Delicious Jamaican Cuisines And Pastries With Recipes

Breadfruit is a Jamaican dish that is showcased with ackee and salt fish. The ackee is Jamaica’s national dish and very popular among the Jamaican culture.

Jamaican Turkey Meat Patties

Jamaican patty can be made with grounded chicken, grounded beef, grounded turkey or vegetable fillings seasoned with spices and is baked inside a flaky shell. Our patties are made like a turnover, but is more savory. Patty is Jamaicans fast food for lunch. It is usually found in other countries because of migration. Jamaicans likes to eat their patties with coco-bread. Patties usually comes in hot, medium and mild flavor. Very easy to make, try it !

Recipe:

Make about 14-15 Patties

Pastry:

1 lb flour = (3 1/2 cups baking flour or 4 cups all purpose flour ) depends on flour used

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup vegetable shortening or 1 cup butter

3/4 cup to 1 cup ice water

1 1/2 tsp turmeric

Filling:

1 lb ground beef (thawed out overnight in refrigerator). Chicken, turkey , beef or vegetables can also be used

2 stalks escallion (finely chopped)

2 tsp sugar

1 cups bread crumbs

1 tsps dried thyme

3 cloves garlic (finely chopped) or 1 tsp garlic powder

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp all purpose season or 1/2 tsp salt (not both)

1 tsp hot or medium Jamaican jerk paste seasoning (can also use 1/4 to 1/2 cayenne pepper chopped)

butter or oil for glazing

Pastry Making

(1) Sift flour, salt and baking powder (in a fine-mesh sieve). If you have no sieve, you can do without, but sifting make the flour lighter

(2) Mix in vegetable shortening or butter

(3) Add turmeric and ice water and hand mix in until ingredients is bound together in a firm dough, not sticky.

(3) Cover container with plastic wrap and put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes until ready to use

Filling:

(4) Take thawed out ground beef or (whatever meat used, must be grounded)

(5) Combine all ingredients except butter for glazing

(6) Properly mixed into meat

(7) Heat pot to medium hot and put meat in, use a fork to crush meat util there is no lump, meat should be finely separated

(8) Cook until soft for about 30 minutes on low heat (meat should not be dried out, add a little water if necessary)

(9) Add bread crumbs and mix in, make sure there is enough gravy to keep filling moist.

(10) Preheat oven to 350 degree

(11) Lightly sprinkle some flour on a clean board or countertop

(12) Remove flour dough from fridge, spread on board or countertop and roll out flat

(13) Make sure flour paste is smooth and flat without any cracks and about 1/4 inch thick

(14) Use a circular dish like a saucer of anything round that measures about 13 inches in diameter

((15) Each time you cut out pieces, set aside and combine all the wasted pieces and roll again until there is almost nothing of the dough left

(16) Take 2 tbsp of the ground cooked meat and put in the center of the round pieces of dough

(17) Fold each one over, until all the edges are together, then use a fork and press around the edge

(20) Glazed the patties with with some oil or butter and stick in the oven for about 35-45 minutes or until golden yellow

Please Note: Patties should be served hot. You can also use this recipe to make mini patties or cocktail patties for a party. Just make the portions much smaller.

Salt fish has many names such as cod fish, baccala, dried fish, bacalhau or bacalao. I remember at one time growing up, salt fish was very cheap, now it has got to be very expensive for the local people so this may be a dish some people makes occasionally. Salt fish fritters is one of Jamaicans breakfast dishes, it can also be use at cocktail parties as d’oeuvre. It’s not eaten with any other form of meat or fish because is already made with fish. Usually this dish is eaten by itself or with bread and a cup of tea or coffee. I would classify fritters as a pastry dish as it is made with flour and fried.

Recipe

Serve about 8-10 depends on size

1/2 lb salt fish

2 cups flour

1 onion (finely chopped)

2 tomatoes finely chopped (plum tomatoes)

2 cloves garlic finely chopped

2 starks scallion finely chopped

2 tsps baking powder

water for mixing flour

1/4 – 1/2 cup oil for frying (enough for about 1/2 inch deep in pot).

Preparation:

(1) Wash some of the salt of the sailfish

(2) Soak overnight in refregerator

(3) Drain off water and debone the salt fish making sure all the bones are out

(4) Pick the salt fish apart into small pieces or flake it

(5) Combine all ingredient in a bowl except the oil for frying. Add enough water to make a medium mixture (batter) (not too thin or too thick)

(6)Heat pot with oil to medium hot

(7) Spoon mixture and gradually drop in pot like picture above (2-3 tablespoons per fritters)

(8) Fry on both sides until golden brown

(9) Remove each fried fritters and drain on paper towel or absorbent paper

(10) Serve fritters when warm

Please note: When making the mixture, if you pour a little too much water in, you can add an extra 1-2 tablespoon flour to thicken.

Children in Jamaica loves this snack. Usually you will find this snack at many schools gates, where people are selling to children as they get their break or recess. People will also make it in their homes so that children can eat as a snack. It’s very sugary so having too much is not a great idea.

Recipe

2 cups diced coconut

1 tsp powder ginger or grated ginger (peel back of ginger and grate)

1 tsp vanilla

1+1/2 cups brown sugar

1 pinch of salt

1 cup water

1/2 tsp browning (optional)

Preparation

(1) Combine all ingredients with water in a pot and boil, mixing ocassionally

(1) Boil until mixture becomes dark and sticky for about 20-30 minutes (don’t let it burn)

(3) Grease a baking sheet or wide dish

(4) Drop spoonfuls 2-3 in greased container depends how big you want your drops

(5) Let it cool and your drops is ready.

Yields about 12

Crater Cake a very sweet pastry, but very delicious. Don’t eat too much though. You can make this pastry plain or with a colored decoration at the top like the picture below or you can add a cherry at the top of each one. You many find this delicious pastry in food shops or some restaurant along with other Jamaican pastries.

Recipe

Make about 10-12

2 cups of dry grated coconut (peel the back of the coconut off)

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp of almond extract

pinch of salt

Preparation

• (1) Combine all ingredient in a thick bottom pot and put on medium low heat
• (2) Boil until coconut is cooked and most of the water is dried out
• (3) Keep turning coconut until the texture is sticky (do not let it burn)
• (4) Remove mixture from heat and keep mixing for about 2 minutes
• (5) Pour mixture in a greased square dish about 8×8″, press down with the back of a spoon
• (6) When it’s cool and and almost set cut with a knife in different shapes like above. Let it sits and harden.
• Optional: You can take out some of the mixture, add a tip of food coloring to that mixture and drop on top of the ones you cut,
• made sure it’s not harden, if it is a little hard, you can rest it on the fire and soften it up with a teaspoon of water. You can also add a cherry on top.

Coconut Gizzarda is a vey delicious pastry. It is a mixture of grated coconut mixed with sugar and spices. You can find the pre-made grated coconut flakes in packets in the supermarket all over. Since Jamaica is known for her coconuts, most people likes to make their own grated coconut. There is a difference in texture between grated dry grated coconut and the pre-made ones. This is not a very hard desert to make and you will love the result and the flavor. Try it, you’ll love it!

Recipe

Make make 6-8 fillings

It is not known where or who brought the spiced buns to Jamaica. I think it’s originally from the hot-cross-bun. Jamaicans are gifted in blending exotic spices together to get those rich flavor that is part of our culture. The spice bun or Easter bun is more like a fruit cake but with a different texture. In every homes traditionally, this bun is eaten on Good Friday or around the Easter Season with our favorite tin cheese. It’s very delicious and everyone has to have their bun with cheese when Easter comes around.

Recipe For Wine or Stout

Make 1 spice bun (served with cheese when cold)

• 1 cups brown sugar
• 2 tbsps melted butter
• 2 tsps honey
• 1 cup wine or stout
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsps baking powder
• 2 tsps mixed spice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg or 2 small
• 1 cup dried mixed chopped fruits ( raisins, cherry, citron peel)
• 3 tsps baking powder
• 1 tsp browning of molasses
• 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
• Preparation:
• (1)Preheat oven to 300-325 degree
• (2)Grease a 9 -12 inch loaf tin with butter and lined with baking sheet
• (3) Add sugar, butter, browning or molasses and honey in a pot with wine or stout
• (4) Put on low heat until all is dissolved, remove from heat and let it cool
• (5) Mixed flour, baking powder, mix spice (cinnamon, nutmeg) vanilla and fruits
• (6) Pour in liquid mixture and mixed in together
• (7) Mix in beaten egg and lemon or lime juice
• (8) Pour into greased tin
• (9) Bake for about 1 hour
• Optional: You can mix 1 table spoon honey, 1 tsp butter, 1/4 cup water in a dish and base your
• baked bun to make it shine like above.

Recipe With Coconut Mixture

• 1 cup grated coconut (sweet grated coconut can be bought in the supermarket)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 cup wine or stout
• 3 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg or 2 small
• 1 cup dried mixed chopped fruits (raisins, cherry, citron peel)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp browning of molasses
• 1 tsp lemon or lime juice
• Note: Follow all preparation as above

This is the most loved pastry at Christmas time. It’s a tradition found in every Jamaican home around Christmas . It wouldn’t be Christmas if this cake along with sorrel drink is not served. This delicious cake is also decorated and served at weddings or any speciaL ocasions. Christmas cake has many names such as black cake, rum cake and Christmas pudding. This cake is rich in alcohol with a combination of dried fruits and spices. When you eat one slice, you’ll want another.​

Recipe

Make about 1 x 4 lbs cake in a 9 inch pan

• 8 ozs bread crumbs
• 8 ozs flour
• 1 lb butter
• 1 lb dark sugar
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• 10 eggs
• 1-2 tbs browning (depends how dark you want it to be)
• 2 tsps vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsps almond flavoring
• 2 tsps lemon juice
• 2 tsps grated orange or grated lemon rind
• 4 cups mixed fruits soaked in wine ( chopped raisins, currants, prunes) citron, cherries and dates are optional
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 cup white rum or brandy
• Preparation
• (1) Prepare tin by lining sides and bottom with grease greased proof paper
• (2) Greased with butter or shortening
• (3) Heat oven at 325% F
• (4) Mixed sugar and butter until the mixture is fluffy and light
• (5) Mix in browning, vanilla and almond flavoring, lemon juice and orange or lemon rind
• (6) Add egg one at a time and blend in well
• (7) Add the 4 cups of mixed fruits and mixed in
• (8) Mixed in flour, bread crumbs, baking powder and salt, pouring alternately with the brandy or rum
• (9) Pour mixture in baking tin and bake for about 1 1/2-2 hrs

Please Note: Fruits should be chopped up and soaked in wine about 3 weeks or longer before baking. Because of the wine, rum or brandy, this cake can be prepared weeks before serving and can last longer if continuously based with wine and store in your refrigerator.

Jamaicans like to eat steam cabbage and salt fish with other food kinds such as bread, fried dumplings, cooked green banana, yams, potatoes and dumplings for breakfast or lunch in many Jamaican homes. You don’t have to limit this dish to only salted fish, you can use corn beef also. You can even use stem cabbage without the added stuff as a side dish or as a vegan dish.

Recipe:

1/2 lb dried salted fish (cod fish)

1 medium size cabbage cut in four (cut up cabbage as in the picture above)

1 medium size tomato (take seeds out) then chopped

1 medium size onion chopped

2 mini bell pepper (take seeds out) then chopped

1//2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves of garlic chopped

1/2 teaspoon jerk season powder (skip if you have none)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil (no olive oil, use what you have)

Preparation:

Prepare your dried salted fish (cod fish) by washing off some of the salt with cold water then put it in a pot with boiling water to get some more of the salt out. Let it cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Strain of water and put it in some more cold water for about 20 minutes, take out all the bone and clean up like step 1 above. You may be using boneless salted fish (cod fish). I used the one with the bone. From here use all the steps above.

Turn this into a Vegan dish by not using the salted fish (cod fish)

More Vegan Dishes

Fried dumplings is a Jamaican breakfast meal. It can be eaten with spinach, steam cabbage, eggs or eggs and bacon, ackee and salt fish or any other meat kind. It is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. It’s very easy to make.

Recipe

Make about 12-14 depends on size

4 cups all purpose flour

3 tsps baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup to 1 cup water

Oil for frying

Preparation:

(1) Sift flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Sifting makes the mixture lighter.

(2) Add water to flour and mixed with a spoon and then with your hand as mixture gets together

(3) Continue kneed with you hand until mixture is smooth and none-sticky like above.

(4) Pinch off dough in 12-14 pieces and roll in palm of hand into little balls, then flatted with fingers like above and set aside

(5) Heat oil at medium heat in pot, enough to fry dumplings on both sides

(6) Put as much prepared dumplings in the pot 1 inch apart (dumplings do rise and therefore needs space)

(7) When dumplings is lightly brown on one side, turn on the other side (do not fry too dark)

(8) Take a fork and stick through dumplings, fork should come out dry when properly fried.

(9) Dumplings can be eaten with any form of meat (can be a change from eatings rice)

( 10) Can also be eaten for breakfast or lunch.

That it! Enjoy!