Trinibago Food

Hello Everyone!

Long time, no post, huh? I know. I know. But I have been super busy with other (paying) things in my life lol. But to make up for lost time, I am going to post a bunch of different recipes within the next few days. Well...that't the plan anyway. But you know how plans go. (Haha)

I recently got a request from Marina for an oxtail recipe. So here is my granny's recipe for Oxtail Soup.

Oxtail Soup

Soup ingredients:
3 pounds oxtail
1/2 lb carrots, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups water / 3 cups water and 1 cup beef stock
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf crumbled
Flour dumplings

Dumplings ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
water

Method for dumplings:
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and slowly add enough cold water to make a stiff dough. ( a sticky dough makes a soft, pasty dumpling) Knead in the bowl or on a lightly floured board until smooth. Shape into small balls that fit in the palm of your hand and flatten in the palm of one hand by using karate-like chops with the other hand.

Method for soup:
Clean the oxtails, trim away any excess fat, and cut into 2-inch pieces. Combine all ingredients, except the dumplings, in a large heavy saucepan. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add water if necessary, Stir, add the dumplings, and return to low heat for 20 minutes.

Hello everyone!

Sorry I haven't added any new recipes yet, I will this week I promise.

This weekend I wasn't really feeling trying a new recipe, so I made some Stew Chicken and Macaroni Pie {My favorite food EVER...other than desserts but those don't really count :) } So since I was making some things I already posted, I decided to take a few pictures of the results.

Stewed Chicken and Pigeon Peas:

Macaroni Pie:

Hello all!

I decided to put up a new recipe today and this one is special because I will be trying this one out for the first time this weekend. I'm going to put up just the words and a picture of how it should end up for now, and once I make it, I will put up a picture of my finished product.

By the way, I found the basics of the jerk pork recipe at http://www.jamaicatravelandculture.com/food_and_drink/jerk_pork.htm and just adapted it to my tastes but if you want the original recipe plus pictures and a video, check out their site. I just went lazy on it and used a bottled Jerk Seasoning that I picked up at Fiesta.

Jerk Pork Recipe
This recipe feeds 6.

Ingredients

• 3 lb. of boneless pork loin
• Bottled Jerk Seasoning

Preparation

1. Cut the pork up in to smaller pieces.
2. Use a fork to poke some holes in the pork pieces.
3. Put into a bowl and put some green seasoning and jerk seasoning in the bowl. Toss well and leave the pork in the fridge to marinade overnight (or if you don’t want to wait that long at least 30 minute to an hour. But you get more of the jerk flavor the longer you marinade.) 
4. Grill the meat slowly on the top rack in your oven until cooked, turning regularly. (Make sure that you put a cookie sheet to catch the grease or you will have a gigantic mess to clean up later…Trust me.) Baste with some of the remaining jerk/green seasoning marinade while cooking.

You can serve it with pretty much anything, but I chose to serve mine with Rice and Peas.

Easy, right?! Hopefully. Ha Ha.

Enjoy and wish me luck,
Amanda

Hello once again. I got a request for Curry Chicken so I decided to add this recipe from a cookbook I have from Trinidad. I have never personally made Curry Chicken, but it's on my list of new recipes to try.

Curry Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp. curry
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 slice hot yellow pepper
• 2 tomatoes
• 4 tbsp. cooking oil
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 chicken, cut up in pieces
• 1 sprig chives
• 1 onion
• 1 tsp. Angostura bitters

Instructions:

1. Cut chicken in small pieces.
2. Cut up or mince seasonings and add to chicken.
3. Let stand for 30 minutes
4. Heat oil in an iron pot.
5. Mix curry powder with 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Add to hot oil and cook 2-3 minutes.
6. Add chicken and stir to coat in curry. Allow all water to dry out, stir well.
7. Then add hot water and allow to cook until tender; add Angostura bitters and season to taste.

Enjoy and let me know how it comes out!
~Amanda

This recipe is my favorite one to make and I will make it all the time. Just macaroni pie, I don't need anything else, and I'm in heaven! :) But it does go well with Stewed Chicken.

Macaroni Pie

Ingredients:

• ½ Pack of macaroni (boiled in salted water)
• 1 egg
• ½ lb of grated cheese
• 1 can evaporated milk (small can)
• A little bit of grated onion or onion powder
• Salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Boil macaroni in salted water
2. Beat eggs
3. Add milk
4. Mix with cooked noodles, your grated onion, salt, pepper, and half of your cheese.
5. Put in a baking dish and then put the rest of your cheese on top.
6. Bake at 350° until no milk runs out if you kinda tip the dish over.
7. Let cook for about 10-15 minutes or it will fall apart. If you actually want it in pie form, you have to let it cook.
8. Cut a slice of macaroni pie and enjoy! Great with or without Stew Chicken.

Hello all,

I have been getting a lot of request on a different site for my Trinidadian Stewed Chicken Recipe. That is why I decided to start this blog so I wouldn't have to send out a gazillion emails with the same recipes. So my first recipe post will be my most requested!


Trinidad Stewed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken – 3-4 ½  lb. cut up
• 1 tbsp green seasoning (see recipe)
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper
• Ketchup
• Mustard

Instructions:

1. Cut up chicken, rinse quickly, do not soak in water. (Or if you’re lazy like me buy it pre cut)
2. Add seasoning salt and pepper and marinate. I do this for about 20-30 minutes, but my dad likes to marinate his overnight. I haven’t really tasted a difference in the chicken.
3. Heat oil in heavy pot, add sugar and allow to brown. If you can’t or don’t want to do this step (It’s super tricky) you can go to Fiesta in the Jamaican section and by burnt sugar browning and just use 1 tbsp of that instead.
4. Add chicken and allow to brown all over. Add a squirt of ketchup and mustard. It just gives it a bit of tang so don’t go overboard.
5. Cook chicken until water dries out.
6. Add 1 cup of water and cover pot, cook for about 20-30 minutes until chicken is cooked and tender.
7. Toward the end, I like to put in some pigeon peas. I put them in the last 5 minutes and let them brown up a bit.
8. Serve hot over rice or macaroni pie.

Enjoy,
~Amanda

This is the recipe with my dad says is the cornerstone of all Trinidadian cooking (at least in our house)...the Green Seasoning.

We usually marinade all of our meats in this before we cook them. My dad says to marinade overnight, but I get lazy and only marinate for 30 minutes to an hour. I have never tasted a difference, so it's however long you feel like it, but you MUST marinate. Or your meat will be all dry and stuff.



Green Seasoning (Adapted from Caribbean Pot. Pictures from there as well!)


Ingredients:

• 1 bundle of Cilantro (about 1-2 cups)
• 1 stalk of celery (include leaves if you have it)
• 1 head of garlic (about 11 cloves)
• 4 green onions (scallions)
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup of water
• pinch of salt (optional)
• 2-3 shallots (optional)
• 2 pimento peppers (1 banana pepper or 1 Cubanelle)
• Food processor or blender.

Instructions:

1. Peel, trim and wash the ingredients and let drain.


2. Then rough-cut into smaller pieces so it’s easier to manage and work in the blender or food processor.


3. Add all the ingredients into your food processor or blender including the water. You may be required to move around or push down the ingredients occasionally so it all gets worked by the blades. (My dad puts some vinegar in place of some of the water so that it lasts longer, but you don’t have to.)



4. Personally I like to liquify my blend to the consistency of pesto or even a bit more liquid. However you have the choice at this point to make a bit more chunky-like if you wish. After a few pulse actions you’ll find that everything blends together quite easily.

Storage Tips!

Since you probably won’t be using the seasoning as much as I do, I suggest you divide it into 3-4 portions, keeping 1 in the fridge (can last for 2-3 months) and freeze the rest.

You’ll notice that after time the once brilliant green color will go darker, don’t be alarmed. That’s natural!

***Makes about 3 cups green seasoning.***

Enjoy!
~Amanda

Hello and welcome to Trinibago Food!

A little bit about me: I am from a Trinidadian family, but I never paid attention when my grandma was trying to teach me how to cook. Therefore, I am relearning and trying out these recipes right along with you guys.

As I learn a recipe, I will let you guys know how it turns out and put pictures if my laptop doesn't throw a fit that day lol.

If you have any questions for me or a request for a specific recipe, you can email me at trinibagofood@gmail.com.

Thanks,
Amanda