Jerk sauce is a typical Jamaican seasoning that apparantly was originally used as a preservative. The recipe below is for Jerk Pork however you could easily substitute the pork for chicken or fish. If ever there was the taste of the Caribbean this is it.
Jerk Pork Ingredients
- 1.5kg of pork loin
- 3 scotch bonnet chillies (or habaneros work well too)
- 1/2 an onion
- 4 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- a goof glug of vegetable oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large knob of ginger (grated)
- juice from 1/2 a lime
- a dash of vinegar (any kind will do)
Method
First task is to make the jerk sauce. To do this simply pulse all of the ingredients (apart from the pork) in a food processor. If you prefer you can always use a pestle and mortar. If the mixture looks a little dry either add more oil or a little water.
Ideally you should marinade the pork in the jerk sauce (over night if possible). If not then a mere 30 minutes will suffice.
All jerk dishes are best coked on a bbq grill as this adds a nice smokey flavor to the meat. Adjust the cooking time according to the size of pieces of meat. Be sure to allow the pork to rest for about 10 minutes after cooking as this will help tenderize the meat.
Aloo methi is a famous Indian dish that literally translates as “Potato Fenugreek”.
Aloo Methi Ingredients
- 8 potato
- 1 knob of ginger
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 2 chopped onions
- 1 pinch of salt
- 3 chopped tomatoes
- 2 finely chopped green chillies
- 1 1/2 cups of methi (fenugreek) leaves chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
- oil
- salt to taste
Method
Wash and roughly cut the fenugreek leaves and peel the potatoes and dice.
Cook the potato until soft in a pan of salted water.
IN a pan heat a tablespoon of oil then add the cumin seeds and let brown for a few seconds before adding the garlic and ginger. After about 30 seconds more add the finely chopped onions and coook gently until they go golden brown.
Next simply add the turmeric, chopped tomatoes, methi and cook on a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes. Serve with fresh roti and or basmati rice.
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Italian cooking tends to excel through simplicity and this dish is no different. Similar dishes are served all over Italy, despite the very simple ingredients list you’ll be amazed at how tasty this is.
Spicy Fresh Herb Pasta Ingredients
- 6 oz of linguine pasta per person
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- a handful of fresh thyme
- a sprig of fresh oregano
- 1 fresh chillie (cayenne or similar)
Method
Cook your pasta in well salted water according to the manufacturers instructions. You should aim to cook your pasta ‘al dente’ as they say in Italy or cooked so it is still slightly firm (not over cooked).
Drain the pasta and mixed in the herbs and chilli (finely chopped) then finally add the olive oil. You can place back on the heat and stir for about 30 seconds to warm the oil through.
Alternatively if you have slightly more time you can first fry of the herbs in a little olive oil separately before adding to the pasta. This will help bring out the aromas from the herbs making their effect even greater.
This really simple herb pasta is best served with some nice rustic bread and a glass of red wine.
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