The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook (36 page)

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

A favorite at the Sugar Mill restaurant, this is a creation of our head chef, Rick Buttafuso, who was inspired by our wealth of Caribbean ingredients.

 

Remove all the fat and the thin membrane that covers the pork. Slice the tenderloins horizontally from one long side, three-quarters of the way through. Pound each tenderloin into a rectangular shape.

In a shallow dish, combine the marinade ingredients. Place the tenderloins in the marinade, and pour the liquid over the meat. Refrigerate the dish for 2 to 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 400°.

To make the filling, blend the plantains and egg white in a food processor. Put the mixture into a bowl, and stir in the remaining filling ingredients. The filling should be a thick, oatmeal-like consistency.

To fill the tenderloins, place them on a work surface, and spread the filling over them, leaving a 1-inch margin at the edges. Roll the meat from a long side like a jelly roll. Tie each roll with kitchen string. Place the rolls on a rack in a roasting pan, and brush them with the clarified butter. Roast them until they become firm to the touch, about 30 minutes.

To make the black-bean sauce, heat the oil in a skillet. Sauté the onion and garlic until the onion is limp, then add the diced red and yellow peppers, and sauté until the peppers are tender. Add the black beans, and heat the mixture through. Add enough broth or water to yield a consistency you like. Season the sauce with the salt, pepper, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce.

When the tenderloins are done, remove the string, and let them rest about 10 minutes. Then slice them into medallions, and serve them on the black-bean sauce.

 

Makes 4 servings

 

Our sunny islands have the perfect climate for growing oranges, which marry so well with pork. Our homegrown oranges often have a green tinge when they are fully ripe. This is natural; oranges that come from professional growers are often treated with a dye. In neither case is the flavor affected.

 

 

With a mortar and pestle, grind together the orange zest, thyme, pepper, and garlic to a paste. Rub the paste into the pork. Put the pork into a dish, combine the orange juice and vinegar, and pour the mixture over the pork. Cover the meat, and refrigerate it for 2 to 8 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425°. Oil a baking pan lightly. Heat the pan in the oven for 4 minutes. Set the pork in the pan, and drizzle it with 1 tablespoon hon ey. Roast the pork 10 minutes. Turn the pork, and spoon any exuded juices over it. Drizzle the pork with the remaining 1 tablespoon honey. Roast the pork 20 to 25 minutes longer (for medium meat), basting it once or twice with the pan juices.

Remove the pork from the oven, and let it stand at room temperature 5 minutes. Cut it into ¼-inch slices, and serve it garnished with watercress and orange slices.

 

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Cooking in banana leaves is an old Caribbean tradition. Occasionally the leaves are available in temperate climes from florists or flower markets, but, happily, a similar result can be obtained by cooking the roast in foil. This is a delicious dish for a casual party or picnic.

 

Make little slashes all over the pork. Grind the paste ingredients together in a mortar or blender until the mixture is smooth, and rub the paste into the meat.

If you're using a banana leaf, lightly sear it over a gas flame to make it flexible. Cut it into a rectangle the proper size to wrap the roast. Fold the leaf or foil around the meat, and seal the package with double folds at the edges. Tie the package with string, if you're using a banana leaf. Let the meat marinate in the refrigerator 4 to 8 hours.

Prepare a fire for barbecuing in a covered grill; let the ashes burn down to a light ash color. Cook the meat 3 to 4 hours, until it is tender enough to be shredded from the bones. (Or cook it in a 325° oven for about the same period, until a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the roast registers 180°.)

While the meat cooks, make the salsa. Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté them until they are limp. Add the peppers, olives, hot peppers, raisins, tomato paste, tomatoes, and crushed bay leaves. Cook the mixture over low heat for 15 minutes. Add the white wine, and cook another 10 minutes. Season the salsa with salt and cayenne. Refrigerate the salsa until you are ready to use it.

When the meat is cooked, shred it, and pour over the meat the juices that have accumulated in the wrapping. Wrap the shredded meat in warm flour tortillas, and serve it with the salsa.

Parboiling the ribs keeps them moist and reduces the time they spend on the grill. You can simmer them ahead of time, then refrigerate them, and finish them on the grill or under the broiler just before serving time.

 

Put the ribs into a large saucepan or a Dutch oven, then cover them with cold water. Bring the water to a boil, and simmer the ribs, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Drain them, discarding the liquid. (This can be done in advance. If you refrigerate the ribs, let them come back to room temperature before you broil or grill them.)

Combine the remaining ingredients in a small pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer it 5 minutes.

Preheat the broiler, or prepare a fire for grilling.

Broil or grill the parboiled ribs slowly (5 to 6 inches from the heat), turning them and basting them often with the rum sauce. Serve the ribs at once, and provide your guests plenty of napkins for mopping up.

 

Makes 6 servings

Jerk seasoning is a Jamaican festival in G/your mouth, at once hot, spicy, pungent, sweet, and irresistible. Some say the name comes from the meat being "jerked" as it's turned over and over on the coals, while others claim the cooks "jerk" the meat from the bones. It really doesn't matter. It's the flavor that counts.