Coconut Milk Caribbean Rice

This is perhaps the best rice recipe I've ever made! It is spicy, but you can tame the spice by adding less of the cayenne pepper or eliminate the jalapenos or green chilies. I wouldn't recommend that, but if you can't take the heat, it's best to eliminate it from the recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 can coconut milk (full fat or reduced fat)
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1 1/2 cups red bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup jalapeno peppers, seeds removed, diced
1/2 cup onion (I used a mix of red and sweet onion)
4.5 oz can green chilies (undrained)
1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
dried unsweetened coconut (optional)
Pepper & Salt (to taste)

Instructions
Pour coconut milk into a measuring cup. Add water to make 3 cups of liquid. Add liquid, garlic, allspice, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, thyme and salt to a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add rice and bring back to a boil, stirring to mix. Turn heat to low and cover pan. Cook rice about 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

While rice is cooking, place butter in a large nonstick frying pan. Saute' red peppers, jalapeno peppers and onion until tender. Add green chilies and heat until liquid is absorbed. Add pineapple and stir well. When rice is done, place rice into the frying pan and miss well to combine. Heat on medium low. You can keep it on the heat until ready to eat, but stir periodically. The rice will get crispy and brown (yummy). Just before serving, salt and pepper to taste and add the chopped cilantro. Serve with dried unsweetened (or toasted) coconut if desired.

This dish goes well with fish, shrimp, chicken or pork. It's a great side dish, but can also be a main dish if you stir in cooked protein. Absolutely delicious as leftovers too.

Jamaican Jerk Marinade for chicken or pork

I grew habanero chiles this year and needed some recipes to use them. I combined a few recipes I saw on the Internet to come up with this deliciously spiced marinade that can be used for either chicken or pork. We used it on boneless skinless chicken breasts that we then made into kabobs and grilled. Don't let the number of peppers scare you, it's got some heat, but it's not over the top crazy hot like you would expect. Of course, when handling the peppers, wear gloves. They can burn your hands and you definitely don't want to get any of it in your eyes or around your face.

3 green onions, roughly chopped (include tops)
6-8 medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup - 1 cup chopped onion
3-4 fresh habanero chiles, (or Scotch bonnet) stemmed and seeded, chopped slightly
1/3 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
2 Tbsp olive oil or any neutral oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce (you could leave this out and add more salt)
1 tsp kosher salt
1-2 tsp ground black pepper
1 heaping Tbsp fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp allspice, ground (I used whole allspice and grind mine in a mortar and pestle)
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a blender. Make sure the top is on tight. Blend until smooth - about a minute in a Vitamix. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Cut about 3 pounds of chicken or pork tenderloin into chunks and place into a gallon plastic bag. Pour all but about 1/4 cup of the marinade into the meat and gently massage the marinade into the meat until it is all covered. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours or more. The longer you marinade the more it will infuse the meat. Do not marinade more than 24 hours.

While grill is heating, take out chicken/pork and skewer it. Grill, turning frequently, until chicken or pork is done to your likeness. Chicken should be cooked completely. Use reserved marinade to baste meat if needed or serve it for extra dipping if desired.

Serve with yellow rice and beans and maybe some plantains for a fun Jamaican dinner. Here's an Instant Pot Yellow Rice Recipe if you need one. Be sure to cook rice on low pressure setting!

Crock pot Chicken Jerk Sandwiches

 

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 large red or green bell pepper, chopped into smaller pieces

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. ketchup

3 Tbsp (or more) Jerk Seasoning Mix (see my recipe)

Rub seasoning over chicken. Place peppers and onions in bottom of a crock pot. Top with chicken. Mix broth and ketchup and pour over chicken.

Cook on LOW setting in crock pot for about 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and return to the crock pot and mix well with other ingredients. Can add more Jerk Seasoning to spice it up a bit more...or just add some cayenne if you like it a bit hotter.

Spoon into hard rolls (like hoagie buns or sub buns). Makes about 6 sandwiches.

Serve with chips and coleslaw or tropical fruit salad and bread-butter pickles on the side!