Week end cook out menu

Appetizers

Plantains croquettes
Avocado stuffed tomatoes
Cheese canapes


Meats

Grilled smalls birds  Squabs, Quails, Doves
Grilled T Bone steaks - Prime rib steak
Poisson gros sel

Paella

Salads

Salade a la boulangere
Beets salad


Drinks
Gaudrin
coconut water

Dessert
Pineapple tartlets
Doucelette de coco

HAITIAN STYLE STEWED CHICKEN

Serves 6
                              Haitian Style Chicken




Poulet en sauce                                                       Poul Ak Sos

1 3-5 lbs chicken clean and 1 small hot pepper chopped

Cut up in 14 pieces 1 medium onion chopped 2 tabs of lime or lemon 1 chicken bouillon cube

1 lime or lemon 4 shallots chopped

2 scallions mashed ½ of a bell pepper chopped

3 garlic cloves mashed 2 sprigs of parsley chopped

1 tsp salt 1 sprig of thyme chopped

½ tsp freshly grounded black pepper 2 Tabs of tomato paste

1/8 tsp of ground cloves 2 Tab of oil

1 quart boiling water

In a large bowl , cut the lemon and rub all the pieces of chicken very well with the lemon juice and the peel . Remove all fats, grits, blood and feathers.

Pour the hot water over the chicken, stir to make sure all the pieces are bathed in the hot water for about 3 minutes, pour off water, drain well and pat dry.

In a food processor or mortar and pestle blend all the spices into a paste (scallions, onion, garlic, hot pepper, green pepper, thyme, parsley, clove, and bouillon cube).

Pour lime or lemon juice over meat and rub all the pieces with the blended spices , cover and marinate at least 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Remove chicken from the marinade and squeeze as much liquid from the meat as possible, save the marinade.

Heat the oil in a heavy bottom pan, when oil is very hot sauté the chicken pieces. When the meat stars releasing some juice, lower the flame, cover and let suet for about 10 minutes or until all water has evaporated add tomato paste, chopped onion , shallots, chopped bell pepper, cover and cook for another 10 minutes.

Uncover , let the liquid evaporate, and brown the chicken ,stir frequently to avoid scorching. Add enough water to marinade to make a cup of liquid sprinkle over chicken to moisten while browning.

Keep browning until all the pieces have obtain a reddish brown color, drain off any extra fat . The chicken is now ready to be use in a variety of ways.



To make the sauce

1 large onion sliced 1 Tab vinegar

1 chicken bouillon cube 1 bouquet garni* ¼ tsp of black pepper 1 tab beurre manie*

1 cup hot water

Add the rest of marinade water to pot , vinegar, bouillon cube sliced onion, and the bouquet garni. Bring to a full boil, lower the heat , add beurre manie simmer for about 10 minute and the bouquet garni.

Bring to a full boil, lower the heat , add beurre manie simmer for about 10 minutes and serve.































*Bouquet garni : see Glossary

*Beurre manie : see Glossary

Accra

Accra

Accra is a delicious crunchy appetizer that is served in all gatherings in Haiti. It's also sold at street corner vendors as a snack from early mornings to afternoons. Accra originated in Africa where it's made with ground black- eyed peas, but in the Caribbean, each island has its own version, according to its local products and its European influence. It’s made from malanga, name , salt fish with wheat flour. There are as many ways to prepare it as there are to spell it. Accra is found mostly in countries where slaves were brought like acaraje in Brazil. In Haiti we enjoy Accra made from malanga or black- eyed peas , and a mixture of the two.

Accra de malanga



2 cups of grated malanga

1 tsp of salt

1/4 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

2 spring of parsley

1 scallion

2 shallot or ½ of a small onion

1 clove of garlic

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 spring of fresh thyme

1 small scotch bonnet pepper seeded or any other hot pepper

2 cup of oil for frying





In a large bowl place grated malanga, season with salt and pepper put aside. In a food processor or mortar and pestle reduce the parsley , scallion, shallots, garlic, onion , bouillon cube, thyme and hot pepper to a very fine paste. Add spices to malanga mix well, beat the paste vigorously with a wooden spoon, let rest for at least 30 minutes , batter will keep well in the refrigerator for about 3 days.

In a frying pan or a heavy bottom pan , make oil very hot, with a tablespoon, scoop the batter on the side of the bowl while trying to give it an elongated shape and carefully drop one at a time into the oil until the pan is full but not cluttered .

Lower the heat, let fry, do not turn until the sides are golden brown about 5-6 minutes at that time turn the accrats , again lower the heat to medium low continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes.

Drain on absorbent paper, do not cover, remove bits and pieces and start another batch Serve hot or at room temperature..































2 lbs of malanga peeled and finely grated makes about 2 cups of firm compact grated malanga

Week end cook out menu suggestions

Appetzers

Haitian's petit pate
Accra
Cucumber salad


Crab meat stuffed tomatoes / sauce Remoulade
Eggplant ratatouille

Meats

Grilled leg of lamb
Brochette of beef


Gumbo/tonm tonm or /white rice
Boiled breadfruits, plantains, sweet potatoes , yams.


Drinks

Fruit cola or Kola champagne
Mabi

Dessert

Snow cone (fresco) syrup anisette
Rescapes

Haitian Gras Double (Tripe)

Every country has its favorite dish of tripe. We all know that organs meat are not every body's favorite, but their nutritional values are impressive. For those who appreciate offal, they love them with a passion that makes  up  for their lack of popularity. Haitian' Gras Double is a work of art that takes time to prepare, but is worth every minute spent, because the result is this mouth watering  of soft pieces of tripe full of flavor from the hearty  stew of vegetables , herbs and spices that it was cooked in.






Gras Double

Breadfruit

If you don't live in a tropical region of the world, a breadfruit might be a hard thing to find, or very expensive. However if you live where it's grown or even happened to have a tree, that could be a great advantage because it grows so fast and so abundantly you could find yourself with more than you can handle.
When I was growing up there were always some activities with breadfruit in my family, because my mother is from the southern part of Haiti where  Tonm-Tonm (a mashed up ball of breadfruit) is the region's  speciality.Tonm-Tonm is always served with calalou (Okra stew) over the week end in every household in that region . Although I liked the stew but I couldn't never swallow the paste without chewing it as it's required.  The first time I tasted fried breadfruit, it became an instant favorite, and ever since, I never missed a chance to eat some whenever I had the privilege.
Breadfruit can be used the same way as white potatoes and has a similar taste and texture when cooked.
In Haiti the dish par excellence is Tonm-Tonm which is mashed, breadfruit can be fried in chunks or thinly sliced for chips, made in  stew, soups, stuffed, it makes an excellent croquette, a sweet pudding, preserve, and can also be ground into flour.

Week end cook out menu

Appetizers


Chiquetaille de lambi/breadfruit chips
Spinach  tartlets
Cheese sticks

Salads

Green salad
Grilled stuffed tomatoes


Entrees


Grilled salmon
Grilled fresh ham
Turkey shush kabob

Meat stuffed mirliton
Rice with vegetables

Drinks
Passion fruit - Tomato punch
Sugar cane juice

Desserts
Haitian sweet potatoes bread
Creme caramel peanut ice cream