A Taste of the Carribean at Home

I went to St. Thomas (USVI) back in 2012 and based on a recommendation from the locals, we took the ferry out of Red Hook Bay over to Cruz Bay on St. John.  While meandering through town, we found St. John Spice, which is this amazing store that sells spices of course, but also coffees, teas, and random touristy things.  We brought home a small container of St. John Jerk Seasoning, used it up very quickly, and had to order more.

As you might imagine, shipping from USVI to the mainland is super expensive.  So, rather than spend more on shipping than on the spice itself, I ordered a HUGE bag of seasoning.

Every now and then when we just want a taste of the Caribbean, I make a recipe which is usually a mixture of rice, plantains and jerk seasoning.  Sometimes I'll use chicken, sometimes I mix some pink beans (Goya Habichuelas Rosadas) with the rice.  Other times, I'll use something green and leafy.

Last night, I made red beans and jasmine rice; kale, sautéed with garlic; and St. John Jerk seasoned plantains.

---

St. John Jerk Plantains & Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup Jasmine Rice
Chicken Broth (Kitchen Basics)
1 can Goya Habichuelas Rosadas (pink beans) **optional**
Plantains (I usually get 2, but these were small so I got 4)
1 head of Kale
Minced Garlic
Coconut Oil
Your favorite Jerk Seasoning (St. John Jerk for me)
Salt to taste
Chicken **optional**

Directions:

Put a tablespoon of coconut oil in a sauce pan or pot.  Follow the instructions on your bag of rice for the rice to water ratio.  Let the coconut oil melt, and then add the rice, allowing the rice to absorb most of the oil.  Instead of water, use Chicken Broth.  Bring it to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Follow the instructions on your bag of rice for cooking time.

In a large frying pan with a lid, over medium heat, melt some more coconut oil.  Cut the stems out of your kale, and rinse the leaves.  Add the leaves to the coconut oil.  Stir the mixture and then place the lid allowing the kale to wilt.

Take your plantains and remove the skin (either by peeling or slicing).  Cut the plantains into any size you'd like.  I prefer to quarter mine for the presentation, but for cooking purposes it doesn't really matter.  If you're using the chicken, cut it into small pieces.  In a large frying pan, over medium heat, melt your coconut oil.  Sprinkle the plantains, and chicken, with the Jerk seasoning.  Add as much or as little as you like.  Saute the plantains and chicken in the coconut oil.

To finish up, deglaze your pan by adding a little chicken broth to your plantains. If you plan to add the pink beans, about 5 minutes before you plan to serve the food, take the beans and pour them into a strainer.  Rinse out the bean juice so that you're only adding beans to the rice.  Stir to thoroughly mix.  Next, add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the kale and stir to distribute the flavor.  Cover and let it continue to cook.

---

To plate, I put a base of beans and rice, followed by a bed of kale, and then I artfully arrange the plantains (and chicken, if used) on top.