Kitchen Encounters

~Crunchy & Creamy Island-Style Jerk-Seasoned Slaw~

Coleslaw -- creamy and crunchy, sweet, savory and nicely-spiced, coleslaw is a make-my-day side-dish and my favorite sloppy-sandwich topper.  There's more.  By swapping out a few herbs and spices, coleslaw, "the chameleon of side-dishes", any coleslaw recipe can be prepared to complement any cuisine.  How convenient is that.  I came up with this version to serve with Jamaican-style jerk fare.  This simple, lip-smacking recipe has got a bit of coat-your-throat heat.

Herein lies the secret to my jerk-seasoned slaw:

Leave it to the Jamaicans.  I can't think of another exotic-to-me cuisine that does a better job of making my life easier.  I mean, seriously, they've cornered the market on marketing high-quality, bold-flavored dry-spice blends and rubs, wet pastes and marinades, barbecue, steak and hot pepper sauces, etc. -- when it comes to cooking Jamaican fare at home, some of their store-bought time-savers make me ponder why anyone would want to concoct "it" from scratch. Example:  A high-quality jerk barbecue sauce can transform a dollop of mayonnaise into a flavor bomb with one squirt.  Therein lies the secret to the dressing for my jerk-seasoned slaw.

14  ounces bagged coleslaw mix

4  ounces bagged matchstick carrots (about 2 cups)

4  ounces very-thinly-sliced (shaved) red onion (about 1 cup)

1  cup mayonnaise, chilled

1/4  cup Jamaican jerk BBQ sauce

1  tablespoon malt vinegar

1  teaspoon mild molasses

1/2  teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper

Note about adding pineapple:  I love pineapple as much as anyone, and, occasionally I add 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple to this recipe. It's scrumptious.   That said, pineapple contains an enzyme (bromelian) that is a powerful tenderizer.  Experience has taught that when adding pineapple to this slaw, unless you want coleslaw with a funked-up texture, it needs to be folded in just prior to serving (1-2 hours is ok).  To learn more, read my post ~ Fresh vs. Canned:  How Pineapple Reacts w/Proteins ~. 

~Step 1.  Slice red onion as directed, cut into half-moon shapes, then cut  half-moons into thirds. Set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, jerk barbecue sauce, malt vinegar, molasses and Scotch bonnet pepper.  Using a large rubber spatula, fold in coleslaw, carrots and onion.  Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.  Overnight is best.  Serve chilled.

Try my Island-Style Jerk-Seasoned Salsa, piled high on...

... my Jerk-Style Chicken & Slaw on Coco Bread Sandwich:

Crunchy & Creamy Island-Style Jerk-Seasoned Slaw:  Recipe yields 5-6 cups coleslaw.

Special Equipment List:  cutting board; chef's knife; whisk; large rubber spatula

Cook's Note:  In Jamaica, they make a dish called coconut rice and peas -- it's usually served as an accompaniment to Caribbean-style chicken- or shrimp- curry dishes and jerk-seasoned meats. This is sort of not it.  This is my twist on it. In my recipe for ~ Island-Style Bejeweled Coconut & Black Bean Rice ~, I substitute black beans for pigeon peas (because I adore black beans), then, at the end, I bejewel it with the sweet flavors of ginger, mango, papaya and pineapple.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)

~ Island-Style Bejeweled Coconut & Black Bean Rice ~

In Jamaica, they make a dish called coconut rice and peas -- it's usually served as an accompaniment to Caribbean-style chicken- or shrimp- curry dishes and jerk-seasoned meats. This is sort of not it.  This is my twist on it.  In Jamaica, beans are called peas, more specifically, pigeon peas -- they’re a staple in Indian, African, Latin and Caribbean cooking and are sold canned, dried or fresh.  In the Caribbean islands, kidney beans are a common substitution, which is a good, because, up until recently, pigeon peas were not something I could find in my Central PA stores.  While I like kidney beans (a lot), I love black beans, so, I use them.  We cool so far?

Traditionally, the rice is cooked on the stovetop, rice-pilaf-style.  That means, the dish (liberally seasoned in the style of the cuisine being cooked) is simmered in a flavored liquid (like meat, poultry or vegetable stock), instead of plain water -- as the rice cooks it absorbs an array of flavors.  Prior to adding the liquid, the process often starts by briefly sautéing the rice and/or some vegetables (like onion and garlic) in some butter or oil.  "In the style of the cuisine being cooked" means:  use seasonings and add ingredients common to the country of origin.  In the case of Jamaican-style rice and peas, besides the rice and peas, those ingredients would be: onion, garlic, Scotch bonnet pepper, thyme, chicken stock and/or coconut milk.  We cool so far?

For convenience w/o compromise, try my rice steamer method:

Rice steamer vs. stovetop.  I love my rice cooker/steamer and I'm pretty certain everyone else who owns one does too.  These modern marvels take all the guesswork out of cooking rice on the stovetop.  I use mine for steaming broccoli and cauliflower too.  By using dried herbs and spices in place of fresh, which kept the flavor profile the same as the Jamaian-style stovetop version, trust me when I tell you, my rice steamer version compromises neither flavor nor texture. After learning that ginger and brown sugar are sometimes added to the stovetop version, I took it upon myself to bejewel my version, island-style, with bits of candied fruit common to the Caribbean:  ginger, mango, papaya and pineapple.  It's over-the-top great.  We cool so far? 

2  cups basmati rice

1  15 1/2-ounce can coconut milk + water to total 2 1/2  cups

1  teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/2  teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion powder and salt

1/4  teaspoon Scotch bonnet pepper powder

1  15 1/2-ounce can black beans, well-drained and rinsed, or:  

1 15 1/2-ounce can well-drained green or black pigeon peas*, or, kidney beans

*A bit about pigeon peas:  About the same size as a black bean, with the same nutty taste and grainy texture of all beans (not at all the taste and texture associated with green peas), feel free to use them.  If you use a brand packed in coconut milk, feel free to use the coconut milk they're packed in too.

To bejewel Coconut & Black Bean Rice island-style:

2  tablespoons small-diced candied ginger

2  tablespoons small-diced candied mango

2  tablespoons small-diced candied papaya

2  tablespoons small-diced candied pineapple

~Step 1.  Using the measuring cup from the rice cooker, measure and place 2 level cups rice in steamer basket.  Using the measuring cup from the rice cooker, measure and add the coconut milk/water mixture to the steamer basket with the rice.  Rinse and drain the black beans.

~Step 2.  Add the dry spices (thyme leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and Scotch bonnet pepper powder to the rice and coconut milk in the steamer basket and give the mixture a thorough stir. Add the black beans and do not stir.  Close lid on the rice cooker and turn it on.  When rice cooker shuts off, open lid and immediately rake through rice with a fork to separate the grains.

~Step 3.  To bejewel the rice, which adds sweet, tart and edgy zing, stir in the candied ginger, mango, papaya and ginger.  Rake the candied fruits into coconut and black bean rice and serve.

Bejewel: a verb meaning to ornament or encrust, as if with jewels.

Want Oven-Roasted Jamaican-Jerk-Chicken with this?

Island-Style Bejeweled Coconut & Black Bean Rice:  Recipe yields 5 1/2-6 cups.

Special Equipment List: electric rice cooker/steamer; measuring cup from rice cooker; small colander; spoon; cutting board; chef's knife

Cook's Note: Bananas and plantains -- they resemble each other, and they're related too.   I eat a banana every morning, but, I can't say the same for the plantain.  By accident or out of curiosity, if you've ever tasted a raw plantain, you knew you weren't eating a banana.  That said, when sautéed, the taste and texture of the yellow plantain is remarkable.  ~ Sweet & Caramelized Island-Spice Yellow Plantains ~ is another side-dish common to the fiery curry dishes and jerk-seasoned meats of the Caribbean islands.

"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti

(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2024)