1/2 C diced Bacon

2 1/2 C diced White Onion

2 Tbsp chopped Garlic

1 x 540 mL can Black Eyed Peas (drained and rinsed)

1 Red Finger Chili 

3 C Basmati Rice

1 C Coconut Milk

4 C Chicken Stock

2 lbs boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

1 Tbsp dried Thyme

Kosher Salt for seasoning

freshly ground Black Peppercorns for seasoning 

fresh Purple Basil for finishing

Season chicken liberally with salt and pepper on all sides and set aside in fridge.  

Heat a pot with a lid to medium high heat and add bacon.  Once the bacon begins to brown and has rendered about half of its fat, then add onions and garlic.  Reduce heat to medium and saute for approximately 5 minutes unit the aromatics are beginning to soften and brown slightly.  

Add black eyed peas, chili, rice and mix till everything is well combined.   Make sure to keep the chili intact and not burst, as this is for flavour and not spiciness.  Add coconut milk, stock, chicken, thyme and mix gently until well combined.  Season the whole pot with salt and pepper and mix.  Cover the pot and reduce to low heat.  Cook for 25 minutes or until rice and chicken are fully cooked.  Adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.  

Serve immediately and finish with fresh purple basil.  

Oh yeah, I dare you to not have seconds…or thirds.  🙂

4 x boneless skinless Chicken Breasts

1/2 C finely chopped Walnuts

1 C finely julienned Baby Kale

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1/4 C Chicken Stock

1/2 C freshly squeezed Orange Juice

2 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 Tsp freshly grated Garlic

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, fridge cold and cut into 6 pieces

Freshly ground Black Peppercorns for seasoning

Kosher Salt for seasoning

Butterfly the chicken breasts so that they stay attached like a book.  Lay a piece of plastic wrap over a clean working surface.  Place a butterflied chicken breast, splayed open, on one side of the plastic wrap.  Fold the other half of the plastic over the chicken.  Using the palm of your hand gently pound the chicken breast so that it flattens out slightly and increases the surface area, making sure to keep the whole breast intact and still open like a book.  

Repeat for all 4 breasts and season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Equally distribute the chopped walnuts and chopped kale between all 4 butterflied breasts.  Fold the chicken breast closed so that the book is closed.  Season both sides of the chicken.  

Heat a pan to medium heat and add oil.  Place chicken breast “skin side down” in the pan and cook for 4 minutes or until browned, flip and repeat for another 2 minutes.  Using clean tongs, remove chicken from pan making sure to keep intact and transfer to a plate.  

Add chicken stock, orange juice, dijon and garlic to the pan and let it reduce by half its original volume.  Return the chicken to the pan, reduce heat to low and cover, cook for an additional 6 minutes.  Remove the lid, turn off the heat, and add the butter.  Swish the butter around in the pan until it is fully emulsified.  Cover and keep warm for serving.  

3/4 C Chicken Stock

3/4 C Coconut Milk

1 1/4 C finely diced White Onion

1 Tbsp grated Garlic

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

1/4 Tsp freshly ground Black Pepper

8 Chicken Thighs (bone in / skin on)

1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds

more salt and pepper for seasoning Chicken

1 C loosely packed fresh Thai Basil leaves

Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large oven safe pan add stock, milk, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix well until evenly combined. 

Make sure chicken is patted dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.  Evenly distribute the cumin seeds on the skin side of the chicken.  Place the chicken skin side up in the pan with liquid, making sure to not crowd the pan.  Place pan in oven for 40 mins or until chicken is fully cooked and the skin is brown and crunchy.  

Remove pan from oven and baste the chicken with the cooking liquid and softened onions from the pan.  Finish by sprinkling thai basil all over the chicken and serve hot with the sides of your choice.  

2 Lb Peppered Ribeye 

2 Lb piece of centre cut Ribeye

1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

1/2 Tbsp freshly cracked Black Peppercorns

1/2 Tbsp freshly cracked dried Green Peppercorns 

2 large cloves of peeled and smashed fresh Garlic 

2 Tbsp cold Unsalted Butter

3 sprigs of fresh Thyme 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Bring the steak to room temperature. Place steak flat side up on a plate, using the palm of your hand press the steak gently on the flat side till it spreads out but is still intact and not splitting. 

Preheat a cast iron skillet or oven ready pan, large enough to hold the steak, to medium high heat. 

Season steak with salt, then both peppercorns until the steak is evenly seasoned on both sides. Place the steak in the centre of the cast iron skillet and gently press down so that the steak is evenly spread in the skillet. Let it cook on one side undisturbed for 5 minutes or until the steak is well seared on one side. Flip the steak and add the butter, thyme and garlic cloves on top of the steak. Transfer the entire skillet with the steak in the oven and cook for 25 minutes, halfway through baste the surface of the meat with the natural pan juices. Flip the steak in the pan once again and baste with the pan juices again. Now place the thyme and garlic around the edges of the steak so that they are sitting in the pan juices, return to the oven and allow to cook another 10 minutes or till medium doneness. 

Remove pan from the oven and immediately transfer the steak to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil and rest meat for 10 minutes before plating. Reserve the pan juices and crispy garlic until ready to plate the dish. 

While steak is resting move onto the seared Foie Gras. 

Seared Foie Gras 

1/2 Lb cleaned and deveined Grade A Foie Gras 

Kosher salt for seasoning

Freshly cracked Black Peppercorns for seasoning 

Slice Foie Gras into 1” thick slices and place in the fridge covered with plastic until just before cooking. Make sure Foie Gras is fridge cold until the last moment before cooking. 

Preheat a 12” skillet to medium high heat. Prepare a drying station for the finished foie by placing 4 layers of paper towel on a cutting board. 

Remove cold sliced foie from fridge and season with salt and pepper. Place in the centre of the preheated pan till it is seared on one side. Using an offset spatula, quickly flip and repeat till seared. It will be smoky and the foie will shrink from rendering its fat. 

Immediately remove the seared foie from the pan with an offset spatula and transfer only the foie onto the paper towel drying station. 

Reserve the rendered fat in the pan and allow to cool fully. Once fully cooled, this rendered fat can be strained and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for all kinds of things like the most incredible scrambled eggs you have ever eaten, or for finishing soups with; this stuff is liquid gold. 

Plating 

Once steak is rested place the steak on a service platter, spoon the pan juices over the steak. Place the seared foie gras on top of the steak and finish by placing the now crispy garlic from the steak pan over the foie gras and serve immediately. 

Serve with Sparkling Rose of choice. 

2 lbs trimmed Skirt Steak

2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

1/2 Tsp Paprika

1/2 Tsp ground Cumin

1/2 Tsp ground Coriander

2 Tsp ground Black Peppercorns

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 1/2 C sliced White Onion

1 1/2 C sliced One Sweet Peppers

1/2 Tsp grated Garlic

8 x 8” Flour Tortillas

1 C finely shredded Cabbage

1/2 C Cotija or Queso Fresca Cheese

Fresh Cilantro for garnish

8 Lime wedges

Make sure Steak is trimmed to remove silverskin and excess surface fat.  

Heat your grill to medium high heat.  While heating grill, season both sides of the streak with kosher salt.  Combine paprika, cumin, coriander and black pepper in a bowl and mix well.  Season all the steak with the spice mix on all sides.  Place meat on grill and cook to desired doneness.  Remove and allow to rest, tented with foil.   Once meat is rested, slice and keep warm. 

Heat a cast iron pan large enough for the peppers and onions to medium high heat.  Once heated, add olive oil and peppers.  Cook for a couple minutes to allow the peppers to just start browning, then add onions and grated garlic.  Toss the contents of the pan and cook till the onions soften without burning the garlic.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside. 

To assemble Tacos, warm up tortilla on the grill quickly.  Place a strip of cabbage on the tortilla, followed by some steak, sautéed peppers, cheese, cilantro and lime wedge.  Before eating make sure to drizzle with fresh lime juice.   I dare you to only eat 2.  

3 Lbs Russet Potatoes (roughly 4 Potatoes)

1 lemon cut in half 

1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp Kosher Salt

1 large Egg

2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 C roughly chopped Fresh Sage leaves 

3/4 C freshly grated Parmesan

1/8 Tsp dried Chili Flakes

Cracked Black Peppercorns for garnishing

Large Crystal Sea Salt for garnishing (optional)

Peel and quarter the potatoes and place in a pot large enough to cover with tap water completely.  Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer the potatoes until the potatoes are completely cooked, approximately 30 minutes.  Gently remove the potatoes and place them on a tray to cool and dry out a bit, till they are cool enough to handle but still warm. You may cover the potatoes with a tea towel to keep warm.

Cut a lemon in half and prepare to grill it. Place the lemon flat side down on a grill pan or skillet on medium high heat.  Don’t move or touch it, let it grill until the lemon is blackened and softened.  This will take roughly 12 minutes.  Once grilled, set aside and let cool.  You will get to play with this later.  

Take your egg and beat with a fork or whisk in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Place flour and salt in a separate large bowl and mix till combined.  

Once potatoes are still warm but cool enough to handle, use a ricer to squeeze them into a clean, dry medium sized bowl.  If you don’t have a ricer, then use a potato masher but make sure you don’t mash them more than necessary as the gnocchi will turn out gummy; a ricer is preferred.  Add beaten egg to the riced potatoes and combine with your hands till it is evenly combined.  Again, work as little as possible to prevent a gummy gnocchi.  

Add potato and egg mixture to the flour salt bowl, and once again combine by hand till you have a fairly smooth dough that is tinted evenly yellow from the egg being well combined.  Cover this bowl with a plate to make sure it doesn’t air out while it rests. You can also use plastic wrap Rest for 10 minutes.

Prepare a large tray with a light dusting of flour and set aside.

Once dough has rested for 10 minutes cut into roughly 6 equal sized pieces.  

Flour a clean work surface generously and roll out the 1/6th portioned pieces of dough, one at a time, to a long even dowel roughly the thickness of your thumb.  Using a paring knife, cut the dowel into pieces that are roughly one knuckle in size.  Press the tip of your finger into each piece leaving a dimple in each piece.  Once done, transfer to the dusted tray in a single layer and keep separate so that they don’t pile up.  Repeat until all of your dough is complete.  

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season with salt.  Gently grab gnocchi (they are delicate) and  transfer the gnocchi to the boiling water and cook till they float, roughly 1 minute max.  Remove the cooked gnocchi from the pot with a slotted spoon and place the drained gnocchi onto a clean dry tray.  

Now this step you will want to do in small batches to avoid crowding the pan, if you do so they will clump together and that’s not good.  Bring a large nonstick pan to medium high heat.  Add butter and olive oil to the pan.  Once butter is sizzling add fresh chopped sage.  The sage will sizzle immediately, add enough of the gnocchi to the pan ensuring that the pan is not crowded and it sits in a single layer, no clumping.  Allow the gnocchi to brown, toss the pan gently to brown the other side.  This should take all of 5 mins total. 

Transfer the contents of the pan to a platter and grate fresh parmesan over the the whole platter.  Sprinkle the red chili flakes over the whole platter and also freshly cracked black peppercorns.  Finish with a drizzle of the charred grilled lemon and large crystal sea salt. 

Try not to eat the whole recipe and share, if you can resist.  

340 g of 31 – 40 sized Shrimp (deveined, skin on, tails on)

2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 1/2 Tbsp chopped Garlic

3/4 Tsp Smoked Paprika

1/8 Tsp freshly cracked Black Peppercorns

2 Tsp Lemon juice

1 C loosely packed fresh Basil leaves

large crystal Sea Salt for finishing

If shrimp is frozen make sure they are fully thawed and drained before staring the recipe.  

Place a cast iron or oven safe pan in a cold oven and heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  You can also use a tray if you intend to transfer the finished dish to a serving platter after cooking.  I use an oven safe pan so the dish  stays hot for a longer time once served and so there is one less dish to wash later on.  

Mix shrimp, oil, garlic, paprika, and black pepper in a bowl and mix well.  

Once oven and pan are hot, place the shrimp on the hot pan in a single layer so each shrimp is touching the hot surface of the pan.  Do not crowd the pan or stack any shrimp.  Close the oven door and let the shrimp cook for 5 minutes.  

Using a clean dry rag, remove the hot pan from the oven and transfer to a trivet on the table.  Drizzle the lemon juice over the whole pan of cooked shrimp.  Spread the basil all over the shrimp and season liberally with sea salt.  

Serve hot with the sides of your choice.  

• (5 1/2 – 6 lb) Whole Turkey Breast, skin on, boneless
• Turkey Brine, recipe below
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Maldon Salt & Freshly Ground Black Peppercorn to taste

Place turkey breast in the room temperature brine and refrigerate, covered overnight (about 8-12 hours is ideal). 

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Have a large baking sheet or roasting pan ready with a rack.  Remove turkey from brine (discarding brine) and place breast skin side up on the rack.  Pat turkey dry with paper towel.  Coat skin evenly with olive oil and season skin with salt and pepper.

Roast until turkey is golden brown and thermometer reads 160°F in the thickest part of the breast, about 1 hour and 20 mins.  (Check earlier if yours is on the smaller side).  Let turkey rest at least 20 mins, lightly tented with foil, before slicing.

Slice and serve warm with Spiced Cranberry Ginger Sauce.

Turkey Brine

• 8 C Water
• 1/2 C Kosher Salt
• 1/2 C Brown Sugar
• 3 Bay Leaves
• 2 Thyme Sprigs
• 1/2 Tsp Whole Black Peppercorn
• 1/2 Tsp Whole Fennel Seeds
• 1/4 Tsp Whole Allspice
• 5 Whole Cloves
• 3 large Garlic Cloves
• 1 Lemon, halved
• 4 C Ice

In a large pot, combine all ingredients except for ice.  Bring to a boil to allow flavours to steep and salt/sugar to dissolve.  Remove from heat and add ice to help cool mixture down.  Let brine come to room temperature.  (Can be made ahead of time.)

Arepas

• 1 C Masa Arepa (Pre Cooked Dehydrated Fine Ground Corn)
• 1 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 1/4 C Water
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil

Combine corn flour and salt in a clean stainless bowl, add water and mix till well combined then cover with a

plate. Let dough rest for 20 minutes to allow the water to absorb. Split the dough into 4 equal sized balls

and form each into a hockey puck shape. Have a small bowl of water nearby to help form the pucks, using

the water to smooth any cracks as you go. Let rest another couple minutes to let the surface moisture

absorb.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Preheat a large cast iron pan to medium heat.

Rub both of the flat sides of each formed arepa dough with vegetable oil and place in preheated pan, making

sure to gently press down on each arepa in the pan. Let the arepa cook till medium brown then flip and

repeat, each side should take approximately 5 minutes. Once both sides are browned, place in the oven for

15 minutes to fully cook.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Using a sharp knife, cut the arepa in half

horizontally. Fill the arepa with your favourite fillings, there a few ideas below to get you started.

Arepa Bar Filling Ideas

Folded Omelette with herbs

Your favourite cheese

Deli Meats

Fresh Herbs

Chopped Chilies

Guava Cheese

Avocado

Chicken or Tuna Salad

Your favorite Jam

Grilled / Braised Meats

Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs

Pickled Vegetables

• 4 Porterhouse Pork Chops, 1” thick

Brine & Dry Rub

• 1/2 C Kosher Salt
• 4 C Water
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 2 fresh Garlic Cloves
• 1 fresh Lime, peeled and juiced
• 1 Tbsp Green Peppercorns, divided
• 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns, divided
• 1 Tbsp White Peppercorns, divided
• 1 Tbsp Brown Mustard Seed
• 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard Seed
• 1 Tbsp Maple Sugar

Fire Roasted Salsa / Yields 2 Cups

• 10 Campari Tomatoes
• 4 Kaboom Black Jalapeño Peppers, stems trimmed
• 2 Sweet Twister Peppers, stems trimmed
• 10 Shishito Peppers, stems trimmed
• 1/4 C Vegetable Oil
• 4 Limes, cut in half width-wise
• 1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 fresh Garlic Cloves
• 1/2 C fresh Cilantro
• 2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• flaked Sea Salt for finishing

Prepare brine.  Bring water to a boil.  Add salt and stir until dissolved.  Add bay leaf, 1 teaspoon each type of peppercorns and 2 garlic cloves, lightly crushed.  Add the lime juice and peel.  Stir well and remove from heat.  Set aside and cool to room temperature.

In a container large enough to fit the meat, place all 4 pork chops in and pour the brine over making sure the meat is completely submerged.  Cover with a tight fitting lid and refrigerate for 2 hrs.

To make the dry rub, you can use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to crush remaining peppercorns, both types of mustard seed and maple sugar.  Set aside.

While meat is brining, preheat grill to high heat.  Lightly toss all vegetables in vegetable oil and grill until charred but still firm enough to hold their shape.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Grill limes, cut side down for about a minute then remove from heat.  Reserve 4 halves to use as garnish.

Place all charred vegetables in a food processor, juice from half the grilled limes and pulse to a chunky salsa consistency.  Add olive oil, fresh garlic and fresh cilantro.  Pulse a few more times to puree garlic and chop herb.  Transfer salsa to a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside at room temperature until ready to use.

After 2 hours in the fridge, remove pork chops from brine and pat dry.  Season well with dry rub and grill on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on thickness, until internal temperature reaches 145°F.  Remove from grill.  Let meat stand for 5 minutes.

Finish with flaked sea salt, serve with a side of fire roasted salsa and garnish with cilantro  leaves and half a grilled lime.

1 1/2 Tbsp Kosher Salt

1 Tbsp freshly ground Black Peppercorns

2 Tsp Onion Powder

2 Tsp Garlic Powder

2 Tsp Sweet Paprika

2 Tsp Vegetable Oil

1 full rack Pork Side Ribs (about 3.5 lbs/1.5 kg), about 1 1/2″ thick

6 C Wood Smoking Chips (Applewood or Hickory recommended)

In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, and sweet paprika.

Trim any bits of gristle or hanging fat from the ribs. Pat dry with a paper towel. Lightly

coat ribs all over with vegetable oil. Evenly coat ribs all over with spice rub, patting

down firmly to adhere spices to every nook and cranny. Let ribs stand, covered, while

you prepare the bbq.

Soak 2 cups of the wood chips in water for at least 15 minutes. Using heavy duty

aluminum foil, create a large flat pouch and fill with the soaked (and drained) wood chips

and dry chips. Seal the edges and poke a few holes on both sides of your smoking pouch.

Heat your gas bbq to high heat on one side. Place the smoking pouch on the lit side of

the bbq, directly on the grill. Cover and wait until you see smoke coming out of the grill.

Turn heat down to medium low; open the cover and quickly place the ribs on the grate

over the burner not in use. Cook using this indirect heat method, maintaining a

temperature of 250º F for a total cook time of about 4 – 4 3/4 hours, depending on the

weight and thickness of the ribs. (Try not to open the lid too often to peek, as you’ll let

excess heat and smoke escape – if this happens, you may need to turn up the lit burner to

medium for a few minutes to bring the temperature back up.) When ribs are just about

done, turn the lit burner up to medium high heat for 30 mins, helping the outer surface of

the ribs form a nice rich crust. Ribs are done when they are dark brown, tender but with

still a bit of give, and meat starts to shrink slightly away from the bones.

Let ribs rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with a side of Citrus Mojo

Sauce.

Citrus Mojo Sauce

1/2 C Olive Oil

1/4 C finely chopped Garlic (about 10-12 cloves)

1 Tsp ground Cumin

2 Tbsp chopped fresh Oregano

1/2 C freshly squeezed Orange Juice

1/2 C freshly squeezed Lime Juice

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

In a small pot, combine olive oil, chopped garlic, cumin and 1 tbsp chopped oregano.

Bring up to a low sizzle over medium heat, stirring, for about 2-3 minutes, just until

garlic is softened slightly. Take your now aromatic oil off the heat and let cool down to

room temperature. Stir in fresh juices, reserved 1 tbsp chopped oregano and season with

salt. Set aside until ready to use.

Spiced Roasted Beef Ribs

• 4 x bone in Chuck Short Ribs, 5 lb. total
• 4 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 3 Tbsp freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 Tsp Garlic Powder
• 2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
• 2 Tsp Brown Sugar
• 1 Tsp Dry Mustard
• 1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper

Rub ribs evenly with kosher salt. Let stand for at least 20 minutes, and up to 24 hours, refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, mixing well. Coat ribs evenly with all of dry rub, rubbing in

well. Place ribs, bone side down, on foil lined sheet tray and roast in centre rack of oven for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, carefully wrap each rib in heavy duty aluminum foil (or two layers of regular aluminum foil),

and return to oven on sheet tray, bone side down. Roast for another 2 ó hours or until bone pulls away from

meat with very little effort.

After 2 ó hours, remove ribs from oven, open foil packages, and let rest on sheet tray for at least 30 minutes

before serving.

Slice ribs into individual bones and serve.

• 3 lbs Pork Shoulder boneless
• 1 Tbs Kosher Salt
• 1 Tbs Crack Black Pepper

Preheat one side of a bbq to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, you will be cooking this recipe over indirect heat so only half of the bbq is needed.

Season pork all over with salt and pepper and place on bbq over indirect heat (or “cold” side of the bbq), cover the bbq and cook for 2 hours.  Remove pork from bbq and tightly wrap in heavy duty foil or double layer of regular foil and return to bbq over indirect heat.  Cook for another 2 hours or until meat is fork tender.

Unwrap meat and place in a brownie pan.  Using two forks, shred the meat into strands making sure to incorporate all the cooking juices.  Cover and keep warm until you are ready to put it together.

Mustard Sauce

• 1/2 C Yellow Mustard
• 1/4 C White Wine Vinegar
• 1/4 C Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Honey
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

Combine all in a small pot and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 1 minute and set aside till cooled to room temperature.

BBQ Vinegar Sauce

• 1/2 C BBQ Sauce
• 1/2 C Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/8 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/8 Tsp ground Black Pepper

Combine all in a small pot and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 1 minute and set aside till cooled to room temperature.

Putting It Together

• 8 Buns
• 2 Tbsp room temperature Unsalted Butter

Place butter on inside of both sides of all the buns.  Place over direct heat of bbq until the bun is warmed through and they get some grill marks.

Place a healthy portion of pulled pork on the bottom half of bun followed by a healthy portion of your sauce of choice.

For the authentic pulled pork sandwich experience, the dish is just the bun, meat and sauce. If you are looking for a little extra, then garnish with pickles, coleslaw, herbs, and/ or potato chips.  Enjoy.

Turmeric Fried Fish

• 3 King Fish steaks, bone‐in
• 2 Tbsp ground Turmeric
• Kosher Salt and cracked Black Pepper
• Vegetable Oil or Ghee for shallow frying
• Thai Red Chilies, handful
• 1 bunch Basil, fresh
• 1 Seedless Cucumber, sliced as demonstrated

Using paper towels, pat king fish well to ensure that the flesh is dry. Season with salt and pepper, and

evenly sprinkle both sides of each steak with turmeric.

In a cast iron skillet large enough to fit all 3 steaks, preheat to medium‐high heat with one inch of oil

before adding the king fish steaks. Without turning, fry on one side until a golden crust forms on the

flesh. Then, flip and do the same on the other side while allowing the steaks to cook through;

approximately 3 minutes on each side.

Spiced Pumpkin

• 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil or Ghee
• 3 Thai Green Chilies, chopped
• 2 Shallots, diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 cups Pumpkin, seeds removed, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 tsp ground Cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground Turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground Coriander
• 1/2 tsp Curry powder
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Stock or water, plus more as needed
• 1 cup Spinach, chopped into 1cm ribbons
• 1 Tomato, seedless and chopped into small dice
• Kosher Salt and cracked Black Pepper to taste
• 1 bunch Purple Basil

On medium heat using a cast iron pan, sauté the shallot, garlic and 1 green chili in the oil until golden.

Add the pumpkin cubes and spices then sauté for 30 seconds before adding enough vegetable stock or

water to come halfway up the height of the pumpkin.

Reduce heat so that the liquid gently simmers and continue this until the liquid is almost completely

reduced. Add the remaining liquid as needed until the pumpkin if fully cooked.

One the pumpkin is cooked, remove the sauté pan from the heat and add the spinach. Stir gently until

the spinach is just wilted, being careful not to crush the pumpkin. Add the chopped tomato and stir

gently to incorporate into the pumpkin mixture.

To serve, garnish with purple basil and the remaining green chilies, chopped. Serve immediately.

Seared Chicken Ballantine

• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• ó Tsp Vegetable Oil
• ó White Onion sliced thin
• 1 bunch Spinach (leaves only)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 Chicken Thighs (skin on / bone in)
• ó C Bread Crumbs
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• ó Tsp Unsalted Butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a preheated skillet set on medium heat, add vegetable oil and butter until melted. Add sliced onions

and allow to sauté until golden, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and allow to cook slowly, approximately

20 minutes, making sure to stir often. Increase heat to medium and add spinach until totally wilted and

soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer contents of skillet to a small bowl to cool.

Remove bone from chicken thighs and season with salt and pepper. Fill cooled spinach mixture into

empty cavity where chicken bones were. Using a bamboo skewer or toothpicks, thread the opening of the

stuffed chicken thigh so that the filling cannot come out.

In a skillet large enough to fit both stuffed chicken thighs, preheat to medium high heat. Add vegetable oil

and butter then add chicken thighs and allow to brown on three sides, appxoimately 2 minutes each side.

Once three sides are browned, flip onto remaining raw side and place skillet in oven for an additional 20

minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Remove from oven and tent on a plate or cutting board for 10

minutes before serving to allow the meat to rest and retain its juices.

Grapefruit Ginger Sauce

• 1 thumb of Ginger sliced
• 1 Grapefruit (juice of)
• 1 Lime (juice of)
• 2 piece Allspice cracked
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 Tbsp White Sugar

Place all ingredients in a small saucepot and allow to boil until reduced by 1/3rd of its original volume.

Lower the temperature to simmer until the liquid coasts the back of a spoon. Strain while hot and

discard all solid ingredients. Reserve sauce until service.

Okra Salsa

• 8 pieces Okra whole
• ó Tsp Black Peppercorns cracked fresh
• 1/3 C Mango diced
• 1 Tsp Red Onion finely chopped
• ó Red Bird Pepper finely sliced
• ó Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place okra on a tray and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and

allow to cool fully. Slice across the length of the okra to make star shapes about ó” thickness. Place in

a bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to bowl and combine well. Season with salt to taste and set aside.

Eddoe Chips

• 2 Eddoes
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Sea Salt

Preheat the vegetable oil for frying to 350 degrees F.

Cutt eddoes into wedges. Using a paring knife, peel the skins very thinly away so you are left with thin

slivers of skin.

Place skins in fryer oil for approximately 1 minute or until crispy. Transfer to 3 layers of paper towel

to drain. Season with sea salt until still hot and wet.

Place eddoe wedges in fryer oil for approximately 3 minutes or until crispy. Transfer to 3 layers of

paper towels to drain. Season with sea salt while still hot and wet.

Fried Chicken

• 2 C Buttermilk
• 1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tbsp Kosher Salt
• 2 Chicken Thighs, bone‐in
• 1 Chicken Breast, cut in half along breast bone
• 1 C All‐Purpose Flour
• 1 C Cornstarch
• 1 C Cornmeal
• 1 Tsp Chili Flakes

Whisk together buttermilk, ground black pepper and kosher salt until combined. Place chicken thighs

and breast into buttermilk mixture, ensuring both pieces are covered by the liquid. Cover and store in

refrigerator overnight or 24 hours.

In a pot large enough to fully submerge chicken and vegetable oil while making sure the pot is never

more than half full, bring oil to 325°F using a thermometer.

Combine all‐purpose flour, cornstarch and cornmeal until mixed well.

Prepare a tray lined with paper towels and set next to deep frying setup.

Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture and shake off excess buttermilk. Completely dredge wet

chicken in flour mixture and place immediately into preheated deep frying oil, making sure the chicken

is fully submerged and the pot is never more than half full. Cook until chicken is fully cooked,

approximately 12‐15 minutes. Immediately transfer from hot oil, using tongs and place on paperlined

tray; season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Allow excess oil to drain for approximately 2

minutes before plating. Makes 2 servings.

Crispy Basil

• 8 Leaves Fresh Basil
• Vegetable Oil

Bring a small pot half filled with vegetable oil to 325°F using a thermometer. Gently pat basil leaves

dry with paper towel. Carefully put basil into hot oil and fry until the bubbles subside, about 20

seconds. Remove basil from oil with spider onto paper towel to remove excess oil. Set aside until

ready to plate.

Honey Lime Mayonnaise

• ó C Mayonnaise
• 5 ó Tbsp Lime Juice
• 1 ó Tbsp Liquid Honey

Whisk mayonnaise, lime juice and liquid honey until smooth and homogenous.

Plate each serving with ó chicken breast and 1 chicken thigh. Top the chicken with Crispy Basil and

plate with a side of Honey Lime Mayonnaise.

Marinade

• Seeds of 1 large Papaya
• 1 clove Garlic, minced
• Zest and juice of 1 Lime
• Zest and juice of 1 Lemon
• 1/4 C canned Coconut Cream, skimmed from the top of the can
• 2 Tbsp freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 4 boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts

In a bowl, combine the papaya seeds, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, coconut cream, cilantro and ginger; mix thoroughly.  Add the chicken breasts to the bowl, and toss to coat in the marinade.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 1 hour or up to 24 hours. 

Chicken 

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, plus more as needed
• 1/4 C Papaya 
• Barbecue Sauce (recipe below)
• 1/4 C Spiced Cashew Nuts, coarsely chopped (recipe below)
• 1 Tbsp fresh Cilantro Leaves for garnish, optional

Heat a grill over medium-high heat, and lightly grease the grate with oil.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and lay the breasts on the hot grill.  Discard the marinade. Baste each chicken breast with 2 tablespoons of Papaya Barbecue Sauce and continue grilling, turning once and basting occasionally with the remaining sauce, until the meat is cooked through.  Transfer the chicken to a serving platter, and garnish with the chopped Spiced Cashew Nuts and cilantro leaves, if using.

Papaya Barbecue Sauce

• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 Sweet Onion, finely diced
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 1 Scotch Bonnet Pepper, seeded, deveined and quartered
• Zest and juice of 2 Limes
• Zest and juice of 1 Lemon
• 1 C Water
• 1/2 C Seasoned Rice Wine Vinegar
• 5 C large diced Papaya
• 2 Tsp Kosher Salt

Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and add in the onion.  Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring continuously to ensure the pieces do not brown.  Sprinkle the sugar, Scotch bonnet, lime zest and lemon zest over the onions, and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Pour in the lime juice, lemon juice, water and vinegar.  Bring the ingredients to a boil.  Add in the diced papaya and adjust the seasonings with the salt, if desired. Bring the mixture to a boil again, reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes.  Take the pan o the heat, and let the mixture cool slightly.  Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender, and puree the sauce until smooth.  Transfer the barbecue sauce to a bowl, and set aside.

Spiced Cashew Nuts

• 1 Tsp Butter
• 1/2 C unsalted Cashews
• pinch Ground Paprika
• pinch Kosher Salt

In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Drop the cashews into the pan and toast until golden brown.  Remove the pan from the heat, then sprinkle with the paprika and salt, and gently toss to coat.

Sichuan Peppercorn Spice Mix

• 3 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
• 3 Tbsp Sichuan Peppercorns
• 2 Tbsp dried Papaya Seeds, optional

Place the black peppercorns into a mortar and pestle, and grind.  Add in the Sichuan peppercorns and papaya seeds, if using, and grind.  Transfer the spice mix to a container.

Sichuan Peppercorn Crusted Steak 

• 4 (8-oz) Beef Strip Loins, at room temperature
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• Kosher Salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat a cast iron pan or skillet over high heat.  Press the Sichuan peppercorn spice mix into all of the sides of the steaks, coating entirely and ensuring the spices adhere to the meat.  Add the vegetable oil to the cast iron pan and heat.  Season the steaks with salt to taste.  Once the pan is smoking hot, add the steaks. Sear the steaks for 2 minutes or until golden.  Do not move.  Turn the steaks over and transfer the pan to the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.  Remove the pan from the oven, turn over the steaks and set them aside.  Before serving, allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute.

Grilled Green Onions

• 2 bunches Green Onions, roots removed 
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, plus more for greasing the grill grate
• Kosher Salt 
• freshly ground Black Peppercorns

Heat a grill over medium-high heat, and lightly grease the grates with oil.  Toss the green onions in the vegetable oil, and season them with salt and pepper to taste.  Grill the green onions for 1 minute.  Flip the onions over, and continue cooking for 1 minute or until onions have softened and are slightly charred.

Spinners

• 1 C All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 2 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 C Water

Combine all dry ingredients in a clean dry bowl.  Add water and mix until combined.  Knead dough for a couple minutes until it is smooth and forms a ball, you may need some flour for dusting and kneading.  Return dough to bowl and rest for 10 minutes, covered.  

Bring a pot of water to the boil and season with salt.  

Break up dough into balls about the size of a marble, should make roughly 48 equal sized balls.  Place one ball in the palm of your hands and rub them together as though you were trying to rub a stick between your palms.  The dough will naturally form into a cylinder with tapered ends.  Once all the balls are made into spinners, place them in the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes until fully cooked.  Transfer to a clean tray rubbed with a little bit of vegetable oil.  Allow the spinners to cool.

Finishing the Dish

• 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil 
• Meat of 1/2 leftover Chicken (no skin or bones)
• 1 Tbsp sliced fresh Garlic
• 1 C Chicken Stock
• 3/4 C frozen Peas
• 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed Lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp julienned fresh Sage
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
• Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese to taste

Preheat a large pan to medium heat and add butter and oil.  Add chicken and garlic and sauté until heated through, then add chicken stock and sauté until liquid is reduced by half.  Add frozen peas and cook until peas are heated through, approximately 1 minute.  Add lemon juice and sage, toss quickly and season to taste with salt and pepper.  

Plate into 4 equal portions in a bowl and garnish each with parmesan cheese. 

• Juice of 1 Orange
• 4 Tbsp Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Blond Miso
• 1 Tbsp Honey
• 1 1/2 lbs Short Ribs
• 2 shallots cut in half
• 2 stalks celery chopped large
• 4 Garlic cloves smashed
• 1/4 C Beef Stock
• 1/4 C picked fresh Mint
• 1/4 C picked fresh Basil
• 1/2 Tsp Sesame Seeds

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a small saucepan combine orange juice, soy, miso, and honey.  Bring to the boil

then reduce to a simmer till all ingredients are combined and miso melts away.

Preheat an oven ready Dutch oven, large enough to hold short ribs in a single

layer, to medium high heat.  Season short ribs with salt and pepper then place

them flat inside of Dutch oven, allow to brown.  Flip and repeat then remove ribs. 

Add shallots, celery and garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes in the same

Dutch oven until onions are browned and softened.  Add beef stock and reduce to

almost all the liquid is reduced.  Remove Dutch even from heat and remove all

ingredients from Dutch oven.  Place short ribs flat in a single layer and top with

sauté shallot, celery and garlic.  Add orange soy sauce to pot and cover then

place in preheated oven for 2 hours, or until ribs are fork tender and bones fall

away from the meat.

To serve, gently transfer to a service platter and garnish with fresh herbs and

sesame seeds.

Green Chicken

• 1 C roughly chopped Cilantro
• 1 C roughly chopped Parsley
• 1/2 C chopped Green Onions
• 1 Tsp coarsely ground White Peppercorns
• 2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 2 Tsp Brown Sugar
• 2 Tsp Vegetable Oil
• 3/4 C Coconut Water
• 1 (2 1/2 – 3 lb) whole chicken, cut into 12 pieces, skin-on and bone-in
• 1/2 C Low-Sodium Chicken Stock (homemade is best)
• Optional Garnish: 1/4 C finely sliced Green Onions 

Add cilantro, parsley, green onions, white peppercorns, salt, sugar, vegetable oil and coconut water to a food processor or blender.  Pulse several times to get mixture going, then puree just until a semi-smooth consistency.  There should still be a bit of texture left to the marinade. 

Combine chicken pieces and herb marinade, coating each piece generously with the marinade.  Mixing directly in a large plastic sealable freezer bag works very well here, otherwise, store in a glass or non-reactive container.  Marinate, covered and refrigerated for at least 4 hours – overnight is best.

When ready to cook, place marinated chicken pieces in a single layer in a large, deep saucepan.  (A 10-inch cast iron pan works well.)  Add any extra marinade to the pan as well, and pour chicken stock over.  The chicken should be half covered by liquid.  Turn heat up to medium high, letting liquid come up to a simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes.  Turn heat down to medium, and let chicken cook gently in simmering liquid, turning pieces as needed, for 30 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.  Remove chicken to serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm.  Simmer and reduce remaining cooking liquid to a light sauce consistency, about another 2-3 minutes.  Gently spoon sauce over and around chicken and garnish with finely sliced green onion.  Serve Green Chicken with Coconut Green Peppercorn Sauce.

Coconut Green Peppercorn Sauce

• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1/3 C finely chopped Shallots
• 2 stalks Lemongrass, tops trimmed, outer tough leaves removed, smashed, and cut into 1 inch lengths
• 2 Tbsp brined, whole Green Peppercorns
• 1/4 C White Rum
• 1 (14 fl oz) Can Coconut Milk
• 2 Tsp Lime Zest
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
• Kosher Salt to taste

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add coconut oil, shallots, lemongrass and green peppercorns.  Sauté until shallots are soft but not coloured, and fragrance releases from lemongrass, about 3-4 minutes.  Add rum and reduce until mostly cooked down, about 1 minute.  Add coconut milk, and stirring occasionally, simmer until sauce has reduced by half and thickened slightly, about 7-8 minutes.  Remove lemongrass pieces, and season coconut sauce with lime zest, lime juice and salt to taste.  Serve warm with Green Chicken.

• 1 Lb Thin Cut Korean Short Ribs (look for Miami Short Ribs or LA-Style Short Ribs)
• 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Cup Pineapple Juice
• 1/4 Cup Honey
• 2 Tbsp Minced Fresh Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Grated Fresh Ginger
• 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 2 Red Thai Chilis, whole, smashed with side of knife
• 3 Tbsp chopped Green Onion bottoms (white parts only)
• 3 Tbsp chopped Green Onion tops (green parts only), reserved for garnish

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, pineapple juice, honey, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, chilis and white part of green onions. Pour over short ribs and marinate, refrigerated, for up to two hours. Do not overmarinate, as the ribs will overtenderize and take on an unpleasant mushy texture. 

Preheat a large cast iron grill to medium high. Brushing marinade onto ribs, grill over medium high heat until nicely charred but not overcooked inside, about 2-3 minutes per side. 

Transfer to a service platter and garnish with reserved chopped green onion tops. Serve hot.

• 3 Italian Sausages (about 360 g total, mild or spicy as you like)
• 2 1/2 C peeled and diced Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 2 medium potatoes)
• 1 C diced Cooking Onion (about 1 medium onion)
• 10 large Eggs
• 1/4 C chopped Flatleaf Parsley
• 1 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/4 Tsp freshly ground Black Peppercorns
• Vegetable Oil, for cooking
• 1/2 C Flavor Bomb Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• 1 1/4 C Baby Arugula
• 1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Additional Kosher Salt and Black Peppercorn to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Heat 12″ cast iron or oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to pan.  Remove casing from sausages (discard casing), and roughly crumble into hot pan.  Fry sausage pieces until golden brown and cooked.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onions to hot pan and cook until light golden and soft, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside with cooked sausage.  Add 2 tablespoons oil to pan and cook diced potatoes until golden brown and mostly cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.  Season potatoes with 3/4 teaspoon salt. (If bottom of pan has a lot of stuck on browned bits, remove potatoes and give the pan a quick good wipe before continuing on with adding back 1 tablespoon of oil and browned potatoes.)  Add sausage and onion back to pan and stir to distribute evenly. 

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, chopped parsley, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Pour egg mixture into pan, now over medium heat and allow egg to run over filling.  With a spatula, lift edges slightly to allow egg to run under.  Let egg mixture cook on the stovetop about 2-3 minutes, to allow bottom to set before placing the pan into preheated oven to finish cooking.  Bake in oven about 20 minutes, until center of frittata is set.  Remove from oven and allow frittata to cool 15 minutes in the pan before serving.

Just before serving, in a medium bowl, toss together halved tomatoes, arugula, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Arranged dressed salad on top of the frittata and serve straight from the pan.

Beer Glaze

• 1 C Beer (a light flavoured lager or ale is ideal)
• 1/4 C Brown Sugar
• 1/4 C chopped Cooking Onion
• 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

In a small pot over medium high heat, combine all ingredients. Bring to a simmer and reduce liquid by half, stirring, until light glaze forms, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Grilled Chicken Thighs

• 4 pieces boneless, skin on Chicken Thighs (about 1.5 lbs)
• 1/4 C Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp chopped Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Tbsp chopped Fresh Garlic
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground Black Peppercorns
• 2 Tsp Lemon Zest
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
• Additional Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Peppercorns to taste

Serve with: Cooked rice, lemon zest, chopped chives and parsley

(Optional tip, but recommended for even cooking.) Line a cutting board with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Unfold chicken thighs and lay in a single layer on top of parchment, place a second piece of paper on top. With a heavy pot, or rolling pin, or mallet, very slightly flatten the meat so that it is an even thickness across. No need to pound it very thin, just a gentle tap down on the fatter ends will do.

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, rosemary, garlic, pepper, lemon zest and juice. Spread marinade over prepared chicken thighs in a shallow dish. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat a grill to medium high. Just before cooking, season chicken on both sides with a good pinch of salt and grill over medium high heat, skin side down first. Grill until chicken is golden and crispy and cooked all the way through, about 5 minutes per side (165 F internal temperature). When chicken is just about cooked, brush prepared glaze over both sides and continue to grill over medium heat. Remove from heat and let rest at least 5 minutes.

To serve, chop up grilled chicken into bite sized pieces and enjoy over rice. Garnish with lemon zest, chopped chives and parsley.

Brine for Pork Chops

• 1/2 C Kosher Salt
• 1/4 C Brown Sugar
• 15 whole Allspice Berries, toasted
• 10 whole Black Peppercorns, toasted
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh Thyme
• 4 C Water

In a medium saucepan, add all dry ingredients and 2 cups of water. Bring mixture up to a low simmer, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar. Remove from heat and add remaining 2 cups of water. Set aside and let cool down to room temperature.

Allspice Brined Pork Chops

• 2 (10 oz each) bone-in, center cut Pork Chops
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• freshly ground Black Peppercorns to taste

In a large non reactive bowl, add pork chops to room temperature brine. Make sure chops are completely covered – weigh down with a small plate if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours – overnight is ideal.

When ready to cook, remove chops from brine and blot very dry with paper towel. Let chops come slightly up to room temperature (at the very least, remove from fridge 5 minutes before cooking to take the chill off, for more even cooking.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and have a small baking sheet (with a wire cooling rack if you have one) standing by.

Heat a cast iron (or other oven ready) pan to medium high and add vegetable oil. Season pork chops with pepper and sear over high heat, pressing down very slightly, until lovely dark golden brown, about 5 minutes on one side. Flip the pork chop and place the entire pan with pork chops directly into the oven, for 10-12 minutes or until chops are cooked to desired doneness. Check with an instant read thermometer inserted sideways into the the thickest part of the chop – it should read 150 F – remembering that the chop will continue to cook as it rests.

Remove chops from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes, tended with foil to keep warm, before slicing. To serve, slice in 1/2 inch thick pieces towards bone, leaving a nice piece remaining on the bone (that’s the cook’s treat!) Serve warm with Easy Sambal Vermicelli.

Easy Sambal Vermicelli

• 200 g (about 1/2 package) dried Chinese Rice Vermicelli noodles
• 2 Tsp Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 C Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 2 Tsp Sugar
• 3 Tsp Sambal Oelek (use more if you like it spicy)
• 1 Tsp Sesame Oil
• 1 Tbsp toasted Sesame Seeds
• 1/3 C finely sliced Green Onions

In a large bowl, place dried vermicelli and pour over enough boiling water just to cover. (Push noodles down slightly with tongs as needed.) Let stand 1-2 minutes, then drain well and rinse with plenty of cold water. Drain again and spread now cooked noodles on a clean tray. Toss lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Meanwhile in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients, stirring well to dissolve sugar. Add back cooled, cooked noodles and toss to evenly coat noodles with the delicious dressing. Serve with Allspice Pork Chops.

• 1 C freshly squeezed Grapefruit Juice
• 1/4 C Honey
• 3 Campari Tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 2 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
• 3 whole Allspice
• 1/2 Tsp Five-spice Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Kosher Salt, optional
• 1/4 Tsp freshly ground Black Peppercorns
• 11 – 14 Lb fully cooked bone-in Smoked Ham, preferably fat cap intact

Bring ham out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before roasting.

For the glaze, in a medium saucepan, add grapefruit juice, honey, chopped tomatoes, vinegar, allspice, five-spice, salt (depending on the saltines of the ham) and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and cook, stirring once or twice, until the mixture is reduced down to the consistency of maple syrup, about 10 minutes. Press mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl, discarding whole spices and tomato skin pulp in sieve. Set aside while you prepare the ham.

Position a rack in the bottom half of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit.

Add ham to a large roasting tray with a splash of water. Score the ham’s fat cap or exterior in a crosshatch diamond pattern, just cutting until you reach the meat (don’t cut into the meat). Cover ham with a aluminum foil cover, sealing well and roast for 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours, or until warmed through with an internal temperature of 130 Fahrenheit when registered with a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the ham, nearest the bone.

Remove foil from ham, pull out roasting tray and evenly spoon over glaze. Add back to oven and baste with glaze every 10 minutes for 30 to 45 minutes, until sticky and shellacked. Add a splash of water to the roasting tray to loosen the glaze if it gets too thick.

Watching carefully as to not burn the exterior, turn the broiler onto high for a few minutes at the end to really get that crispy exterior. Remove from oven and rest for 15 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board to slice and serve.

Refrigerate any left overs for sandwiches, chopped in salads or for a pizza topping. Also, make sure to save that ham bone by freezing it until you are ready to make a rich flavourful stock.

Honey Glaze

• 1/4 C Honey
• 1/2 C Water
• 1/2 C Orange Juice
• 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt

Place honey, water and the orange juice in a small pan on medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid had reduced to maple syrup consistency, about 8 minutes, (the glaze will thicken very slightly as it cools down). Season with salt and set aside.

Wings

• 1 Kg/2.2 Lb Chicken Wings (about 12 wings)
• 1 Tsp ground Fennel Seeds
• 2 Tsp fresh Orange Zest
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground White Peppercorns
• Additional equipment: 8 (10-inch) steel skewers

Preheat your grill (propane, charcoal or wood fired) to medium high heat.

Remove wing tips from the chicken wings for another use, or freeze to make a stock. Cut wings in half at the joint to separate the drums and the flat. Mix fennel seeds, orange zest, vegetable oil, salt and pepper and toss the drums and flats in this mixture to coat well.

Separate the drums and flats. First skewer flats, using 2 steel skewers, one on each end of the flat placed lengthwise. You should be able to fit 6 flats per pair of skewers. Now skewer drums only with 2 skewers, one on each side of each drum. For even cooking, alternate the placement of meatier end as you add on each piece (see image above for an example). You should be able to fit 6 drums per pair of skewers. After skewering assembly, you will have a total of 2 lines of flats and 2 lines of drums ready for grilling.

Transfer wings onto the grill over direct heat and grill for 7-8 minutes per side on medium high heat. Remember the metal skewers will be hot; use sturdy tea towels or long tongs to help with flipping.

Turn heat down to medium. At this point (wings will be about 3/4 done), brush the top side of the wings with honey glaze. Grill for 9-10 minutes, then flip onto the other side and glaze again. Grill for another 9-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes; the glaze will still be very hot. Serve warm.

Curry Chicken

• 3/4 C fresh Cilantro
• 1/2 C fresh Parsley
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 C Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 Tsp Kosher Salt
• 1/2 Tsp freshly ground Black Peppercorn
• 6 skinless, bone-in Chicken Thighs (about 2.5 lb /1.2 kg), each thigh cut into 3 pieces
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 cooking Onion, chopped
• 6 Garlic cloves, smashed
• 3 Tbsp mild Curry Powder (Lalah’s brand recommended)
• 2 C low-sodium Chicken Stock
• 2 1/2 C peeled and diced White Potato (about 1 large)
• 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) Chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• Kosher Salt to taste

In a food processor, combine cilantro, parsley, garlic, Worcestershire, oil, salt and pepper. Pulse until mixture is a fragrant paste; there should still be very small pieces of herbs visible. Evenly coat chicken thighs with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally overnight for best flavour.

In a large pot, bring coconut oil to medium high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until very dark golden brown, about 7-8 minutes. Add curry powder and cook out for a minute, then add chicken pieces, including the marinade. Let moisture from the marinade cook out slightly, allowing the chicken to sear, about 3-4 minutes each side. Add chicken stock, gently scraping bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to lift up any delicious browned bits. Bring mixture up to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes before adding in diced potatoes. Return to a simmer for another 15 minutes, then add chickpeas, stir and simmer uncovered for a final 20 minutes. To thicken up the curry slightly, smash a few of the chickpeas and potatoes with a fork against the side of the pot and fold back into the sauce. Simmer a few minutes longer to let it all come together. Check seasoning, adding salt to taste. Keep warm for roti assembly.

For Roti Assembly & Serving

• Wax Paper
• Dhal Puri roti skins*
• Curry Chicken, above
• Hot Sauce to taste (Yellow Caribbean-style Scotch Bonnet sauce recommended)
• Paper Bags

Time to assemble! For each serving, place a roti skin on top of an equal-sized square of wax paper. Scoop a generous amount of curry chicken (about 3 pieces of chicken, with an even amount of potatoes, chickpeas and sauce) onto the centre of the roti skin. Season with hot sauce to taste.

Next, fold over the left side of the circle, like wrapping a present, then the right, followed by the top and bottom edges, forming a squat, firmly packed rectangle. Confidently flip your filled roti, seam-side down on the wax paper. Roll the paper up firmly, folding the open ends in to seal. Place the whole package into a paper bag. You’re all set to enjoy a taste of Trinidad!

*Thin Caribbean flatbread filled with seasoned ground split peas. Look for in West Indian grocery shops.