🍽️ Cuisine
Colombo de Poulet
Martinican Chicken Curry
Ingredients: 500g chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks), 30ml vegetable oil, 1 onion (diced), 4 garlic cloves (minced), 20g colombo powder (or substitute curry powder with extra cumin), 2 medium potatoes (cubed), 1 Caribbean pumpkin or butternut squash (200g, cubed), 1 zucchini (cubed), 1 Scotch bonnet pepper (whole, for heat), 250ml chicken stock, Juice of 2 limes, 5g fresh thyme, Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation: Season chicken with salt, pepper, and half the colombo powder. Let marinate 30 minutes. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown chicken pieces on all sides, then remove. Sauté onion until golden. Add garlic and remaining colombo, stirring 1 minute. Return chicken to pot with potatoes, pumpkin, stock, thyme, and whole Scotch bonnet (don't pierce it unless you want extreme heat). Bring to simmer, cover, and cook 25 minutes. Add zucchini and continue cooking 15 minutes until all vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through. Remove Scotch bonnet, stir in lime juice, and adjust seasoning. Serve over rice with colombo sauce spooned generously on top.
💡 The whole Scotch bonnet infuses subtle heat without overwhelming. For more spice, pierce it during cooking; for less, remove it earlier.
Accras de Morue
Salt Cod Fritters
Ingredients: 200g salt cod, 150g flour, 5g baking powder, 1 egg, 150ml water, 3 green onions (finely chopped), 2 garlic cloves (minced), 1 Scotch bonnet (seeded and minced), 15g fresh parsley (chopped), 5g fresh thyme leaves, Black pepper to taste, Oil for deep frying.
Preparation: Soak salt cod in cold water for 24 hours, changing water 3-4 times to remove excess salt. Drain, place in a pot with fresh water, and simmer 15 minutes until tender. Drain, remove any skin and bones, and flake finely. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, egg, and water until smooth. Fold in flaked cod, green onions, garlic, Scotch bonnet, parsley, thyme, and pepper. Let batter rest 30 minutes. Heat oil to 180°C. Drop tablespoons of batter into hot oil, frying in batches until golden brown and puffed, about 3-4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately while crispy, with lime wedges and hot sauce on the side.
💡 The batter should be thick but still droppable. If too thick, add water by the teaspoon; if too thin, the fritters will spread and not puff properly.
Blanc-Manger Coco
Coconut Panna Cotta
Ingredients: 250ml coconut milk, 100ml whole milk, 60g sugar, 5g gelatin powder (or 1.5 sheets), 30ml cold water, 5ml vanilla extract, Pinch of salt, Toasted coconut flakes for garnish, Fresh fruit or rum sauce for serving.
Preparation: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water and let bloom for 5 minutes. In a saucepan, gently heat coconut milk, whole milk, and sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in bloomed gelatin until completely dissolved. Add vanilla and salt. Strain through a fine sieve into a pitcher. Pour into two ramekins or molds. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight until firmly set. To unmold, briefly dip bottom of ramekin in warm water, then invert onto plate. Garnish with toasted coconut and serve with fresh tropical fruit or a drizzle of aged rum caramel.
💡 For a softer, more custardy texture, reduce gelatin slightly. For cleaner unmolding, lightly oil molds before filling.
