Sunday Dinner, Trini-Style!

Even though I am miles from my birthplace of Port of Spain, Trinidad, I am still deeply in love with its cuisine.  My favorite meal is Sunday Dinner.  Trinidadian Sunday dinner has a reputation of having lots of traditional side dishes.  Today, I am making a must-have dish called “callaloo” with salted pig tail and crab legs.  Callaloo is a popular Caribbean vegetable dish that is prepared as a side dish or as a soup in other countries.  In Trinidad, callaloo is prepared with dasheen bush, okra, coconut milk and the regular mirepoix of garlic, onions, scallion, pumpkin, thyme and other grounded seasonings.  I am substituting the dasheen bush for fresh organic whole leaf spinach from the farmer’s market.

This dish can seem very intimidating for a new cook, as it involves multiple steps, ingredients and is rated based on texture, aroma and taste.  I do not eat callaloo from everyone because of the precision involved in preparing this dish.  My first time making it on my own without help from my mother was about a year ago and now I think I can successfully make callaloo on my own without the assistance of a recipe.

In addition to this side dish, Sunday dinner is not complete without a stewed meat, salad, and provisions.  Today, I am making stew chicken, pigeon peas with rice, salad, and plantains.  I hope you enjoy my pictures of my healthy Sunday Dinner meal and come back for more fun, tasty treats prepared by yours truly, Camille Cares.

Callaloo:

Dasheen bushel *spinach can be used*

1 pack frozen or fresh okra

diced pumpkin, onion, garlic

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 tbsp golden ray

2 tbsp cooking oil *your choice*

1 scotch bonnet pepper

thyme *fresh*

salt, pepper

1/2 cup water

crab *addt’l your choice*

salted pig tail *addt’l your choice*

Salted Pig-Tail- In a small pot filled with water add salted pig tail.  Let boil for 20 minutes.  Throw out water, refill and boil again for another 10 minutes.

Callaloo- In a large pot heat oil.  Add in the chopped dasheen bush or spinach, okra, onions, pumpkin, garlic, and scotch bonnet pepper on medium-high heat.  Allow the greens to sweat and create it’s own liquid.  This should take about 10 minutes.  At this time add crab legs, water, salt, pepper, thyme, coconut milk, and golden ray.  Cover and let cook for an additional 20 minutes on low-medium heat.  Remove from heat and separate the pig tail and crab legs from the thick green mixture.  Take the callaloo by the spoonful to the food processor or blender and let it rip for a few pulses.  Throw it back into the pot on low heat and let the ingredients bubble a bit together again with the crab legs and pig tail.  Enjoy with some white rice and salad.

~ C.C.

Filed under: CamilleCares Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged: callaloo, Crab, Pig tail, stew chicken, sunday dinner, Trinidadian Cuisine ]]> http://camillecares.com/2012/04/18/sunday-dinner-in-brooklyn-new-york/feed/ 0 camillecares callaloo3 callaloo5 callaloo7 stew chicken 5 stew chicken 9 stew chicken 10 http://camillecares.com/2012/03/07/bacon-bacon-bacon-asparagus/ http://camillecares.com/2012/03/07/bacon-bacon-bacon-asparagus/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:07:15 +0000 camillecares http://camillecares.com/?p=1043 ]]>

Here are a few photos from my latest way to slip in vegetables into the regular dinner mix.  Give it a try and I know you will love it.  

1. Cut the edges off the asparagus.

2. Take a strip of bacon and squeeze the bottom of the asparagus and bacon together between your thumb and index finger and slowly start to wrap the bacon upwards until it is all wrapped tightly. 

3. Place the asparagus in the heated saute pan and allow to brown for a few minutes then turn over and brown the other side.

4.  Remove the asparagus, place on rack and allow to dry with air cooling above and below to maintain crispy exterior.

5. And yes, you can use turkey bacon, I bet it cuts some of the total fat and calories.  Enjoy!

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Step 1. Wash 6-8 long stem carrots.

Step 2. Remove leaves and cut into 2-3 inch pieces.

Step 3. Fill blender/food processor with  cup warm water and a handful of carrots.

Step 4.  Blend on the lowest blender or food processor speed for 1/2 minute.

Step 5. Slowly pour in 1 cup of cold water.  Blend on highest speed for 1/2 minute and until smooth puree has formed.

Step 6. With a cheese cloth, strain the carrot puree into a bowl.

Step 7.  Cool and enjoy a tall, sweet, fresh glass of carrot juice.

Carrot Juice

Carrot Juice

Carrot Juice

Carrot Juice

Carrot Juice

Carrot Juice

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