Jamaican Rum Punch

1 cup lime or juice of 8 limes

2 cups flavored syrup (strawberry or cherry)

3 cups Jamaican white rum (Wray & Nephew or Appleton)

4 cups pineapple juice

In a large pitcher combine lime juice, pineapple juice and syrup.  Mix well.  Stir in rum.  Taste and improvise to liking.  Serve chilled over ice.  Garnish with mint, pineapple chunks or lime slices.

Puerto Rican Sweet & Smoky Pernil (Pork Roast)

1 – 8 lb. Pork Shoulder (bone-in)

Rub

1/4 cup salt

1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons Adobo seasoning

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp oregano

2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup olive oll

Combine all rub ingredients in a bowl.  On a flat surface, rub pork with seasonings.   Wrap pork with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.  For best results, allow to marinate for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Unwrap pork and transfer to a baking dish.  Cover dish completely with foil paper.  Transfer to oven and bake for approximately 4 hours.  When pork is cooked (at approximately 160 degrees) transfer to cutting board and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes.  Carve with a knife or pull pork meat using a fork.

Jamaican Coconut Rice & Peas

3 cups long grain rice

4 scallions, green part only, diced

4 garlic cloves

1 1/2 cup pigeon peas

1 scotch bonnet pepper

2 cups coconut, diced or 2 cups canned coconut milk

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp black pepper

1-2 tbsp salt, to taste

water

In a medium sauce pan combine beans and garlic to water.  Bring to boil and cook beans for approximately 45 minutes adding additional water to pot as water reduces.  When beans are tender remove from heat setting both water and beans aside.

Grate coconut and 2 cups water in a blender for approximately 5 minutes.  Strain 2 cups of coconut milk from coconut bits.  Discard bits and set milk aside.  (If additional milk is required,  grate coconut bits with additional water and repeat strain.)

Bring coconut milk and 1 1/2 cups of reserved water (from beans) to boil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Season with salt, to taste then add pepper.  Stir in rice, thyme, scotch bonnet pepper, scallions and beans.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook for 25-30 minutes.  Using a fork, flake the rice while stirring.  Remove scotch bonnet pepper from the pot and discard.  Cover pot, turn off heat and allow to stand for 15 minutes.

Serve warm.

Trinidad Macaroni Pie

1 box uncooked Ziti macaroni

2 tbsp butter

1/2 scotch bonnet pepper, finely minced

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 onion, finely minced

1 tbsp flour

1 cup evaporated milk
2 eggs
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F

Boil macaroni in water per box instructions.  Remove from heat and drain and rinse with cool water.  Set aside.

In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat.  Add garlic, onions, pepper and onions.  Sauté for 2 minutes until garlic and onions become fragrant.  Whisk in flour.  Mix well.  Stir in milk and allow to thicken.  Reduce heat to low.  Meanwhile, beat eggs in a small bowl.  Stir in 2-3 tbsp of milk mixture to eggs to temper the eggs before adding to saucepan.  (This avoids eggs from curdling.)

Once tempered, stir eggs into saucepan.  Add cheese reserving some for topping. Mix well until cheese begins to melt.  Stir in macaroni and mix well.  Transfer to greased baking dish and top with additional cheese.  Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes.

Serve warm.

Dominican Republic Pan De Batata (Sweet Potato Cake)

½ cup butter at room temperature, divided

2 lb. Sweet Potatoes or Yams

2 eggs

1½ cup of brown sugar

1 cup of whole milk

1 teaspoon of salt

½ cup finely chopped coconut

2 teaspoons of grated ginger

1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon of cloves powder

½ teaspoon nutmeg powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Use a teaspoon of butter to cover a 9″ baking pan.  Peel the sweet potatoes. Grate with the least coarse side of your grater or pulse in the food processor until you obtain a paste.  Add all the remaining ingredients to the sweet potato and whisk until it is well-mixed.  Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Test cake by piercing car with a clean toothpick.  If it comes our clean, cake is done.

Remove from oven and allow to cool.