The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (35 page)

In the garden at our home on Tortola we have what we call "the citrus walk," along which we have planted a sweet orange tree, a blood orange, a tangerine, and a grapefruit. Although newly planted, one tree last year bore two—count them—
two
oranges. We're patiently waiting for the trees to mature so we can use our very own citrus in this dish.

 

Preheat the oven to 350°.

To make the olive relish, put the olives, garlic, and capers into a food processor, and process for a few seconds. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil, and process until the mixture is smooth. Transfer it to a bowl, and stir in the parsley.

If the roast is in netting, remove it. Cut eight to ten slits ½ inch deep in the surface of the roast. Combine ¼ cup of the olive relish, the sun-dried tomatoes or paste, and the marmalade in a small bowl. Spread the mixture over the roast, pressing it into the slits. Retie the roast with string.

Place the veal in a roasting pan, and pour in the wine and water. Roast the veal for about ½ hours, basting every 15 minutes and adding water if necessary. Remove the roast from the oven when its internal temperature reaches 165° to 170°. Allow the roast to sit at room temperature, tented with foil, for 15 minutes before you slice it.

While the roast is resting, pour the pan juices, plus enough chicken broth to make 2 cups, into a small saucepan. Stir in the olives, orange zest, and 1 tablespoon olive relish. Heat the mixture to a simmer. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce, bring the sauce back to a simmer, and simmer it until it is thickened. Slice the veal very thin, and serve it with the sauce. Surround the slices of veal with the sautéed cherry tomatoes and cooked broccoli spears. Serve at once.

 

Makes 6 servings

Martinique's cooks, inspired by the rich cultural mix of their island, have long been touted as the best in the Caribbean. French cuisine, of course, is their touchstone, but they also borrow freely from Spain, Africa, India, and Asia.

 

Combine the lime juice, garlic, salt, black pepper, and jalapeño. Add the pork chops, and turn them to coat them well. Marinate them in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 40 minutes.

Combine the oil with the Sazón seasoning. Heat a skillet until it is very hot, and carefully add the sugar. Let it melt and turn golden brown (no darker), then pour in the oil mixed with Sazón seasoning. When this becomes bubbly, add the pork chops, and brown them. Cook them on each side for about 2 minutes.

Add the parsley, green onions, and thyme to the skillet, and stir. Slowly add the hot water. The water may splatter and sizzle for a few seconds, so be careful, and stand back! Let the sauce simmer over low heat until it is thick and the chops are cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes, then serve the pork chops with the sauce spooned over them.

Pork has been a popular meat in the islands since the Arawak Indians hunted hogs, introduced by the Spanish, and smoked and dried the meat on wooden grills. We'll bet this standout dish is considerably more toothsome than Arawak jerky.

 

Pound the pork between sheets of waxed paper to ¼-inch thickness. Blend the sherry, soy sauce, green onions, and ginger in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Add the pork. Cover the dish, and refrigerate it 2 hours.

To make the ginger aioli, finely mince the ginger and garlic in a food processor. Add the egg yolks, vinegar, and salt, and blend until the mixture is smooth. Combine the oils. With the food processor running, add the oil mixture in a slow stream, and mix until the aioli is thickened, about 1½ miutes. Transfer it to a bowl, and stir in the diced tomato and chopped green onion. Cover the dish, and refrigerate it at least 1 hour.

Drain the pork, and pat it dry. Mix the bread crumbs and pecans. Dredge the pork in flour, shaking off the excess. Dip it into the beaten eggs, then coat it in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing so the coating adheres to the meat.

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Cook the pork over medium-high heat, turning it once, until the coating is crisp and brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Arrange the cutlets on plates with dollops of aïoli on the side, and serve at once.

 

Makes 8 servings

Peanuts and pork have always been a wonderful combination, and this smooth, rich sauce with faint fiery underpinnings is an especially welcome partner to the often bland taste of pork.

 

To make the sauce, sauté the green onions and garlic in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onions are soft and transparent but not brown. Pourin the chicken broth, and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Add the peanut butter, lime juice, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes, or until it is thick enough to coat a spoon heavily. Strain the sauce; reserve it.

Place the pork pieces cut side down on a work surface, and pound them until they are about ¼ inch thick. Season the flour with the salt and pepper, and dip each piece of pork in the mixture. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat. Cook the pork pieces, turning them once, until they are golden brown.

If the sauce has thickened too much while standing, thin it with chicken broth or water. Reheat it. To serve, spoon a ribbon of sauce over the pork medallions, and garnish with a sprinkling of chopped roasted peanuts and chopped green onions.

 

Makes 8 servings

The island zest of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, bay leaves, and rum give this pork a distinctly Caribbean flavor.

 

Preheat the oven to 325°.

Cut the fat on the pork in a diamond pattern. Mix together the pepper, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and garlic, and rub the mixture into the meat. Sprinkle on the brown sugar, and sprinkle the crumbled bay leaves on top. Place the pork on a rack in a roasting pan, and pour into the pan the lime juice, rum, orange juice, and 2 cups chicken broth. Roast the pork for 30 minutes per pound, adding more broth to the pan as necessary.

When the roast is done, remove the bay leaves. Spoon off the fat from the pan juices, and add more broth if it is needed to make enough sauce. Add the arrowroot paste to the pan, and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, and serve it with the sliced pork.