Traditional Haitians Sunday Dinners

Everybody's  Sunday dinner is special, there is no doubt about it,  I know that some people go to great length to accomplish this expected masterpiece by stretching their time , purses, patience and love to experience one more time the smell,  look  and the taste of a particular  dish that is relished by the whole family.
Unfortunately many  people are  giving up or losing these traditions with great pain , because of modern life, or uncontrollable changes.
 However, what matters is not how much you do  it's  knowing that you are  trying to carry on this legacy that our parents and grand-parents left us. Therefore, by practicing a little  something , may be just one thing that can fulfill the soul and defines the  identity, can bring great satisfaction.

This a suggested menu of our traditional  Sunday dinners

Baked or stewed chicken
Sweet peas puree
White rice
Boiled sweet plantain
Lettuce and tomato salad/ vinaigrette dressing
Baked macaroni and cheese
Passion fruit juice
Coconut ice cubes

Every Haitian knows that chicken and sweet peas are The dish par excellence in Haiti on Sundays  be it  a  Sweet peas puree,  Sweet peas with rice  or Creamed Sweet peas cooked with chicken  or other meats, the Sweet peas is a constant in most Haitian Sunday's dinner table.
The preferred meat on Sundays  is chicken and other  fowls like guinea hens, pigeons, ducks etc, it's also  the day for all type of rotis, fillets , et the  gratinees

And on that note I am going to  give you the Gratinee of all times, The Haitian baked macaroni and cheese.
Haitian baked macaroni and cheese


Bechamel sauce

4 tabs of butter
1 medium onion very finely chopped
1/2 of a red bell pepper finely chopped
2 tbs of flour
1- 14 oz can of Carnation evaporated milk, add enough water to make 2 cups
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp of pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg
In a heavy bottom sauce pan  over low heat , melt the butter cook the onion and the pepper whitout browning stir in the flour mix well  add salt and pepper, keep mixing add milk stirring constantly until flour is cooked an sauce   thickens .Add nutmeg, remove from fire and set aside

4 cups of uncooked large ziti ( 1 pound)
1 tsp salt
2 cups of shredded cheese ( Edam, Gouda, sharp Cheddar, Emmental or Gruyere)
1cup of mayonaise ( yes  I did say mayonaise)
1/4 cup of Dijon moutarde ( yes , yes  that's what I said mustarde)
2 eggs beaten



In a large pot boil ziti with salt for 7 minutes , drain and pour in a  9"x13"  baking dish, add  grated cheese, mayo, mustarde, eggs and bechamel sauce, mix well .
Top with this mixture
Topping
1/4 cup of grated  cheese
2 tbs of bread crumbs
2 tabs chopped parsley
4 tabs of butter
Mix cheese , bread crumbs and parsley togother and sprinkle over  the macaroni and dot  with the butter 
Bake at 350o  in a pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown
Let rest at least 20 minutes before serving.


Enjoy