Grenadian flavours – recipes

If you asked me about my favourite dish years ago I would have probably been able to give you a straightforward answer. After exploring a number of amazing locations round the world though I simply couldn’t narrow it down to one. I mean, can you?

Grenadian dishes are no exception. There are simply too many to choose from. So I wanted to dedicate this blog post to the variety of dishes on this picturesque island that tickled my taste buds and maybe inspire those novice chefs out there to give it a try. This is just an absolutely tiny glimpse – to really try the cuisine you simply must visit this island.

There is something there for everyone…

For the vegetarian…

Breadfruit soup (serves 4)

My husband and I first tried this soup at Savvy’s at the Mount Cinnamon hotel. It was divine. The taste is very much like a potato soup but still different.

Ever seen a breadfruit? No it’s not a bread or a fruit. It’s actually a vegetable growing on trees that used to be a staple food in the Caribbean.

You can roast it, bake it, fry it or boil it. Eat it with salt fish, vegetables, meat or as a soup.

So my weekly challenge is to try this soup.

You’ll need:

2 cups of breadfruit chopped and peeled

1 onion finely chopped

1 clove of garlic chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

Hot pepper sauce to taste

2 tablespoons of butter (alternatively 1 tablespoon of coconut oil)

1 tin of coconut milk/ or cream if you wish

2 pints of vegetable (or if you like chicken) stock

1 bay leaf

A dash of lemon juice

Chives finely chopped for garnish

Here’s how you make it:

Peel the breadfruit and remove the core to start. You can then chop this vegetable into cubes and measure out two cups.

You’ll need a pot and heat the butter or coconut oil to then sauté the onions and garlic for a minute or two. Once transparent add the breadfruit and stock and let it boil until tender.

Leave it to cool down until it can go into a blender. It needs to be blended to a creamy consistency. Add the coconut milk or cream while blending.

Time to pour this mixture back into the pot and now add the seasoning of salt, pepper, chilli and bay leaf and let it simmer gently for about 15 minutes or so for flavours to develop.

If the soup is a little too thick just add a touch of water. For a splash of colour garnish plates with chives.

What do you think?

Callaloo soup (mum’s recipe) serves 4

A comforting and healthy soup. Apart from my mum’s soup the best one I tried on this island was at BBs in St George’s.

You need:

3 cups of fresh callaloo

1 cup of okra chopped

1 onion finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic

Thyme

1 chilli pepper

1 sweet pepper chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

And here is how she makes it:

Wash and cut up callaloo leaves. Fry the the diced onion, garlic, sweet pepper and chilli pepper for a minute and then add the callaloo, okra, stock and thyme to boil.

She slowly cooks it for about 5 minutes and then blends it till it’s a creamy consistency. To add that extra touch of vavavoom she adds a tin of coconut milk and water until it is the right level of soup like consistency. She leaves that to simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes, adds salt and pepper to taste and voilà.

Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Christophin gratîn (serves 4)

I love this vegetable from the squash family. A delicious alternative to starchy potatoes.

You’ll need:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 large christophines (chayotes) peeled & chopped

1/2 cup of stock

Salt & black pepper to taste

1 chilli pepper finely chopped

1/2 tub of cream (100ml)

Nutmeg to taste

1 tbsp chives, minced

1 cup cheddar cheese

And here is how you make it:

In a large pan heat the oil, add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add in the christophines, stock and chilli and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Season with salt and pepper and now add the cream. Finishing touch is the nutmeg. You’ll want to add enough to catch a hint of it in the dish.

Time to turn on the oven to about 180 degrees celsius. Pour the mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle with the cheese and chives and bakes until golden and crispy.

I loved this dish with grilled Mahi Mahi fish and steamed vegetables.

For fish lovers…

Coconut shrimp with curry pineapple dip (serves 2)

I saw this recipe in the Lime and Dine magazine years ago and fell in love with it. It combines two of my favourite ingredients – seafood and pineapple.

You’ll need:

4 jumbo shrimp (peeled and deveined)

1 egg whisked

1 cup of shredded coconut

1/2 cup of flour

Coconut oil

And for the dip:

4 tbsp Mayonnaise

1/2 tbsp curry powder

2 tbsp pineapple juice

2 tbsp pineapple finely chopped

Salt and black pepper to taste

And here is how you make it:

I would recommend to start with the dip. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Pop it into the fridge and leave to set and marinate for about half an hour.

You’ll then need to heat up the oil for frying so depending on your pan it needs to have enough oil in it to deep fry these prawns.

Rinse the shrimps thoroughly and lightly cover with the flour mixture. Dip them in the egg and shredded coconut and then deep fry until golden.

Time to get your plates out and dish up the shrimp with the dip.

Bon appetite.

For meat lovers….

Curry goat (serves 8)

A true Brit will really appreciate the art of getting a curry just right. From chicken to lamb to beef – it is a science. There is something to be said though about curry goat – it just takes a curry to another level in my opinion.

Being the Island of Spice this recipe tastes best with local curry powder and spices. It is the combination of Grenadian spices that tantalised my taste buds.

You’ll need:

2 lbs of goat meat, cleaned and chopped into pieces

4tbsp white sugar

2 tbsp of fresh lime juice

4 tbsp freshly grated ginger

6 cloves of garlic

1 cup of chopped onion

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

4tbsp coconut oil

5 tbsp of curry powder

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

Salt to taste

2 scotch bonnet chilli peppers finely chopped (remove seeds and stems first)

1 1/2 cups of stock

And here is how you make it:

It’s all about marinating the meat first so get a large bowl and add the goat meat, lime juice, ginger, garlic, salt and half of the curry powder and massage into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

You then get a large pot (casserole pot preferably) and heat up the oil and the sugar until the mixture caramelises. Use your highest heat setting. Add the meat and remove the pot from the fire and allow the meat to brown without stirring for 30 seconds. Now put the pot back on the fire stir the meat, and finishing browning it.

Time to turn your heat down to medium and cook for about 10 minutes whilst you carefully stir from time to time. You should start getting some amazing aromas floating through the air.

Now add the chilli peppers and onion and stir. Next pour in the stock next to the meat (not on the meat) and then gently mix. Reduce your heat to your lowest setting and add the reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes stirring twice. Then add the remaining ingredients of curry, thyme and chopped tomatoes, cove and simmer for up to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender. It should melt in your mouth.

Keep an eye on the meat though so stir it now and again and add water if it’s starting to look a little dry. Once finished you should be left with a succulent juicy curry.

Usually served with rice and peas and fried plantain.

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There are so many more recipes especially for fish lovers but I think I’ll save these for another post.

If you’re in the mood for being wined and dined it simply just not having to cook then watch out for my next post on some restaurant recommendations.