Eggplant Fritters!

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I am a big advocate for shopping for fresh local produce at the local farmers market or in the case of out here in Barbados, the Saturday Market.
Shopping for and using seasonal fruits and vegetables is a great way to save money and eat fresh.

My shopping trip this week yielded the awesome find of eggplants at $2 per pound. Eggplants are very light so 2 pounds of eggplants gave me a big bag! You know what that means... time to experiment! Today's experiment came in the form of Eggplant Fritters.  Be forewarned, this is not a healthy recipe! There is frying and cheese involved... "Mmm, cheese". (Homer Simpson Voice)
On to the recipe.

One medium Eggplant, peeled and chopped small
Half a bell pepper (small chop)
Half an onion (small chop)
Garlic, minced
Hot Pepper, minced
Thyme
Handful Fresh Basil, chiffonade
Marjoram, Minced
1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
Sea Salt to taste
Garlic powder
Cumin
Two spoons of flour
One egg, beaten
Breadcrumbs

In a pan with olive oil; combine onions, garlic, bell pepper, hot pepper and eggplants. Cook till soft.
After it cools (Please be sure to wait for it to cool! Bad things happen when you add egg to hot mixtures); add thyme, basil, marjoram, cheddar cheese, sea salt, garlic powder, cumin, flour and egg. Mix well

Form balls and roll in breadcrumbs, fry till crispy and cooked through.

Try it out. Let me know what you think!

Restaurant Review: Chutney's 3-4-15

Restaurant Review!

Today's review is of "Chutney's", located in Lanterns Mall on the south coast.

This restaurant specializes in East Indian delicacies. From dahl puri, samosas, curries and of course chuntneys; it is authentic East Indian fare. Not only is the food great but they have stepped into the 21st century with little pagers they give you when you order. They light up when your food is ready. No need to hang out at the counter waiting for your food.
I had a saltfish roti with a tamarind (hot) chuntey on the side.
The portions are great and the prices are very reasonable. The roti pictured was $12bds.
If you are in the area, stop by for a quick bite. You will not be disappointed.

MOJO Bar- The Chopping Board 2-20-15

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MOJO Bar- The Chopping Board

It's a restaurant review! This place is single handedly, one of my most favorite places in Barbados. MOJO Bar- The Chopping Board, located in Worthing, Christ Church Barbados.

This restaurant, which is actually an old chattel house, is where awesome burgers are created. Served on a stylized chopping board, with fries and coleslaw, these burgers are for serious meat lovers only.

My favorite is the English, (cheddar cheese and bacon). You can never go wrong with that combo. They also have an awesome lamb burger and "The Hawaiian" which is topped with pineapple for that sweet and savory combination that is hit with tourist and locals alike. They have great soups and dinner choices as well, but for me... ITS ALL ABOUT THE BURGERS.

Great location, music, and funky decor rounds out this burger haven making it a "must visit" in Barbados.

Angostura Bitters BBQ Chicken 2-10-15

Hey people! It's been a minute since I posted a recipe. Here is a great one for you! Playing around in the kitchen, (this is when genius usually strikes) I came up with this awesome BBQ. It can be used on chicken, pork, or fish (be careful with the first step on fish though, the acid in the marinade can overcook the fish before you actually put it on the stove). The combination of the lemon garlic marinade and Angostura Bitters BBQ sauce is a match made in culinary heaven.

First step, the marinade.
Olive oil (about 1/2 cup)
Dijon mustard (about spoonful)
Minced garlic (about 6 cloves)
Salt (to taste)
Minced hot pepper (If you dont like pepper use none, very little, or substitute ground black pepper)
zest and juice of 3 lemons
Combine ingredients and pour over meat. (Ziploc bag is best) place in the fridge and leave for at least an hour. The longer you leave it the better it will taste, no more than a day though (for fish, stick to the one hour mark)

The BBQ sauce
Ketchup (about 1/2 cup)
Brown Sugar (a little bit, the ketchup already has sugar in it. It's just to add flavor. A regular spoonful)
Dijon mustard (3 heaping spoonfuls)
Angostura Bitters (15-20 dashes)
Combine.

Pour off the marinade and THROW AWAY. Never try to save marinade. Place chicken (bone in) on a RACK in the pan, with water and onions in the base of the pan. Cook at 350° for about 20min, then brush on BBQ sauce. Add water to the pan as it dries out. Every 5-7min brush on a new coat of BBQ. About 3 times. The last time, brush on a coat and put under the broiler for about 3 min. You dont want it to burn, you just want a LITTLE BIT of char.

Thats it. Enjoy. Please try it out and tell me what you think

Lemon Herbed Falafel with Sour Cream Tzatziki 11-20-14

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We tend to fall into a "meat eating" rut. Tonight I wanted to try my hand at falafel. I've made falafel before, but tonight I wanted to incorporate some flavors from the Caribbean and make it my own.

Falafel is a Mediterranean dish made of fried chick pea balls and can be served with a yogurt tzatziki sauce. My version utilized my abundance of lemongrass, fresh herbs, and some leftover sour cream.

If you see a recipe and there are items that remind you of flavors you know or there are spices that you think will go well... TRY IT OUT!
Cooking is all about experimenting. You will never discover how wonderful your cooking can be if you dont try new things.

On to the recipe smile emoticon

Lemon Herbed Falafel
Can of chickpeas, mashed
Red onion (minced)
Lemongrass (minced)
Coriander (chiffonade)
Cumin
Minced Hot pepper
Lemon juice
Lemon zest
Garlic minced
Chives
Olive oil
Beaten egg
Breadcrumbs
Salt & pepper.

Combine all ingredients then make balls and fry in canola oil.

Sour Cream Tzatziki
Grated cucumber
Sour cream
Mustard
Lemon
Salt & pepper

Combine and refrigerate.


Serve falafel on pita bread with lettuce, tomato, and onion, with a dollop of the Sour Cream tzatziki.

Golden Apple Juice 10-28-14

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Living in the Caribbean, we have access to a wonderful array of fruits and vegetables that have hidden sources of vitamins and minerals. Golden Apple is one of those fruits. High in vitamin C, iron and fibre. It's also a great healthy juice option for the health conscious.

Golden Apple Juice
10 golden apples (peeled and grated)
8-10 cups of water
Ginger root
Agave syrup or brown sugar to taste (about 4 tablespoons)

Add all the ingredients to a blender. Blend till mixed. Strain and chill.

Freezer staples: 10 items you need in your freezer 10-24-14

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Freezer staples: 10 items you need in your freezer

The other day I said "Quick & Healthy meals start in the freezer" and I got a alot of people asking "What should I have in my freezer?" So, I created a list and info graphic. I hope this helps. This is just the beginning, but its a small step away from the fast food industry and back to preparing meals for yourself. Who doesn't want that?

On to the list.

1.Bell pepper
2.Hot pepper (scotch bonnet)
3.Cheese (grated)
4.Chives/Scallions
5.Fresh vegetable mix
6.Beans (Bora Bora or String)
7.Ginger
8.Turmeric
9.Seasonal Fruits (cut up and labeled)
10.Bread

Peppers (both bell and hot) freeze them whole, cut off what you want and put the rest back in the freezer. Yes, they break down quickly after being frozen, so you would use these peppers when you are cooking or in a salad where you need the flavor but not the crunch.

Chive/Scallions seem to break down after a day in the fridge. Unless you use the entire bunch and make a bottle of seasoning, it goes to waste. Not anymore. Do a rough chop, throw them in a Ziploc bag, and into the freezer with them. They last indefinitely.

Cheese can be expensive. It's great to have on hand, but once again, it doesn't last long. Grater your cheddar or mozzarella, throw it in a Ziploc and into the freezer. In a hour, check back and shake the bag to prevent the cheese from freezing into a big clump. Now you can sprinkle your frozen cheese on to pizzas, casseroles, hot sandwiches, anything that will be heated. No one likes frozen cheese...

Beans. Wash them, cut them up, throw them into a Ziploc. That's it.

Fresh vegetables mix.
Carrots, cabbage, broccoli, cut up peppers, etc. You can make your own mix or buy one from the market and then freeze it in the bag it came in.

Ginger and Turmeric
Both roots that last FOREVER in the freezer. Wash, dry, (peel ginger) and cut into slices. Bag and label. You're welcome.


This one is for my people in the Caribbean.

Seasonal Fruits are a thing out here. Buy them when they are abundant and cheap. Wash and cut them up. Label and date the bags. You can make smoothies, breads, compotes, chuntneys, etc.

Bread
This refers to anything with flour. Sliced bread, tortilla shells, roti skin etc. These items can be reheated in the oven or pan fried, and taste lovely. Great when you are hungry and haven't/dont want to make an elaborate meal.