Tuesday, February 24, 2009

What's your most memorable Vacation Meal?

What's your most memorable Vacation Meal?

Was it on a Cruise Ship, A Resort, or did you go Naive and find local restaurant?

As I stopped to think about it I remembered climbing the falls in Jamaica. As you enter the park there are people selling their wares.. everywhere. But tucked away up in the corner was a restaurant that sold "jerk" for cheap. Not hungry when I entered I thought nothing of it.

Like bowling, I rented my surfer shoes (required to climb the falls), went to the bottom of the falls and climbed my way back up. Why? Because it's there !!! Half way up you've taken in more water than you can hold and you've traveled like a Salmon upstream for what seems like an endless trip. As Michael Phelps can tell you, after that much water time you're hungry. Ah, now you remember the jerk restaurant we passed on the way in... I did.

More than likely I was starved, more than likely I had worked up an appetite after taking the hard way back up the mountain. That day I tasted everything they cooked. I even stood in front of the restaurant and waited after being told they were cooking more.

At a resort my most memorable meal was a breakfast I once had in Jamaica. I've had many. Now I can kinda navigate around the Jamaican dishes that I know I won't take to. But I fell in love with Callaloo. Never heard of it? Here's the recipe. I never had a problem not being regular in Jamaica.

JAMAICAN STEAMED CALLALOO RECIPE



INGREDIENTS:

4 cups of firmly packed chopped callaloo
1/8 to 1/4 cup water
1 medium-sized onion, chopped
1 medium-sized well ripened tomato, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/3 skin of a scotch bonnet pepper finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried time leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 table spoon cooking oil
1 table spoon butter or margarine
Recipe by ©eatjamaican.com

Serves: 4

Process
Inspect callaloo and remove any debris, old leaves, or hard stalk, etc. Rinse in a large pot of cold water. Discard the water then add enough cold water to cover the callaloo. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt into the water and let sit for 1/2 to 1 hour. The salt will help to remove any additional small debris from the callaloo. Throw off the water and rinse the callaloo in another pot of cold water. Remove the callaloo and chop in 3/4 inch pieces in a slanted motion.

In a large pot add the 2 tablespoon oil and 1/8 to 1/4 cup water. Put four cups of firmly packed chopped callaloo on top. Add the remaining seasonings on top of the callaloo. Put a lid on the pot. Place on a medium flame and cook for roughly ten minutes or until pieces of the callaloo stalks are tender. The callaloo must stay green. Any discoloration towards brown means the callaloo is being overcooked.

Best served as a side dish or with bammie and fried plantain or breadfruit for lovely vegetarian breakfast.

On Cruise ships I enjoy the night the chefs show off. The night they lock the kitchen while all the cooks prepare their specialties. The open the doors to let you go through and photograph the spectacle. then once everyone has taken their photos, they open the doors again and let you eat everything....


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