Conference turris::cooks

Well, I can't imagine them in those islands...but it sounds like a variation of
meat pasties - normally a British or Canadian type of meat pie - suitable for
eating out of hand while on the way to work.  There are many variations in
cookbooks, or perhaps someone from the British Isles or Canada can offer
their favorite recipe for the local variety?

Failing that, I would suggest you look in cookbooks for "meat turnovers",
or "meat pies" - cookbook variety recommended: Irish, English, Canadian.

    
    While on a cruise a few years back my wife and I had a ground meat
    patty on Grand Cayman.  The meat was turtle, raised on the island,
    maybe that is what your friend had.
    
    Bob

Here is my friend Leslie's recipie for Jamaican beef patties.  I
will ask her where one can get "Jamaican style curry."  It doesn't
taste the same as Indian, and I'm not sure what's in it.

Peigi


			JAMAICAN BEEF PATTIES

	PASTRY
	------
	Sift together:  4 cups flour
			1 Tbs. curry powder (Jamaican style, not Indian)
			1 tsp. salt (I use less than half this)

	Work in 1/2 lb. shortening or lard and enough iced water to hold
	dough together.  Refrigerate in foil for 12 hours.  Remove 15 mins.
	before use, pull off just enought to make one patty at a time.
	Roll out and cut into 6" circles (make smaller circles for snack
	size patties).  Flour each and stack.  Cover with damp cloth.
	(NOTE:  Rather than rolling and cutting, I get better results by
	starting with a small ball of dough and rolling it out to something
	approximating a circle, making the dough very thin.)

	FILLING
	-------
	Mince 2 onions, 2 ozs. scallions, and 2 hot peppers (I also add
	some sweet pepper).  Add this to 2 lbs. ground beef.  Heat 2 ozs.
	oil in frying pan, add beef mixture and stir for 10 minutes.
	Add 1/2 lb. bread crumbs (I use less), 3 sprigs thyme (or equiv.
	dried thyme), 2 Tbs. curry powder, 1 Tbs. salt (again, I use less
	than half this).  Mix well, then add 1 cup water. Simmer for 1/2
	hour, then cool.

	Fill the prepared pastry circles with filling.  Fold over and seal
	by crimping edges with a fork.  Bake on ungreased baking sheets in
	preheated oven a 400F for 30-35 minutes or until brown.
	Makes approximately 3 dozen of the 6" size.

    

    anyone who has eaten to the reggae beat in one of the many caribbean
    restaurants that have sprung up across the country is probably familiar
    with jerk chicken or pork, which is marinated in a blend of onions,
    peppers and spices and then griled until crisp, blackened and utterly
    toothsome.  an easy way to enjoy jerk at home, with or with the reggae,
    is with caribbean plantations jerk sauce.  made in jamaica, it is a
    piquant blend of scallions, pepper, thyme, salt and allspice.  it can be
    used as a marinade or as table sauce for grilled meats, poultry or
    fish.  two five ounce bottles are $5 (including shipping) from the gift
    affair, 82 lady musgrave rd., kingston 10, jamaica; 809-92-77004.
    
    -- food and wine magazine
       rewritten without permission
       september 1990 issue.
    
    now...............
    
    i have heard marvelous things about jerk chicken and thought that
    someone put a recipe in here for it but i couldn't find it.  i guess
    after reading this article that i should marinate it and then grill the
    meat.  if i am wrong, someone please correct me!  thanks!
    
    
    
    

>>>    So, why is it called JERK cooking?  Or shouldn't one ask?  :^)

perhaps due to the antics of the poor soul who, unwittingly, bites into the
meat prepared in this fashion ...8^}

I was taken to a restaurant in Cambridge, terribly trendy little 
hole-in-the-wall sorta joint and I, being from New Mexico, was encouraged
to select a nifty little menu item listed as "Jerk chicken from HELL"***..
HA! I wasn't born yesterday, y'know... I figured with a name like this, it
was certainly not tapioca pudding we were talking about.  My buddy, Kevin,
and myself decided to share an order and when we bit into it...

     HOLY BLISTER-LIPS, BATMAN!!! This stuff was unbelievable...I
	admit it....I'll take on New Mexico red anytime, but no more
	jerk ANYTHING for this kid.  I wanna keep what taste-buds I
	have left at some level of functionality...


*** I swear I am not making this up...to borrow from Dave Barry...

RE: the term "jerk"

The term "jerk" as in "jerk chicken" is a shortened form of "jerky" (as in "beef
jerky").  Jerk chicken, beef, etc. is, like beef jerky, a way of preserving meat
in a semi-dried state so that it will keep for long periods without
refrigeration.  The Jamaican variation of the theme relies on chili peppers as
well as smoking and salt for the preservative effect.


RE: .2

>I was taken to a restaurant in Cambridge, terribly trendy little 
>hole-in-the-wall sorta joint

Would this be the East Coast Grill?  They bottle something called INNER BEAUTY
HOT SAUCE that is billed as the hottest hot sauce in North America.  The label
warns, "This is not a toy.  Sit up straight and stop mumbling."  They are not
kidding, either.  Tabasco and Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce are mild by
comparison.

--PSW

    As taken from Jessica Biscuit catalog: (1.800.878.4264)
    
    Jerk: Barbecue from Jamaica
    Wilinsky.  Over 100 recipes provide the secret of jerk cooking with
    special spice blends, exotic marinades and flavored dipping sauces. 
    Side dishes, drinks & desserts. 150 pages
    
    Paperback is $10.95, available October 1990

    >Jerk< meat, to many Plains tribes, was a main staple in their diet.
    It could be transported in pouches by warriors and for long travels
    and winter months.  The meat was cut *with* the grain, not against it, 
    Another words, not going against nature.  It was dried in strips
    in the sun, not over a fire - that's smokes the meat.  The >jerk< meat
    was also added to berries with suet and made into little cakes. 
    
    
    Just an observation!
    
    /gail

    
    Some good friends of ours honeymooned in Jamaica and brought back
    some jerk sauce for us to try.  It was terrific!  You marinade
    the pork/chicken/beef in it overnite then bbq it.  Yummm!  We
    found some jamaican jerk marinade which isn't quite authentic,
    but very tasty.  It's called Uncle Bums Jamaican Marinade and 
    they manufacture it in Newbury Park, CA.  It's more saucy
    than the authentic stuff, but isn't as salty and not quite as
    hot.  Uncle Bum's can be found in the marinade/bbq sauce section
    of larger supermarkets in southern California.  Or, if you're
    not in this area you can call Uncle Bums directly and order this
    stuff by the case!!!
    
    While in San Francisco in June I discovered some REAL jerk 
    sauce at a place called Cost Plus.  I don't know if there
    are these stores all over, they're like larger versions of Pier 1
    Imports, only with a big imported foods section.  This stuff
    looks like dirt (I'm not kidding!!) and the directions tell you
    to smear some melted butter/margarine over the meat you're using,
    then RUB this jerk stuff into the meat.  Let it sit for an hour then
    bbq it.  I've used it on beef back ribs, pork chops and chicken and
    it's excellent.  This authentic stuff is kinda salty, and pretty
    hot, but it won't burn your mouth off.  I don't remember the
    name of it, but it's made in Jamaica.  If anyone wants more info,
    let me know and I can look on the jar tonite.  A jar of this stuff
    will last a while....you only use a small amount!
    
    Jerk pork/chicken/beef has become a weekly event in our home----forget
    about bbq sauce after you're tried this!
    
    Cherie
                                                     

Here's the recipe for Jerk Pork.  I've never tried it, but it sounds potent!

Cara

    
    
Taken without permission from _Caribbean_Cooking_ by John DeMers:


				Jerk Pork


	1/3 cup allspice berries
	7 green onions, chopped
	3 Scotch Bonnet or jalapeno chiles, chopped
	2 garlic cloves
	4 thyme sprigs
	5 fresh cinnamon leaves, or bay leaves
	salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
	5 pounds thick-cut pork loin chops, or any other pork cut

	To prepare spice paste, heat allspice berries in a small skillet.
	Stir 5 minutes, then place berries in a mortar and pound them until
	they are powdery.  Add onions, chiles, garlic, thyme, cinnamon leaves,
	salt, and pepper; grind this mixture together until you have a paste.

	Rinse and pat dry pork, then cover it with the peppery paste.  Cover
	and marinate at least 1 hour, or preferable overnight in the refrid-
	gerator.  Preheat grill.  Place the seasoned meat on medium hot
	grill and cook about 1 hour, turning pork once.  If desired, toss
	some allspice leaves, allspice berries, or bay leaves onto the coals
	for more flavor.  Jerk Pork can be served in whole chops, or it can
	be deboned, chopped up, and placed on a strip of banana leaf with a
	slice raw onion.  Makes 6 servings.

    re: .7
    
    no, that's what the *white* man called it.  the versions of 'beef
    jerky' on the market is far too salted.  the brand pemmican is probably
    the closet product on the commercial market that i know of but is still
    a far cry.  pemmican is actually the cakes which the plains tribes made
    from the jerk meat.
    
    /g.

    
    Jerk Rub -
    
     1 onion, finely chopped
     1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
     2 tsps fresh thyme leaves
     2 tsps salt
     1 tsp ground Jamaican Allspice (available in Spice Islands brand)
     1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
     1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
     4 to 6 hot peppers finely ground (Habaneros, aka Scotch Bonnets).
     1 tsp ground black pepper.
    
     Mix all the ingredients in a food processor, and process until it
    forms a paste.  Rub the paste on chicken, or pork and allow to marinate
    for several hours.  Grill, or smoke over barbeque.
    
    Here's a marinade which is a little more liquid than the rub, but not
    as liquid as other marinades:
    
     1 onion, finely chopped
     1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
     2 tsps fresh thyme leaves
     1 tsp salt
     1 tsp ground Jamaican Allspice (available in Spice Islands brand)
     1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
     1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
     1 hot pepper finely ground (Habaneros, aka Scotch Bonnets).
     1 tsp ground black pepper.
     3 tbsp soy sauce
     1 tbsp cooking oil
     1 tbsp cider or white vinegar
    
     Blend in a food processor until well combined.
    
     Jamaican Jerked Chicken Breasts
     --------------------------------
    
     4 large chicken breasts split, with bone in
     2 to 3 tsps Jerk rub
    
     Wash the breast thoroughly.  Remove the skin if desired. Smear the
    Jerk RUb (apply a thin coating for medium heat, a thick coating for
    hotter flavor.  Place in a buttered glasss baking dish for 2 to 3
    hours.  Preheat the oven to 275 deg, then bake the breasts, covered,
    for 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, prepare a hot fire in the barbeque grill.
    Remove the breasts from the oven and immediately place them on the
    grill, skin side down.  Grill for five minutes on each side, or until
    skin is crunchy.
    
    NOTE: If you don't have access to Habaneros (Scotch Bonnets), you can
    substitute Jalapenos peppers instead.  For Maynard area folks,
    Idylwilde Farms in West Acton has the Habaneros peppers.
    
    Enjoy, Larry
     

    
    I made some Jerked chicken wings last night using the jerk marinade.
    They went over very well with the guests, but they were hot !! 
    
    Marinate approx 20 wings (2 packages) in the jerk marinade for approx
    24 hours.  If you don't want them as hot, cut down the marinade time.
    
    Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Baste them
    periodically with left over marinade if desired.  Serve them with 
    cornbread or something else that can counteract the heat.  If they're
    not hot enough for you, increase the number of Scotch Bonnets that 
    you add when you make the marinade.  I used two, and they got folks
    dancing :^).
    
    - Larry

    
    	Dried Habeneros can now be found in S. Nashua, N.H. at Purity
    	Supreme in Royal Ridge Mall.
    
    	They come in a plastic bag by Freida, the Yuppie Food Schlepper.
    	There are about 8 in a bag for $1.79 and are in the produce section.
    
    	I don't know how long they will be available, so grab some before
    	I scarf them all.
    
    		-rjc-			[With Tsongas before Iowa]
    

I tried the recipes for the liquid version in .14 and I really liked it.  I 
didn't notice the rub had 4 - 6 peppers while the liquid version had only 1 so
I only put in 1 hot pepper -- enough for a taste but not enough to make it hot.


-- Nisha

    
    Simmered Jerk Chicken - From The Jerk Cookbook
    
    Had this last night, and it received raves:
    
    Ing:
    
    2 onions chopped
    1 cup water
    1/2 cup soy sauce 
    2 tsp jerk rub (See 2580.14)
    2 tbsp sugar
    2 tbsp rum or sherry
    2 anise seeds (optional)
    3-4 lb roaster cut up (I used 4 chicken breasts instead)
    
    Brown the chicken in the bottom of a large dutch oven using a little
    olive oil, then remove it and set it aside momentarily.
    
    In the dutch oven, combine the following ingredients:
    Water, soy sauce, sugar, rum, onions, and anise seeds,
    and bring this to a boil.
    
    Add the jerk rub to the mixture, and put the chicken back into the
    dutch oven, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
    
    Remove the cover, turn chicken to insure thorough cooking, and continue
    to cook for another 15-20 minutes uncovered, or until chicken is
    tender.
    
    Serve with rice.
    
    - Browning the chicken first wasn't called for in the original recipe,
      I just think it makes the chicken a bit more aesthetically pleasing.
    
      The recipe also says that the anise seeds add a wonderful flavor. 
    
      Also, this is not a fiery dish.  I suppose you could increase the
      heat a bit by adding more jerk rub, or tossing in a habanero pepper
      if you like things real hot.  It does have a slight bit of zing to
      it however.
    
      Hope you enjoy it.
     - Larry

  RE: Note 2240.13 by OCTAVE::VIGNEAULT 

	I have a couple of questions regarding the Jerk Rub.  

	1.  The recipe seems to make quite a bit, yet you only use
            2 tsp for four chicken breasts.  How long does this 
	    stuff last in the refrigerator?

	2.  Also, are the hot peppers supposed to be dried?  I
            can easily purchase fresh jalopenos or can use the 
            one in the jar.  I'm not sure where I would find the
            Habaneros near Milford or Marlboro MA.

	Thanks,

	Karen
    

    
    Hi Karen,
    
     1. Yes, it makes quite a bit, but it will last a month or so in a 
        closed jar in the fridge.  I actually use more than 2 tsp myself,
        the recipe is verbatim from a cookbook so it'd be up to you to 
        decide if you like more or less.  It is possible to use too much
        because the taste will become overpowering.
    
     2. You could use jalapenos, fresh or bottled.  I've used dried Thai
        peppers before as well.  Habaneros can be purchased fresh at 
        Idylwilde Farms in Acton.  You could really use any type of hot
        peppers that you like.  Traditionally, it's made with the habs.
    
        I once made this and allowed the meat to marinate overnight. It
        was actually so hot as a result, I just couldn't eat it. Of course,
        my jerk rub had been aging a couple of weeks as well, and it was
        pretty fiery.
    
        Anyways, hope this helps - Larry
     

	Thanks Larry,

	My husband and I had jerk wings recently and thought they
	were great!  I plan to try that jerk rub recipe this weekend.

	KAREN

    
    I had a few friends over one night and made a batch of jerk chicken
    wings using the rub.  Despite the fact that they were all kind of 
    fanning their mouths and exclaiming how hot they were, every one of 
    the wings dissapeared quickly and they loved 'em.  I think it's best when
    done on a grill or in a smoker because the jerk seasonings kind of 
    crisp up a bit.  A moment under the broiler may provide similar 
    results, but without the pleasant smoked flavor.
    
    Hope you find it to your liking.
    
    - Larry

    
    One more note, the jerk marinade might actually be better on the wings
    than the jerk rub.  They are a bit different.
    
    Lv

First, thank you moderators for the pointers to this note. I
had tried dir/title=jerk with no success.

I have a bag of Jerk seasoning that I got from Jamaica that
I'll try to make Jerk Chicken with.  It's a dry reddish powder.
Any suggestions as to how to best use this?  Should i just rub this 
into the chicken or should I add it to some liquid and make a marinade?
 
Also, could someone suggest any Carribean/Jamaican side dishes to
serve with Jerk Chicken?  I would like to have a wholly authentic
meal.  I have plenty of Tortuga Rum to accompany it. 8^)

Thanks
-Ernie  

    Sorry, this is just a pointer ...
    
    The cook book "Thrill of the Grill" has a good jerk chicken recipe and
    it's full of other very interesting BBQ related main dishes and many
    side dish recipes/suggestions (many of which are Carribean in nature).
    
    \steve

    The jerk spice is indeed a rub.  
    
    The Frugal Gourmet's Immigrant Ancestors cookbook has a chapter devoted
    to Jamaica.  One of the recipes I can recall involved cooking rice and
    peas in coconut milk.

I'm looking for a source (mail order or Mass/NH) for the Jamaican Curry powder
as referenced in the Jamaican Beef Patties recipe in .4.  I know it wouldn't
do any good to ask Peigi's friend Leslie, because Leslie is my wife and she
can't find it anymore!  I have tried Penzey's (a mail-order spice house)
with no success.

Failing that, is anyone going on vacation to Jamaica soon who would be
willing to bring a supply back for us?

					Steve

        Steve,
        
        I think  the little Caribbean shop on Elm St.  in Manchester is
        still around - it's on the same block as Belisle's Music, Tandy
        Leather and George's Clothing  Mart.  Only place I can think of
        around here that would probably have it.
        
        Andy
        
        PS. Please let us know if they do - sounds interesting!
        

Andy,

Thanks for the pointer - that store did indeed have Jamaican Curry - two
different brands, Blue Mountain and Goya.  The Blue Mountain was said to be
the best seller, and was cheaper than the Goya, but the Goya looked good too
(a somewhat different blend).  We bought one of each (no big deal, even
the Goya was only $1.85 for a jar); Leslie says she'll make a batch with
each and see how they come out.  A report here will be forthcoming.

				Steve

Ok, here's the report on the Jamaican Patties (recipe in .4).

Defintely go for the Blue Mountain - the flavor is much more authentic than
the Goya, which tastes more like an Indian curry.  The BM curry has a
sweet taste that is delicious.

Be careful when simmering not to let it get too dry or burn on the pan.

I didn't get anywhere near 3 dozen, but perhaps I didn't roll them thin
enough.

				Steve

I've recently decided to try my hand at some traditional Caribbean fare.  One of
the most famous of the island dishes is jerked meats or fish.  Originally
jerking referred to the method of preparation intended to produce foods that
would keep for a while without spoiling.  Today jerking is the slow roasting of
meats or fish that have been marinated in a sweet, very tangy blend of chiles
and spices.

Below is a recipie for jerk sauce from a book entitled "Island Cooking" by
Dunstan Harris.  I haven't tried it yet, but I intend to do so shortly, Can
someone can help me answer the question, "just what the heck is a jamaican
pimento anyway?"  Unfortunately the book offers no explanation.  The ingredients
list shows:

Jamaican pimento (allspice)

Pimento?  Allspice?  Sounds like an oxymoron to me!

If any of you have any ideas PLEASE help me out.  I plan to try this soon and
I'll let you know how it turns out.

BASIC JERK SEASONING

2 ounces Jamaican pimento (allspice), crushed
1/4t freshly grated nutmeg
1t   ground cinnamon
12   scallions, cleaned and chopped
6    Scotch Bonnets or 12 Jalapenos, halved with seeds  (rookies beware!)
1/3C red wine vinegar
2T   vegatable oil
1t   salt
1t   freshly ground black pepper
2T   soy sauce
Hot Pepper Sauce (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, adding hot pepper
sauce to taste.  Process to liquefy for 1 minute.  Pour into a jar and
refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

Yields approx 1 cup.

Cheers,
david

        Re .30;
        
        

>   6 Scotch Bonnets or 12 Jalapenos, halved with seeds  (rookies beware!)
        
    Dunno that 6SBs = 12 Js (Seem to remember that SBs are much more than
    twice as hot as Js)
            
>   Hot Pepper Sauce (optional)
        
        <grin> 
        
        

I agree that this is a lot of heat in one cup of sauce...I'm thinkin' I may cut
the chiles in half the first time I try it.  I've been fairly successful getting
my family to eat (and enjoy) the hot stuff but they have limits.  As for the
Scotch Bonnets compared to the Jalapenos I believe two to one is about right.  I
have the Great Chile Book at home and will look it up tonight.

As an aside on hot sauce...I just recieved a bottle of Texas Gunslinger from
Pendery's in Dallas.  It's pure jalapeno sauce (as compared to most of the other
popular hot sauces which contain mostly cayenne).  The heat struck me as
comparable to Tabasco and the like but with a richer, heavier flavor.

/d

RE: .31

Scotch bonnets are 100 or more times hotter than jalapenos.  See the 
Scoville unit chart elsewhere in this conference.

--PSW

    
    Jerk sauce is not used heavily, but rather sparingly.  I've made it
    with six habs before, if you allow meat to marinate over night, watch
    out !  The longer the hotter, a short marinade time isn't too bad.
    
     I used to always make my own jerk, but I discovered Walker's Wood
    Jerk seasoning from Jamaica, and it's made with habaneros and packs
    a pretty good punch.  Now I'd just as soon buy this brand for ~$2.77
    a jar rather than make my own.  It tastes just as good as any jerk
    recipes  I've tried and is definitely authentic.  For noters in Central
    Ma., I purchase this at Tropical Foods supermarket at Webster Square.
    
      Lv

re .-1

I'd love to check out Tropical Foods, could you be more specific as to the
location?  Webster Square?

thanks

Re: -.2
We use it all the time.

    
    re: .35
    
    Location of Tropical Foods;  I don't know your level of familiarity
    with Worcester, nor which way you would be coming from.  I'll start 
    from Rte 290. If you're coming in on Rte 290 West from out in the 
    495 area, get off at the Brosnihan Square exit.  Take a right onto
    Cambridge Street, and follow it straight through 3 sets of lights.
    
    At the 3rd light, the Webster House Restaurant should be on your left,
    and you should be at the intersection of Main Street, Cambridge Street,
    and Hammond Street.  Go straight across the intersection bearing to 
    the left staying in the right lane (the natural curve of the road).
    
     You'll come to a second light, take a right.  You'll go past the 
    Cinemas, and then there's a small shopping plaza on the right with 
    a Namco. Tropical Foods is right in the plaza next to Namco.
    
     If you need more specific directions, email me at OCTAVE::VIGNEAULT.
    
    
      Rgds, Larry

    Larry,
    I think I can help a bit with that goofy intersection:
    When you get to the Webster House restaurant, you want to aim for the
    Mobil gas station, keeping it on your right.
    Sarah

    
    Yes, that's a good tip, and it is a _goofy_ intersection :)
      
     Larry

	Tropical foods is opening a new store on Rte 135 in Framingham,
several blocks east of Rte 126, opposite the old Dennington(?) factory.