RIU's celebrity beach barbecue
Published:Thursday | June 13, 2013 | 12:00 AM
Morgan Heritage's Una Morgan is renowned for her Irish moss porridge, but on a beach in Jamaica she knows nothing but roasted conch, grilled snapper and jerked chicken that would satiate the appetite of the tourists who flocked her food station.
The singer/songwriter of the celebrated family of reggae and her brother Mojo, cooked up a storm on RIU Montego Bay's white sandy beach Tuesday afternoon, while signing autographs for their new album, Here come the Kings.
As much as it was about the album, which without a doubt will take the world by storm, it was lunchtime and the sizzling hot, deliciously prepared savouries were on par for the food course, hitting the stomach jackpot.
Adorned in their chef uniforms, Una Morgan focused on jerking the chicken on low temperature for approximately 45 minutes. She used hot Scotch bonnet pepper and thyme to add flavour to this tasty meal.
Mojo prepared the chef's speciality, roasted conch. Capturing the flavour by using garlic, onion, thyme, coconut milk, a little butter, country pepper, marinated in a bit of olive oil and Cajun seasoning, Mojo wrapped the tender conch in aluminium foil, then grilled this delectable seafood for 10 to 15 minutes.
"We made sure he didn't place the conch too close to the heat," stated the hotel's master sous chef, Marlon Tucker, who stayed close watching the reggae-inspired preparation on the beach.
five stars
Tucker, was supported by chefs Mark Fjaasgesund and Nislon Toribio. Three great chefs and two international reggae superstars were enough to make any hut colourful and any food tasty.
"My mother forced me to cook my first meal at age 10, which was curried goat and white rice," revealed Una Morgan, as she served jerked chicken, taking time to pick at her own meal. Una Morgan admits to enjoying cooking everything, from lasagna to her favourite Irish moss porridge, which is blended with green plantains, coconut milk, nutmeg and cinnamon, and her secret ingredient - pimento seed.
Swearing that the Irish moss porridge was a libido stimulator, Una Morgan did not reveal much more.
For the grilled red snapper, also among the favourites served on the beach, chef Marlon Tucker advised, "We use the very same ingredients as the conch, but it's important to ensure that the fish is not frozen and is properly marinated."
The fish stays on the grill for a maximum of 10 minutes, then it is ready for consumption.