Caribbean cooking: From barbecued jerk turkey to plantain stew

Bank holiday weekend sees west London’s streets from Ladbroke Grove to Westbourne Park taken over by Notting Hill Carnival, where Caribbean flavours and scantily clad dancing people rule

Spice up chicken with a West Indian marinade and serve with sweet pineapple and coconut slivers (recipe below)

Quorn chicken, coconut and plantain stew

The starchy and low-in-sugar plantain pairs wonderfully with high protein and low saturated fat Quorn chicken pieces. The use of coconut adds an exciting layer of flavour, while the lime juice gives it a lively finish.

Quorn is high in fibre and low in calories, making it a great alternative to meat for vegetarians or for meat lovers looking to reduce their meat intake. It is quick and easy to cook, with endless recipe possibilities.

Please note: Plantain can be found in local African, South American or Caribbean shops. Pumpkin or sweet potato work well as a replacement.

350g of Quorn chicken pieces
3tbsp of coconut oil
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
Black pepper, freshly cracked
1 plantain, cut into 1cm chunks
1 white onion, finely diced
2 tomatoes, cut into quarters
300ml of coconut cream
1 handful of coriander, chopped
½ lime, juice
Salt
Pepper
Chilli, (optional)

Spray coconut oil onto a large non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Then add Quorn chicken pieces and fry for 4-5 minutes until light golden. Remove from skillet and reserve.

Add more oil to the pan if needed, and fry the onions and tomatoes for 3-4 minutes until they are softened. Reduce the heat, add the coconut cream to the pan and the plantain in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, then turn each piece over and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces to the simmering sauce, cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes, until the plantain is completely tender. Add the chopped coriander, green chillies (optional) and lime juice. Serve immediately with rice.

Barbecued jerk turkey steaks

Scotch bonnets add some authentic fire to this jerk turkey recipe, but you can substitute them for chillis for a tamer heat if you like. Adam Gray’s celeriac and apple coleslaw provides some cooling relief as a side to the turkey steaks.

Jerk turkey
1 turkey breast, boneless
½ bunch of fresh thyme
4tbsp of clear runny honey
8tsp ground cinnamon
2 scotch bonnet chillies, chopped
8tbsp of allspice
4tbsp of dark rum
Celeriac and apple coleslaw
1 celeriac
3 Braeburn apples, peeled and cored
2tbsp of English mustard
150g of mayonnaise
½ bunch of chives
Salt
Ground white pepper

Pick the leaves from the fresh thyme and finely chop. Mix the chopped thyme leaves with the clear honey, ground cinnamon, chopped chillies, allspice and rum. Slice the turkey into 1.5cm-thick steaks and place in a shallow tray. Rub the jerk seasoning mix thoroughly into the steaks, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for a minimum of 12 hours – preferably 24 hours.

For the coleslaw, peel and finely shred the celeriac. Slice the apples into 0.5cm-wide discs and then cut into thin matchsticks. Mix the apple with the celeriac. In a separate bowl, mix the mustard and mayonnaise together. Gradually add the mustard mayonnaise to the celeriac and apple, ensuring that final mix is not too wet. Finely chop the chives and add them to the celeriac and apple coleslaw. Season the mixture with salt and white pepper to taste.

To cook the turkey, place the marinated turkey steaks on a hot barbecue, rotating every 4-5 minutes until cooked all the way through. Once cooked, remove from the barbecue and leave to rest on a serving tray for 3-4 minutes, to ensure they are moist and tender. Serve the turkey steaks with the apple and celeriac coleslaw.

Caribbean chicken with sweetcorn fritters

A simple marinade of buttermilk and hot pepper sauce creates perfectly tender, yet flavour-packed chicken in this easy Caribbean chicken recipe from Karen Burns-Booth. Pan-fried to create a crisp golden crust, Karen serves the spicy chicken with an easy sweetcorn fritter recipe and a tropical salad on the side.

This is a fabulous recipe for a family midweek meal and, more importantly, it can all be prepared in the morning, ready for a bit of frying action in the evening. Skinless chicken breasts are given a spicy makeover by being marinated in buttermilk with some fiery hot pepper sauce. The batter for the corn fritters can also be made ahead, and then all you need to cook this easy meal is just two frying pans.

If you want to serve the chicken in smaller pieces for the little ones, then just slice the chicken breasts into fingers before marinating. The hot pepper sauce I used for the marinade may be a tad too spicy for the very wee ones in the family, so adjust the amount you add to the marinade or offer it on the side when serving.

If you are cooking for a crowd (and this is a perfect recipe for any large gathering), then just keep the cooked chicken and corn fritters warm in a preheated oven whilst you cook the rest. I served this with a fresh pineapple, banana and coconut salad for added tropical taste, but any crisp seasonal salad will work as a fresh accompaniment.

Hot pepper sauce is a staple in my store cupboard (and has been for years now) as I love how the blend of Scotch Bonnet and Habanero peppers creates a fiery yet fruity finish.

Caribbean chicken with sweetcorn fritters

4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
2tbsp of West Indian Original Hot Pepper Sauce, plus extra to serve
150ml of buttermilk, or skimmed milk
1 large egg, beaten
Plain flour, for dusting
100g of breadcrumbs
Rapeseed oil, for frying
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Sweetcorn fritters

160g of sweetcorn, drained weight
1 large egg, beaten
75g of self-raising flour
Red chilli, or fresh herbs, chopped (optional)
1 dash of milk, if needed
Rapeseed oil, for frying
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To serve

Mixed salad leaves
¼ fresh pineapple, peeled and cut into chunks
½ red onion, finely chopped
Coconut, shaved into slivers
Fresh coriander

Mix together the buttermilk and hot pepper sauce. Place the chicken breasts in a shallow dish and pour over the marinade to coat. Cover the dish and set aside to marinate for a few hours, or until ready to cook. For the sweetcorn fritters, prepare the batter by mixing the beaten egg into the flour until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then mix in the sweetcorn and chilli or herbs (if using). If the mixture is a little thick, add a dash of milk to loosen. Reserve until needed. When ready to cook the chicken, place the beaten egg in a shallow dish, a pile of plain flour (seasoned with a little salt and pepper) in another, and the breadcrumbs in a third.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and dip first in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg, then in the breadcrumbs to create a thick coating. Add a little rapeseed oil to a large frying pan and place over a medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, turn the heat down slightly and fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until the chicken has a golden brown crust and is cooked all the way through. Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a second pan. Drop large spoonfuls of the sweetcorn batter into the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until puffed up and golden brown. Mix together the salad, pineapple, coconut and red onion for the salad. Add a few sprigs of fresh coriander. Serve with the chicken and fritters

These recipes first appeared on Great British Chefs. Take a look at their recipe collections for some more great Caribbean recipes.