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Writer's pictureKimberly Clarke

Cooking with Grandma - Comfort Food


Black grandmother and daughter cooking together in the kitchen


Has this pandemic turned you into a cooking god or goddess in the kitchen? Or are you still struggling with the whole idea of being in the kitchen? Whichever one you are, welcome to the first in our new column where we share some of the recipes we have been cooking in our own homes. Hopefully you can find a dish here that you would love to try. Today, as promised in the previous blog, I'm going to be posting the recipes for the comfort food dishes that I have been cooking at home with Grandma. She has been trying her best to get my cooking level to a point at which we can both be proud. We have been spending plenty of time in the kitchen together and I must say it has been great. It has been eye opening, scrumptious, aromatic and delicious fun. This week's food blog about Comfort food is a good one and talks all about the benefits of good delicious comfort food. Check it out here. Now, lets get to some of our wonderful recipes.



One of my favorite dishes from my island home Jamaica is stew peas with white rice. So now that I am no longer in Jamaica, it's not surprising that it has become one of those meals that brings me joy and reminds me of home. Hence, it has become one of my favorite comfort foods.


Jamaican Stew Peas Recipe


A plate with stew peas and with rice. There is also dumplings (spinners) in it.

· 1 to 2 lb pigs’ tail or stew beef, seasoned (if you choose to)

· 2 cups of dry red kidney beans

· 1 medium onion, chopped

· 3 stalks of scallion (green onions),

· 2 sprigs of thyme, chopped

· 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

· 10 pimento seeds, crushed or 1 tsp of allspice

· 8 cups of water

· 1 can of coconut milk

· 1 scotch bonnet pepper

· Salt to taste

· Spinners (Recipe below)


For the Dumplings (Spinners)


· 1 cup of flour

· 1/4 tsp of salt

· Just about 1/3 cup of water


Instructions


To make Dumplings (Spinners)


Add flour and salt in a bowl and whisk it. Add the water a little at a time and knead to form a smooth dough. Cover and Set aside for later.

To make Jamaican Stew Peas



1. Rinse the beans with some water and drain. Put the beans in a large pot with the garlic, pimento berries or allspice, pig’s tail and 6 cups of water. Let it cook until both beans and meat are tender, for just about 1 1/2 hour or use a pressure cooker for faster cooking time (about 30 minutes)

2. Add the onion, 2 stalks of scallion, thyme, 2 cups of water, can of milk and bring it to a boil.

3. Break apart the dough into small pieces and roll between your palms, to make dumplings and add to the pot. Add the scotch bonnet pepper or red pepper flakes. Continue to stir the mixture, so the dumplings won’t stick to the bottom of the pot as it cooks.

4. Allow to simmer on medium-low for about 40 minutes or until it thickens to your desire. Stir to make sure nothing is sticking at the bottom but be careful not to burst the scotch bonnet pepper.

5. After about 30 minutes of cooking on medium-low, add the remaining 1 stalk of scallion (chopped) and stir. Turn the heat on semi-low.

6. Taste and see if it’s to your desire. If it is not to your desire, add some salt. Remove the scotch bonnet pepper and thyme from the pot before serving. Best served with some white rice. Enjoy.


Notes:


1. Not everyone uses coconut milk in their Jamaican Stew Peas Recipe. Some people use it because of the flavor it gives and it helps to thicken the sauce. Others mix a small amount of flour with water and add to the liquid to thicken the sauce.

2. Avoid bursting the scotch bonnet pepper while stirring.

3. Please remove the thyme and scotch bonnet pepper before serving.




Jamaican Fried Snapper


Jamaican Fried Snapper is another favorite comfort food for many Jamaicans.


Two whole fish, fried. With cucumber and line and orange on the plate.

·4 whole red snapper fish, cleaned and scaled

· Salt

· All purpose spice

· Black pepper

· Vegetable oil

· Onions, sliced

· Tomato

· Garlic, pegged

· Scotch bonnet pepper


To cook Fried Snapper




1. Pat the fish dry and cut 1 or 2 slits on each side of the fish. Season both sides with salt, pepper and all purpose seasoning.

2. Heat up 1 quart oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

3. Fry garlic in pot first for a few minutes.

4. Carefully place the fish in the pan and fry until browned and crisp.

5. Remove fish and place on a paper towel-lined plate.

6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir onion, garlic and tomato into the pan; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add all purpose spice, scotch bonnet pepper, vinegar, water, salt and continue cooking until onions have softened and liquid has reduced, about 5 minutes. Then place fish on top of the cooked vegetables for a few minutes. then turn off heat.

6. Serve fish topped with onion mixture spooned over the top.




Chicken / Pumpkin soup


Chicken soup or pumpkin soup is another favorite. Many may think of soup as only a meal to be eaten when you are sick. But for many Jamaicans it is a favorite Saturday evening dish. I know my Dad loved cooking it for us on Sundays. He would start his preparations from in the morning and take his time cooking one of his favorite meals for us. There was a time when the weekend just didn't feel right without Dad's pumpkin chicken soup.




A pot of Jamaican Chicken soup, with two small dishes of the soup beside it. You can see dumplings, carrots and potato pieces in it.


Ingredients

8 cups Water 4-5 medium skinless Chicken legs (thighs and drumstick) 3 cups diced Jamaican Pumpkin, or buttercup or butternut squash 2 Carrots, chopped (1-inch piece) 2 Chocho (chayote), peeled and sliced into 16 pieces 1 lb Yellow Yam, cut into large cubes 1 10-oz can condensed Chicken Noodle Soup 2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Black Pepper 1 sprig Thyme 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper Dumplings 1 cup flour 1/3 cup water 1/2 tsp salt Mix together to make stiff dough. Form into 7 to 8 flat, round dumplings

To cook Jamaican Chicken soup



1. Bring water to a boil and add chicken and diced pumpkin 2. Cook / boil for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pumpkin is very soft and dissolving 3. Add carrot and chocho and cook for about 10 minutes 4. Remove chicken and set aside to cool before removing the bones 5. Add yellow yam and dumplings and cook/boil for 15 minutes 6. Add chicken soup to pot 7. Add salt and pepper, and thyme 8. Place whole scotch bonnet pepper on top of soup, cover and cook (rolling boil) for 5 minutes 9. Remove scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, and if necessary remove some dumplings to make room for the chicken 10. Stir in chicken meat and turn off stove and serve.




Inspiration for these dishes came from some of the following sources:






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