Celebrate a culinary Independence Day

It has been said that nothing brings people together like good food. So, celebrate today — Independence Day— the culinary way with your friends and family. If you’re not sure where to start, here’s some food for thought. Why not ‘Grace’ your kitchen with these delicious Jamaican-inspired recipes? Enjoy!

Jerked Chicken Wings

Ingredients

5 pounds chicken wings

2 cups water

1/4 cup Grace White Vinegar

4 tablespoons Grace Hot

and Spicy Jerk Seasoning

4 tablespoons dark soy sauce

2 medium onions, chopped

3 stalks scallion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon ginger, chopped

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 sprig thyme, chopped

3 tablespoons Grace

Vegetable Oil

1 cup Grace Tomato Ketchup

1/2 teaspoon Grace Browning

3 cups chicken stock*

Chicken Stock Ingredients:

1 pound chicken tips

6 cups tap water

1 medium carrot, sliced

1 stalk scallion, chopped

2 clove garlic, chopped

1 sprig thyme

Directions for Wing

1. Remove the tips of the chicken wings and set aside.

2. Divide each chicken wing into two pieces, cutting at the joint. Wash in a mixture of water and vinegar then drain and set aside.

3. Combine Grace Hot and Spicy Jerk Seasoning, soy sauce, one chopped onion, two stalks chopped scallion, three cloves, chopped garlic, chopped ginger, black pepper and thyme and add to the pieces of chicken. Rub in the seasonings, cover and put to marinate in the refrigerator for about one hour.

4. Heat a large, heavy-bottom skillet over medium heat and add vegetable oil. Add the pieces of chicken and pan sear on each side.

5. Transfer to a baking pan and put to bake in a preheated oven 350°F/180°C for about 30 minutes.

6. Put the chicken stock to simmer and add the remainder of the seasonings. Reduce by half and mix in the ketchup and the browning.

7. Spoon the sauce over the chicken wings and bake for a further 20 minutes.

8. Serve with festival, fried bammy, roasted sweet potato or a starch of your choice.

Yield: 15-20 servings

Directions to make chicken stock

1. Wash the bones; combine bones with tap water in a stock pot and bring slowly to a simmer. Skim as necessary.

2. Add the sliced carrots, chopped scallion, garlic and thyme; simmer for about 35 minutes. Strain and use as desired.

Mackerel Rundown

Ingredients

3 tablespoons Grace Coconut Oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 ounce ginger, peeled and sliced

1 tablespoon curry powder

6 whole pimento berries

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk scallion, chopped

1 sprig thyme

2 cans Grace Mackerel

in Coconut Sauce.

1 tablespoon Grace

Green Scotch Bonnet

Hot Pepper Sauce

1/4 teaspoon Grace

Caribbean Traditions

Black Pepper (optional)

Directions

1. In a saucepan, heat Grace Coconut Oil, add garlic, ginger and curry powder and stir for a minute or two to allow curry to ‘burn’.

2. Add pimento berries and onion and cook until onion starts to wilt.

3. Add scallion, thyme and mackerel in coconut sauce (rundown) and simmer for five minutes until sauce is reduced.

4. Add Green Scotch Bonnet Hot Pepper Sauce.

5. Adjust flavour as desired with Caribbean Traditions Black Pepper and serve with your favourite starch; e.g., boiled green bananas, johnny cakes or turn cornmeal. Serves four persons.

Sweet Potato Pudding

Ingredients

5 pounds sweet potato

(will yield 12 cups when grated)

3 cups dark sugar

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 packet Grace Coconut

Milk Powder

5 cups water

1/4 cup Grace

Margarine, melted

1 whole nutmeg, grated

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon white rum

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon Grace

Browning (optional)

Directions

1. Peel cut and grate sweet potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl.

2. Add dark sugar, flour and raisins.

3. Combine coconut milk powder with water, mix well and add to the sweet potato mixture.

4. Add melted margarine, nutmeg, salt, cinnamon powder, vanilla, rum, lime juice and browning and mix well.

Scrape mixture into a greased 10-inch baking tin.

Bake in a preheated oven of 350° F or 180 °C for 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 hours.

Escoveitch Fish

Ingredients

2 pounds snapper fish

1/4 cup Grace White Vinegar

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup Grace Vegetable Oil

Directions

1.Clean fish in a mixture of vinegar and water; pat dry with absorbent paper.

2. Combine salt and black pepper and use them to season the fish. Cover and allow to marinate.

3. Heat skillet over medium flame and add vegetable oil. Add crushed garlic and fry to release flavour.

4.Add fish and fry until lightly browned on both sides; drain on absorbent paper.

5. Arrange on a serving platter.

Use fish of your choice. Traditionally served with fried bammy or festival.