Gazpacho
From Chef Jasper Schneider of Cuisinart Resort and Spa
Ingredients:
7 cups Tomato juice (preferably fresh)
1 cup Cucumber juice (made in a juicer)
1-1/2 cups Basil oil
1 cup Balsamic Vinegar
¼ teaspoon Xanthan Gum (like cornstarch, but thickens cool ingredients)
Directions:
Blend tomato and cucumber juice with vinegar, oil infused with basil and xanthan gum.
Season with salt and pepper.
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Cucumber Gazpacho with Shrimp and Melon
From Cuisinart Resort and Spa
Ingredients:
1 3/4 large cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped (about 3 1/4 cup), plus 1/4 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into small dice for garnish (about 1/4 cup)
2 scallions (white and green parts), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup (loosely packed) assorted fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, and mint, coarsely chopped, plus ¼ cup finely chopped (for garnish)
1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 pound large shrimp (31 to 40 count per pound) peeled, cooked, and cut into medium dice (about 8 shrimp)
1/2 cup seedless watermelon or cantaloupe, cut into small dice
Directions:
In blender or food processor, combine coarsely chopped cucumber, scallions, coarsely chopped herbs, ginger, garlic, olive oil, and yogurt and process until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and hot sauce, then transfer to large airtight container and refrigerate 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
In small bowl, stir together shrimp and remaining cucumbers, herbs, and salt.
Fold watermelon or cantaloupe into soup. Divide soup evenly among 4 chilled bowls and top each with dollop of shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.
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Local Snapper Crudo
From Straw Hat Executive Chef Nick Dellinger
Serves 4
Ingredients:
20 oz. fresh Snapper- sliced very thin
4 oz. Dehydrated Nicoise Olive
4 oz. Candied Lemon Peel
Fresh Radish
Fresh Garden Arugula
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Lemon Juice
Candied Lemon- Peel two lemons and julienne the rinds. Place in a pot of cold water and bring to a boil, strain. Repeat this six times and on the seventh time use 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup sugar and a splash of lemon juice. Cook at a slow simmer until the liquid becomes thick and the peels become almost translucent. Cool and they are ready to use. (these are great in a lot of dishes)
Dehydrated olives- Place olive in a dehydrator, dehydrate and crush into a powder. A microwave on half power will also work if you do not have a dehydrator
Directions:
Divide the snapper between four plates
Season with olive oil, salt pepper and a touch of lemon juice
Atop the snapper, scatter the candied lemon, dehydrated olive, arugula and radish
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Buttermilk Syrup
From Blue at Cap Juluca (shared from www.ourbites.com)
You can put this on pancakes, waffles, French toast, ice cream, or eat it with a spoon.
Ingredients:
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 stick real butter
2 Tbsp. corn syrup
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and baking soda in a LARGE pot. Like one you’d make soup in.
Bring ingredients to a boil and reduce heat to low (as long as it’s still bubbling, you’re okay). Cook, stirring very frequently, for 8-9 minutes.
When it’s done, it should take on this luscious golden-brown color. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
There will be foam on top. It tastes just as good, but it’s not super pretty. If you’re into aesthetics, you can skim it off; otherwise, just give it a good stir.
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Caribbean Five Spiced Pork Loin
From Coba at Viceroy
Total Time: 1 hr
Active Time: 1 hr
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
Pork loin:
4-8 oz. Snake River Farms pork loin
Brine:
4 cups water
3 tablespoons salt
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 clove garlic, smashed
Caribbean 5-Spice:
¼ cup turmeric
¼ cup ground ginger
¼ cup ground cumin
3 tablespoon chili powder
3 tablespoon cinnamon
Potatoes:
2 bunches scallions or green onions
½ cup vegetable oil
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, medium size, diced into cubes
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon cumin
½ tablespoon chili powder
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Roasted apples with Pyrat rum:
4 green apples, cored, peeled, cut into rings
½ cup honey
2 cups water
2 piece star anise
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted
1 cup Pyrat rum
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400˚F.
For the pork loin: To make the brine, combine water, salt, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, and garlic. Bring to a boil then turn off heat. To cool down rapidly, add 2 cups of ice and stir until melted. When cool, pour over pork chops and refrigerate for 1 hour. Take the pork out of the brine, pat dry, and season with Caribbean 5- Spice mixture. Pan-sear pork loin over medium heat until nice crust is formed. Continue cooking in oven for 5-7 minutes until medium rare to medium. Cover with foil and let rest for 2-3 minutes.
For the potatoes: Chop the scallions on the bias, but reserve 4 for garnish. Sauté in vegetable oil until caramelized and remove from pan. In the same pan, add more vegetable oil and potatoes until golden. Stir in the scallions without breaking up the potatoes. Add in the turmeric, cumin, chili powder, sea salt, and pepper.
For the apples: On a sheet pan, brush the apple rings with oil and roast in oven for 15- 20 minutes until lightly colored. While the apples are cooking, combine the honey, water, star anise, fennel seeds, and Pyrat rum. Reduce down by half and add the roasted apples at the end.
To plate: Arrange three apple rings on the bottom of the plate. After letting the pork loin rest, slice and lay on top of apples. Surround the pork with the potatoes and lay grilled scallions over the pork loin. Baste the pork with 1 tablespoon of reserved Pyrat rum reduction.
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Pumpkin Fritters
From Coba at Viceroy
Total Time: 1.5 hr.
Active Time: 1 hr.
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients:
3 pounds Pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 tablespoons salt
2 quarts water
1 ½ cups sugar
1 ½ cup flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground allspice
salt/pepper to taste
Spicy Mango-Curry Dip:
1 cup mango chutney
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon schiracha hot sauce
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Directions:
Cover the pumpkin with water and salt, and boil for 30 minutes until soft. Remove and drain pumpkin in a colander until liquid is gone.
Place in a mixing bowl and add sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Mix well, but do not over-mix.
Heat oil in a frying pan to 350˚F, then fry pumpkin fritters with an ice cream scoop-about 2 minutes per side. The fritters will be light brown and crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside.
Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Serve with spicy mango-curry dip.
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Red Velvet Cake
From Coba at Viceroy
Total Time: 30min
Active Time: 10mins
Makes 10 servings
Ingredients:
5 cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cocoa powder
3 cups vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sour cream
1/4 cup milk
4 eggs
4 tbsp red food coloring
2 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (softened)
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
2 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 each lime juice and zests
2 fresh vanilla beans
1 1/2 vanilla butter cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350˚F. Lightly oil and flour 6 (9 by 1 ½ inch round cake pan.)
In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Add sugar and salt, and then mix together.
In a mixing bowl, mix oil, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, vanilla, sour cream, and milk for 2 minutes. Add all dry ingredients and mix 3-4 minutes, not over-mixed.
Divide batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake in oven for 15- 20 minutes; rotate the pan halfway through the cooking. Check with a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake and make sure it comes out clean before removing cake from oven, then leaving to cool completely.
In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese for 4 minutes. Add butter, shortening, lime zests, lime juice, scratched vanilla bean seeds and mix at low speed for 4 minutes, approximately until incorporated. Occasionally scrape down the bowl.
Add butter cream and mix for few minutes at medium speed, till mixture is fluffy and light. Store mixture in refrigerator to cool and set before using.
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Scilly Cay Fish Steaks with “Secret” Grilling Sauce
This is a grill sauce, designed to be brushed on during the grilling process, but it has a lot of sugar in it, so take care that it does not burn. The sauce yield is about 1 cup.
Ingredients:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup orange marmalade
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 tablespoon ground dry roasted peanuts
2 tablespoons Scotch bonnet or habanero hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 thick fish steaks, such as shark or tuna
Directions:
In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the garlic.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate if not using it immediately.
Add wood chips (such as pecan or mesquite) to the grill fire.
Brush the sauce over the steaks and place them on the grill. Keep brushing the steaks with the sauce until they are done. The time will vary according to the heat of the fire, the thickness of the steaks, and their proximity to the fire. Try not to turn the steaks more than twice.
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Tasty’s Grilled Chicken Parts with Barbecue Sauce
The ingredients for this sauce were shared by Chef Owner Dale Carty. This sauce is added to the chicken during the last half of cooking, and the chicken is best when it’s smoke-grilled (used wood chips soaked in water), so keep it quite a distance from the fire, close the lid on the barbecue unit, and grill it slowly. The sauce yield is about 3 cups or a little more.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup water
2 tablespoons mango chutney
1/4 cup pine nuts, dry roasted and ground
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup Scotch bonnet or habanero hot sauce
1 medium chicken, cut into 8 pieces (2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 legs, 2 breasts)
Directions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the garlic in the olive oil for about 2 minutes.
Add the onion and sauté an additional 5 minutes. Add the pepper and sauté another 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and sauté, covered for 20 minutes.
Uncover, add the remaining sauce ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a blender and puree.
Smoke-grill the chicken until half done, brush the parts with the sauce, and continue smoke-grilling until done.
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Tasty’s Caribbean Crayfish with Wet Rub
Substitute large lobster tails for crayfish if you cannot find any. The wet rub or marinate is from Chef Owner Dale Carty at Tasty’s. Shared from http://www.fiery-foods.com/barbecue-around-the-world/156-caribbean-and-south-america/1910-anguilla-the-barbecue-secret-of-the-caribbean
The yield is about 1 cup.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup freshly chopped basil
1 1/2 inch long piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Scotch bonnet or habanero hot sauce
2 large lobster tails, removed from the shell
Directions:
In a bowl, combine all the ingredient for the rub.
Add the lobster tails to the rub and coat well.
Marinate for at least one hour in the refrigerator.
Grill over medium heat for about 7 to 8 minutes a side, turning once.
You will have to re-coat the tails with the rub when they are on the grill.
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Blanchard’s Grilled Lobster Anguilla Style
Serves 4
Ingredients:
4 1-1/2 pound live lobsters
Olive oil for grilling
Melted butter
Dry spice mixture, optional (recipe follows)
Honey glaze, optional (recipe follows)
Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Turning your face away, carefully drop the lobsters in the water and cook until they start to turn red, about 5 minutes.
Remove the lobsters from the water and let cool to room temperature. If you are not serving the lobsters immediately, store them in the refrigerator until you are ready.
Prepare the grill. Meanwhile, cut the lobsters in half lengthwise, using a large, sharp chef’s knife. It’s a lot easier if you make the first incision by piercing the shell with the point of the knife and pressing down with the blade from there. Clean out the bellies and any other loose matter.
Brush the exposed meat with olive oil. If you are using the blackened seasoning, sprinkle on the desired amount, then grill the lobsters shell-side down until the meat looks almost firm and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn the lobsters over and cook until the meat gets slightly crisp, 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve hot with melted butter.
Blanchard’s Honey Lemon Glaze:
1/2 pound butter
1/2 cup curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup dark rum
1 cup honey
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
Pinch of black pepper
In medium saucepan, melt butter on low heat.
Whisk in rest of ingredients until well-blended.
Blanchard’s Dry Spice Mixture:
1/2 cup paprika
1-1/2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons white pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1-1/2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves
Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.
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Blanchard’s Rum Punch:
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup guava nectar
1 measure Mt. Gay rum
Dash of freshly squeezed lime juice
Dash of Angostura bitters
Grenadine to desired taste and color
Orange slices and pineapple wedges, for garnish
In a pitcher, combine the first seven ingredients.
Pour over tall glasses of ice and serve.
Garnish each with an orange slice and a wedge of pineapple
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Blanchard’s Mangos and Cream:
Serves 4
This is one of our easiest and most popular desserts. Peaches can easily be substituted for the mangoes if you prefer.
Ingredients:
3 large ripe mangoes, peeled
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 to 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Light brown sugar, for sprinkling
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling
Directions:
Slice the mangoes into 1/2-inch thick slices and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Whip the cream with the desired amount of granulated sugar and the vanilla until soft peaks form.
Gently fold the mangoes into the cream.
Spoon the mixture into dessert bowls and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Serve immediately.
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Blanchard’s Caribbean Cornbread
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal (such as Arrowhead Mills)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar, scant
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups cream style corn
1/2 cup (small can) crushed pineapple, drained well and squeezed
1 cup shredded jack or mild cheddar cheese
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9″ square baking dish.
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and set aside.
In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. (The mixture may appear curdled at some point, and that is OK.)
Add the corn, pineapple, cheese, and mix to blend.
On low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until blended.
Bake until a tester is clean and the cornbread is golden brown on top, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Serve warm.
To freeze, make sure the cornbread is at room temperature, then double wrap it with plastic wrap. If you are looking to make a double batch, you must use a larger pan than 9×13.
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Tomato and Watermelon Salad
(Too secret to tell you where it is from, but you probably know already)
Ingredients:
3 cups assorted tomato slices
2 cups watermelon, assorted colors
3 tbsp. grapes sliced in half
3 tbsp. mango, cubed
1 tbsp. champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 ½ tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. sweet spices
½ tsp. pepper blend
Salt to taste
¼ cup snipped herbs, mint, coriander, basil and chives
Directions:
1. Toss together the melon, tomatoes and fruit.
2. Whisk the vinegar, lime, brown sugar, olive oil and spices together
3. Just before serving toss the fruit, vinaigrette and herbs together.Adjust seasoning.
4. Keep this salad cold in the fridge for best results.
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Coconut Lime Flan
(Too secret to tell you where it is from, but you probably know already)
Ingredients:
3 eggs
200 g. sugar
6 zested limes
200 g. cream
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. cinnamon powder
½ tsp. nutmeg
200 g. coconut powder
Directions:
In a medium bowl mix the eggs, sugar and lime zest.
Add the cream, vanilla cinnamon, nutmeg and coconut powder.
Mix well and pour into a sugar dough crust pre-cooked in a flan mold.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve with vanilla ice cream