A Word From The Other Parsimonious Chef...: The Caribbean or Bust

Caribbean Steak, Black Beans, Rice, Fried Plantains & Grilled Spicy Flatbread

A friend of mine is on her way to Jamaica for a week or so, of course I'm envious but I'm sure she'll have fun without me tagging along. As a chef I draw on many experiences to gain inspiration and while living vicariously through others isn't normally one; I am inspired to make food that is influenced by the Caribbean part of the world as a result of her trip. (Cooking this dish is probably a coping mechanism for all the bragging that's sure to come in the form of stories and pictures from her trip also!)

On the menu for lunch today is: Pan Seared Caribbean Steak with Drunken "Mo-Churi" Sauce, Spicy Black Beans & Rice, Fried Plantains and Grilled Flat Bread.

For this we will need the following items:

Sirloin Steaks (1/2 to 1 per guest)
Garlic (5 cloves)
Cilantro (1 bunch)
Oregano (2 bunches)
Tamari (1/4 cup)
Rum (2 cups)
Sugar (1/4 cup)
Oregano (1 Tbs)
Lime Juice (1/2 cup)
2 Limes
Orange Juice (1/4 cup)
Vinegar (1/16 cup)
Onion (1/4 Cup)
Cornstarch (2 Tbs)
Habanero (1 each)
Black Beans (1 can)
Bacon (3 strips)
White Rice (determined by amount of guest)
Chicken or Veggie Stock (replaces water in rice)
Plantains (3 each feeds 6-10 guest)
Flat or Pita Bread (1 per guest)
Olive Oil (1/8 Cup)
Butter (2 Tbs)

There are more than 29 countries that make up the modern day Caribbean as a result there are many styles of cooking, types of dishes and influences to draw from. From Cuba I've chosen the steak, sauce and black beans with rice. From Puerto Rico I have chosen a fried plantains recipe. The grilled flatbread is my own addition to round out the meal.

Great Food & Drinks

Barbados Food, Wine & Rum Festival Gala 2011

When I think about this part of the world of course the first thought is of white sand and turquoise water but immediately following is the rum. Rum is king in this part of the world and oh so good. Last year I went to the 2nd annual Barbados Food,Wine and Rum Festival. The festival is part of a series of annual events put on by Food & Wine Magazine. In each other city it is known as the Food & Wine Festival with the exception being the aforementioned Barbados series. Rum is such an important part of the culture and culinary scene that the officials thought it best to be highlighted as a star of the show. In that vein I think it foolhardy of me not to have it in some form on the menu. Enter the drunken "Mo-Churi" Sauce for the steak, it's my own creation and a blend of the popular Cuban Mojo sauce Argentinean Chimichurri sauce. On to the reason we are here..

Make the marinade for the steak by blending together the garlic (3 cloves) , cilantro, oregano, tamari , and orange juice. Use 1/4 of this mixture for the steak and reserve the remainder for the sauce. Allow to cover the steak and marinate for 25-35 minutes. Put the remaining 3/4 of marinade in a sauce pot on mid high heat,add sugar, vinegar, lime juice and allow to thicken by adding a slurry (a mixture of cornstarch and liquid to form a silky liquid. Set aside for the final plating. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Add garlic (1 clove) and cilantro (2 tsp) to the chicken or veggie stock and cook the rice.

While black beans are great to make from scratch, the canned beans are good once they are properly "doctored up". To a sauce pot add chopped bacon and allow to crisp, remove and set aside it will be used as garnish for the black beans. Add diced garlic, bay leaves and onions to the pan with the bacon fat and allow to brown slightly. Add the canned beans and allow to simmer until heated thoroughly.

For the plantains be sure to get ripe ones , the skin is normally black in color and of course a bit sweeter, this provides contrast to the spiciness of the other elements on your plate. Peel and cut onto coins while heating the vegetable oil. Cook until golden brown in color, salt and set aside.

While drying off one side of your steak with a paper towel be sure to season that side with course kosher salt and pepper. Get your skillet hot, add oil and butter then place the steak, dry side down in your hot skillet and allow to sear for no less than 3 minutes to form a crust. (See video attachment.) Flip and place in the oven for 3-5 minutes depending on the temperature you prefer your steak. I happen to like rare to mid rare so 3 minutes more in the oven will suffice. Once you have taken the steak out of the oven remove it from the pan and allow to rest for 3-4 minutes, this helps the meat retain its' moisture and keeps it "juicy".

Take the same pan and add butter and oil to cook the seasoned flat bread. The seasoning is a mixture of salt, garlic and chili flake. Allow bread to brown slightly and flip. Remove from pan and cut into quarters.

Plate your meal, pour sauce on or around the steak as an added element zest a lime for garnish over the plantain. I usually will have an aged rum to drink with no chaser , just something to sip on while eating. I also recommend a Mojito, you just can't go wrong with a traditional drink......

The Meal

For the Mojito you will need mint (2 bunches), sugar (1/2 cup), rum (3/4 cup), ginger beer (1 cup). Simply whisk or blend the ingredients together and add ice. The addition of the ginger beer gives it a
"Kick" that is quite refreshing. Enjoy your meal and drink.....