge overnight. Now I had no room in my fridge for this so I did all the first steps then just put the bowl in the fridge covered overnight and it worked really well, the next day I spread them on oiled rack.
    The clever bit comes now. Bake them at 120C for 30 minutes and then increase heat to 180 for 30-40 minutes depending on wing size and oven, I took mine out after 35. I have to say they were super crispy and tasty. The slow cooking at first helps to render the large amount of fat in wings so they end up healthier.

Sauce

  • In saucepan, melt butter slowly, add shallots, garlic and sauté for 3 minutes until transparent. Add brown sugar honey and rum and heat through, then add other ingredients and cook for 5 minutes and keep warm until ready to serve.

Notes

Serving the wings and sauce

The traditional way to serve these wings is shaken in a bowl with a lid ( or a bag) with the buffalo sauce recipe, but for a party the presentation above might work out better. When coated the wings are very sticky and fingers get very stick eating them. So lets say 6 kids and your whole furniture and walls will have sticky marks all over ! Just fair warning 🙂
Keyword buffalo wings, chipotle, hot wings, wings sauce
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Chipotle Chicken Burrito Recipe – from top Chef Martin Sweeney

Chipotle Chicken burrito
  • Assembling Chicken Tortilla
    Assembling burrito
  • Chipotle Chicken burrito
    Chipotle Wrap

Chipotle Chicken Burrito, quick and easy but healthy meal on those busy days.

This recipe just works well with our Chipotle buy it by clicking below

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  • Recipe for Chipotle Chicken Burrito kindly provided by Chef Martin Sweeney
  • Chef Sweeney a regular contributor to Loch Lomond Food and Drink Festival – LINK
  • You come home from work tired and not to keen to cook. In the fridge you have some chicken breast and salad.. Boing, idea, a burrito. Its healthy, its quick, its tasty and its filling plus it takes a few minutes. This is the dish for you. You have a family, wow guess what kids love this. Success, make, eat, and collapse, day done.
  • The nice thing about this dish is how easy to make and how tasty. Make a side salad or add a salsa. Sometimes when your tired you just want a quick healthy meal in front of the TV or on the couch. This is the one!
Chipotle Chicken burrito

Chipotle Chicken Burrito

There is nothing as good for a quick healthy meal than a burrito Top Chef Martin Sweeney sent us this delicious version
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Prep Time 20 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 250 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 limes zested and juiced
  • 600 gm Chicken breast (cut into strips)
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 100 gm mayonnaise
  • 1 pack gem lettuce
  • salt and pepper, tomato salsa
  • 100 gm coriander chopped rough
  • 3 tomatoes chopped
  • 1 red onion finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp hot sauce

Instructions
 

  • Marinade the breast strips in the lime juice and hot sauce, season with salt and pepper, allow to sit for 10 mins.
    Roughly slice the lettuce and mix with mayonnaise and lime zest, salt and pepper to taste
    Make the tomato salsa by mixing the tomatoes, coriander, red onion and season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lime juice (add a few drops on Ooft! If you like a spicy salsa)
    Drain and dab dry on kitchen towel and in a hot pan with cooking oil fry for 2 minutes on each side till golden and cooked through.
    Warm the tortillas in a microwave for a minute.
    Build the chipotle chicken burrito starting with the lettuce and mayonnaise on the bottom, chicken on top of that and topping it off with the tomato salsa and some chopped coriander. Drizzle a little extra Ooft! On top and fold
    If you want more protein then melt some cheese over it before rolling
    Serve with a wedge of lime
    You might like to try, cabbage instead of lettuce for more crunch, or add sliced sweet peppers
Keyword burrito, chicken burrito, Chipolte burrito, Mexican Burrito

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Chicken and Aubergine Curry – The best of the Caribbean

cchicken and aubergine curry

From the warm shores of the Caribbean comes this exceptional poultry curry. Easy to make and so tasty and healthy.

The sweetness of the aubergine lends itself to this dish in a way you just can’t forget. Eggplant are a healthy addition to many dishes; they are high in antioxidants and vitamins and minerals, while also being low in calories and salt- but their flavour is what makes this chicken and aubergine curry.

Served and cooked with our Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce, you might never go back! Follow link to buy Ooft!

chicken and aubergine curry ingredients
Ingredients
cchicken and aubergine curry

Chicken and aubergine curry

Just a hint of sweetness from the eggplant makes this a great curry for adults and children.
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Prep Time 1 d
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 4
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

Marinade

  • 1 small chicken (or 3 or 4 whole legs) chopped into bit size pieces
  • 1 cup coriander chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 good sprig thyme leaves pulled off
  • 1 inch ginger peeled and fine chopped
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • salt and pepper

cooking

  • 125ml water
  • 2 tbsp curry powder mix with water
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric mix with water
  • 1 cup coriander chopped rough
  • 4 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 large onion sliced
  • 2 Eggplant chop when ready to use (goes black if left in air too long
  • 3 tomato chopped
  • salt pepper sugar (1tsp)

Instructions
 

Marinate

  • Marinade: Chop onions, garlic, and coriander finely, also mix all ingredients in the marinade in a large bowl or container, massaging together. Seal and leave overnight in the fridge, or at least 2-3 hours before cooking. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

Cooking

  • Curry mix is water plus curry powder and turmeric mixed to paste
    In a large pan or wok, heat up oil on med-high heat until hot then add sliced onion, and cook until browned on edges only(around 10 minutes). Add your curry mix to the pan also and the curry leaves without steeping water. Turn the heat up to high and continuously stir. Let the spices and onions cook until fragrant and consistency turns grainy (3 minutes).
    Once grainy, add your chicken from the marinade, reserving seasoning left behind in the container. Stir to coat, and then cover for 5 minutes, stirring every other minute. Meanwhile, chop aubergine in half lengthways, and slice thinly (or to preference) along each half. Add aubergine after the 5 minutes, as well as the 3 tomatoes chopped roughly. Add sugar, salt and pepper, and a dash (or to desired heat) of Ooft! Scotch Bonnet. Reduce to med-high heat.
    Add a 1½ cup of water to the seasoning container, to catch all of the leftover seasoning. Add this to the curry chicken and cook for a final 30-45 minutes, until chicken is cooked and curry is to desired consistency. Taste and season to preference. (Optional: add ¼ tsp roasted cumin and mix through to finish)

Notes

serve with cucumber sliced and seasoned with coriander, salt and pepper and squeeze lemon
Alternative: Add in 2 potatoes chopped with aubergine for a different take!
Keyword aubergine curry, baigan curry, Caribbean curry, chicken and aubergine curry, Trinidad curry
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Caribbean Chicken and Rice and peas – One pot slow cook Trinidad Pelau

pelau

Caribbean Chicken and Rice – Trinidad Pelau

There are so many ways of cooking chicken with rice and beans in the Caribbean from Cuban black beans through Peurto Rico and Jamaica where rice and peas is an everyday dish. I Trinidad they make a great ONE POT meal called Pelau. Go to a local beach on a weekend and see all the families, kids in the water, parents set up with big pots of pelau for lunch.

caribbean chicken and rice
Trinidad Pelau – one pot meal

Caribbean Chicken and rice or Pelau can be made with chicken, pork or beef. Essentially its a one pot meal derived from Indian sources but modified to suit the Caribbean taste and ingredients. In some ways its a bit like a Biriani. The big difference here where cultures are a melting pot, is the addition of African sugar browning methods. The traditional “pea” used in the Caribbean is pigeon peas locally known as “gungo pea” (you can get this in UK from supermarkets its called pigeon pea or gungo pea), but we have made it just as tastily with black eye peas or even red beans.

Preparation of Pelau is in three stages, seasoning, cooking the chicken, and preparing the rice.

Essential with pelau is hot sauce so you can buy our aged hot sauce using the button below

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pelau

Caribbean Chicken and Rice – Trinidad pelau

Brought by indentured Indians and modified to become a much richer tastier dish using African sugar stewing and local peas
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Course Main Course
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 4
Calories 600 kcal

Ingredients
  

Seasoning

  • 1 1 small chicken or 4 whole legs chopped
  • 1 cup coriander chopped
  • 1 tbsp dark soy
  • 1/4 tin tomato chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp ketchup

Main Dish

  • 2 cups long grain rice don't use jasmine it will go mushy
  • 1 tin gungo or black eye peas canellini would work
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • 2 cups water or stock

Instructions
 

seasoning chicken

  • Season the day before, or at least 2 hours. Skin chicken, chop into bite size, and season with salt, pepper, chopped onion, and garlic, chopped coriander and 1 tbs dark soy plus 1/4 tin tomatoes chopped.

Chicken

  • Cook CHICKEN . Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in a wok or pot with 1 tbs of sugar. When sugar melts and turns dark brown (almost black) add chicken. Spoon chicken into pot reserving the liquid from the seasoning for use later. Add half a teaspoon of dark soy and stir thoroughly. Cook on a medium heat covered for 10 minutes. Check often and stir to prevent burning.
    Uncover and add a small onion sliced finely and 1 tbs of tomato ketchup, cover again and allow to continue cooking for about another 10 minutes stirring regularly. Remove the chicken with a spoon to a dish, ensuring that you remove only the chicken leaving the mixture and oil, the resulting chicken will be dark brown and almost dry. Drain off all of the liquid into the reserved liquid from the marinade to form part of the rice water.

Rice

  • Into the pot that the chicken was cooked add 2 tsp oil then half an onion sliced finely. Cook for a few seconds in oil in pot. Add rice and stir to coat, and the other half tin of tomatoes and stir briskly.
    When the mixture starts to stick pour 1 cup of boiling water onto the reserved seasoning and mix in then add to mixture. Also add 2 cups of boiling water, 1 cup coconut milk, and stir to mix.
    Salt generously, and let mixture cook on medium heat partially covered for 10 minutes.
    The long grain rice will take about 30 minutes. After about 10 minutes add cooked chicken and peas, and very carefully mix in. Cover and finish cooking, then remove from heat and allow to settle before serving. Don’t worry too much if there is still a bit of liquid when your rice is cooked as when you turn off and leave covered it will absorb over the next 20-30 minutes.

Notes

Pelau is very good served with a crisp cold mixed salad with no seasoning, avocado or sliced cucumber. It keeps well in the fridge and reheat with microwave.
Keyword Caribbean chicken and rice, chicken and rice, trinida pelau
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Caribbean Chicken Fried Rice – Rich and Tasty

Fried rice and BBQ
caribbean chicken Fried rice and BBQ
Caribbean chicken Fried rice shown with lovely BBQ

Caribbean Chicken Fried Rice

This is a lovely tasty fried rice and goes well with BBQ, in the Caribbean they modified the Chinese influence with stronger tastier flavours and it shows. The addition of caramelised sugar stewed chicken deepens the taste and makes it more wholesome. This Caribbean chicken fried rice is substantial, you could eat it alone with a salad as a meal. But “down the islands” they go overboard and load plates with rice, BBQ, salad, macaroni pie, plantain and yam boiled and sliced, a BIG meal.

RECIPE – Caribbean Chicken Fried Rice

2 Breasts of Chicken cleaned and seasoned. (Chop small and stir in 1 tsp dark soy, 2 tsp light, 1 tbs chopped coriander, 4 cloves garlic chopped and salt and pepper. Leave for an hour or more )

1 cauliflower
1 green peppers
1 red pepper
2 large carrots
1 onion
8 oz rice (long grain is best)

This is  very good as a light diet meal, with a side salad or as a big meal with BBQ as shown above.

Cook rice as normal but drain while still a little undercooked. Leave to dry if possible for an hour or so

All vegetables must be sliced and chopped into small cubes.

Heat 3 tbpns oil in a wok on high heat. and add 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Wait until sugar melts and bubbles and turns dark.

Add seasoned chicken stir and cover. Leave on high heat for 5 minutes. Uncover, and add carrots and onions and covering let cook for further 5 minutes. Uncover and add cauliflower and a sprinkle of salt, and cover for another 3 minutes. Finally add peppers stir, and cover for two minutes. Uncover and add rice and stir vigorously. Add 1 teaspoon of dark soy if you want the rice darker and stir to mix and colour ingredients well. Add 3/4 oz butter and stir in gently. Remove from heat and mix again. This reheats well in the microwave and keeps well.

 

 

chicken fried rice

Caribbean Chicken Fried Rice

A richer heavier rice than Chinese style, works really well with BBQ or grilled meats
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Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 30 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Caribbean
Servings 4
Calories 400 kcal

Ingredients
  

Chicken

  • 2 2 Breasts of Chicken cleaned and seasoned. (Chop small and stir in 1 tsp dark soy, 2 tsp light, 1 tbs chopped coriander, 4 cloves garlic chopped and salt and pepper. Leave for an hour or more )

Rice

  • 1 cauliflower cut into 1/2 inches
  • 2 sweet peppers (red and green) chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped into small cubes
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 8 oz Long grain rice

Instructions
 

  • Cook rice as normal but drain while still a little undercooked. Leave to dry if possible for an hour or so
    Heat 3 tbpns oil in a wok on high heat. and add 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Wait until sugar melts and bubbles and turns dark.
    Add seasoned chicken stir and cover. Leave on high heat for 5 minutes.
    Uncover, and add carrots and onions and covering let cook for further 5 minutes.
    Uncover and add cauliflower and a sprinkle of salt, and cover for another 3 minutes.
    Finally add peppers stir, and cover for two minutes.
    Uncover and add rice and stir vigorously. Add 1 teaspoon of dark soy if you want the rice darker and stir to mix and colour ingredients well. Add 3/4 oz butter and stir in gently. Remove from heat and mix again. This reheats well in the microwave and keeps well.

Notes

This is  very good as a light diet meal, with a side salad or as a big meal with BBQ as shown above.
Keyword Caribbean fried rice, chicken fried rice
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Butter Chicken – slow cooked

butter chicken

Butter Chicken and pilau
Butter Chicken and pilau

BUTTER CHICKEN RECIPE

Our Recipe. My wife was determined to get this butter chicken right and we all agreed this tasted better than any of our local Indian restaurants. Its rich and creamy but the meant shines through.
700 gm meat (used pack 7  thighs with bone)
For the Marinade:
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala (Tandoori mix)
1 tsp ginger and garlic finely chopped
250 gr Greek yogurt
Salt to taste

For the Gravy:

100g butter
1 1/2 tsp ground roasted cumin seeds
4 green Cardamom seeds
1 tin whole tomatoes puréed
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
100 gm fresh cream
2 fresh mild green chilli chopped
1 tsp Ooft Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce
1 tsp ground fenugreek or leaves (substitute ½ tsp fennel seeds)

Method

1. In a bowl marinate the chicken with ginger, garlic, chilli powder, garam masala, salt and yogurt. Mix well…. Keep it in the refrigerator, marinate overnight or minimum 4 hours.
2. Preheat Grill oven to 240C, Grill meat until it is almost cooked. It may take about 20 to 30 mins depending on the size of your chicken….
For the chicken gravy
1. Heat half of the butter in pan.
2. Pour in the tomato puree, and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add cumin, cardamom,sugar, chilli powder and salt to taste. Mix well.
3. Add the grilled chicken, remaining butter, tsp Ooft, and fenugreek
4. Saute for 7-10min till chicken is cooked..
5. Add the fresh cream, do not cook for long after you add to the gravy, otherwise the gravy may curdle…..
6. Garnish with Cilantro
Serve hot with Basmati rice, Biryani rice or naan, add extra Ooft! To taste.

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