Editor’s note: although Scott The Author was already scheduled today, we thought our readers would enjoy Chef Frank’s fabulous recipes, seasoned with just a dash of historical local flavor.
Many of the readers of the The X blog may not know me—yet. I will be appearing in the next X anthology with a contemporary detective story called “Morningside”.
However, I have been writing about one of my true loves, food, for many years. Saturdays on the “X” blog are the opportunity for us to show other sides of ourselves, and this is a great time for me to share a little about one of my other careers.
When I originally wrote this essay in 2006, there were several weeks of hot, humid days with brief, but severe, thunderstorms in the evening, with all signs of rain disappearing minutes after the storm abates—very unusual for Western Connecticut. After several days like this, I thought, “This is just like living down in the Islands!” and I remembered those long-past days of my youth when I lay on the beach, sipping rum all day, and then, while sitting at a bar, sipping rum all night.
Then, I thought about the wide range of food available, with influences of the Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Danish, and indigenous cuisines. I had tried them all, and, honestly, I couldn’t decide which I liked the best. So, I kept sampling as many different foods as I could, hoping I could eventually decide which was the most representative of the area, but, alas, I ended up realizing that there was not one single influence that could completely define the Caribbean experience. So, I did a bit of research and discovered the rich history of the region, and the influences on the culture and cuisine.
When Columbus sailed the ocean blue, in 1492, he thought he landed in the Indies, the generic term for South and East Asia at the time, specifically, India. He actually landed on San Salvador (or, more technically, an island he named “San Salvador”—whether it’s actually the island that currently has that name, or not, is a matter of scholarly debate).
He referred to the indigenous population as “Indians”, even though, as later proved, it was inaccurate: tThe people he found were probably either the Lucayan (lu-KIE-an), Taínos or Arawak. In fact, at the time of his death in 1506, Columbus firmly believed he had reached Asia, a belief shared by many others (it wasn’t until the voyages of Amerigo Vespucci that it was established that Columbus actually discovered a continent previously unknown to Europeans).
The area was also known as The Antilles, which was a mysterious land that often appeared on medieval charts in the Atlantic Ocean before the voyages of Columbus. When the West Indies were shown not to be part of Asia, it was assumed that this enigmatic land had finally been located, and that name was used.
The term “Caribbean” originates from the Carib people, the predominant group that inhabited the area. Thought to have originally come from Venezuela, they spread throughout the many islands in the area, conquering, displacing, and in some cases, eating, the natives (the Caribs had a tradition of cannibalism, mostly associated with their war and religious rituals).
They, in turn, were later conquered, and displaced (but not eaten) by the Spanish. Today, only about 3000 Caribs still exist, living on a reservation on the eastern end of Dominica, although there is a strong Carib influence throughout the entire area.
The Caribbean Islands consists of nearly 5000 islands, islets and reefs southeast of the coast of Florida, and northwest of the coast of northern South America, and surrounded by the aptly named Caribbean Sea—a combination of volcanic rock and coral reefs. It is considered a “biodiversity hotspot”, supporting such varied ecosystems as cloud forests and cactus scrublands, and it is home to dozens of endangered species of both flora and fauna.
The climate in the Caribbean varies from sub-tropical to tropical, depending on proximity to the Atlantic tradewinds, and the influences of the jet stream. This makes the area conducive to growing products such as tobacco and sugar. Of course, with the production of sugar, the byproduct, molasses, can be distilled into rum, a valuable commodity treasured throughout the world.
While many of the Islands are now independent countries, almost all of them were colonies of European nations. Columbus claimed many of the islands for Spain, most notably Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, and Trinidad. Once word reached Europe about the new land, expeditions were mounted by many of the coastal countries to develop colonies and bring back the riches of the New World. France built up a sizable presence in the area, claiming Grenada, Haiti, St. Croix, Martinique and Guadeloupe, along with others.
The English, Dutch, Danish, Swedes, Portuguese and even Americans had claimed part of the area for themselves at one time or another. Many of the islands were colonized by one country, then abandoned (or driven out by the natives), and then resettled by another country. Also, there were squabbles among the colonists, and ownership of some of the islands changed with some frequency.
Today, many of the Caribbean Islands enjoy independence from their founding countries. However, there are still some areas that fall under the auspices of their founders: The Virgin Islands, whimsically named “Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Vírgenes” (Saint Ursula and her 11,000 Virgins—mercifully shortened to “The Virgins”) share protectorate status between the United States and the United Kingdom.
The United Kingdom also claims Anguilla, Montserrat, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Cayman Islands as protectorates. Puerto Rico is a United States Territory. Guadeloupe and Martinique are claimed by France, and Aruba is considered part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Piracy in the Caribbean was originally a reflection of the political and religious climates of Europe at the time. Unable to keep large military forces in the area, countries would issue “Letters of Marque” to adventurous local captains that would give them a legal standing to capture enemy ships, in return for a percentage of the captured goods. Of course, who was the enemy would change frequently.
This practice was not considered piracy, but privateering, since the sponsoring government sanctioned it. Many captains and crews became rich during the time. By the 1720s, there was enough military strength in the Caribbean that the use of privateers wasn’t needed anymore.
However, there were still massive amounts of riches transported through the area, and some entrepreneurs decided that a career path that either ended quickly, either by retirement or at the end of a noose, was preferable to one that required many years of hard work.
This was the start of the Golden Age of Piracy, the one that has been romanticized in film for decades, starting with Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in the 1935 motion picture “The Black Pirate”, and most recently by Johnny Depp in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series.
While the sight of a ship on the horizon flying the Jolly Roger raised dread in the hearts of the crew that sighted it, the black flag was preferred to a ship flying “The Bloody Red”, a sign that the pirates would give no quarter, and no survivors of the encounter would remain. The remnants of piracy remain today; I recently went to the supermarket and bought some pirate corn; it was a buck an ear!
The modern Caribbean economy relies mostly on tourism, mining (mostly gold and silver) and financial services, with some agriculture and manufacturing. The cash crops in the area are primarily sugar cane, coffee, tobacco and bananas.
Of course, when you think of the Caribbean, you think of rum. Made from fermented and distilled molasses and sugar cane juice, rum is actually of ancient Indian (Sub-Asian India) or Chinese origin. Marco Polo brought some back with him from his exploration of the Middle East, along with the process of producing it.
With the production of sugar in the Caribbean, it wasn’t long before the manufacture of rum started. Originally, the quality wasn’t very high, but improvements in the distillation process allowed the production of rums of a much superior grade.
With the capture of Jamaica by the British in 1655, the daily ration of liquor changed from French brandy to rum; originally was served straight up, or mixed with lime juice to prevent scurvy. However, in 1740, Admiral Edward Vernon started watering down the ration to prevent drunkenness by his crew. This became known as “grog”. The tradition of a tot of grog a day on British ships ended in 1970, a sober occasion, indeed.
BAKED BLACK BEANS WITH HONEY AND RUM
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A great change from the New England style of baked beans. You can also make this in a crockpot.
- 1 1/2 lb dried black beans
- 8 oz slab bacon, rind removed, cut into 1/4″ dice
- 1 lb yellow or white onion, 1/4″ dice
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup dark rum
- 4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger,grated
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Rich chicken stock, as needed
Pick through the beans, removing all stones and other debris. Wash well. Place in a pot, and cover with water. Allow to soak overnight. Drain and cover with fresh water. Bring to a boil, and then, lower heat and allow to simmer until the beans are just tender, adding water as needed. Drain, rinse and reserve.
Sauté the bacon, rendering out all the fat. Reserve the bacon bits, and 4 Tbsp of the fat. Sauté the onion in the bacon fat until soft and translucent, then add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until the sugar is completely dissolved. Put the cooked beans in an oven-proof pot with a tight-fitting lid, and pour the onion mixture over it. Add enough chicken stock to cover the beans, and add the reserved bacon bits. Cover, and place in a 250F oven for 4-5 hours, adding chicken stock if needed.
JAMAICAN CURRIED GOAT
If you can’t find goat in your local market, or the idea of eating goat doesn’t agree with you, you can substitute lamb.
- 2 lbs white or yellow onions, 1/4″ dice
- 3 oz corn oil
- 2 oz curry powder
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt, or to taste
- 2 tsp coarsely ground fresh black pepper
- 8 lb goat meat, with bones, cut into serving sized pieces (your butcher will do this for you)
- 1/4 cup oil
- Rich beef stock, as needed
- 2-3 lb potatoes, 1/2″ dice
Puree the onions, oil, curry powder, salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth. Reserve. Place the meat in a glass or non-reactive pan, and pour the reserved marinade over it. Rub the marinade well into the meat, cover and refrigerate overnight.
In a heavy skillet, heat the oil and brown the meat on all sides. Transfer the browned meat to a stockpot. Deglaze the skillet with some beef stock, and add to the pan, along with any juices in the pan used to marinate the meat. Add enough beef stock to cover the meat, and simmer over medium heat for 1 – 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until just tender. Cool and reserve. Add to the meat just before serving.
FLANK STEAK IN WINE, LEMON AND ORANGE MARINADE
This is a Cuban recipe, and it is traditionally served with black beans and rice.
- 2 cups port wine or Marsala
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 Tbsp fresh garlic, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 flank steaks, trimmed of fat and membranes, 2 1/2 lb each
In a non-reactive saucepan, heat the port or Marsala until it just is about to boil. Remove from the heat, and add the honey, ginger, and garlic. Season to taste, cover and steep for 15 minutes. Add the orange and lemon juice, and mix. Allow to cool completely.
Place the steaks on the bottom of a non-reactive pan (glass or stainless steel), and cover with the cooled marinade. Cover, and refrigerate overnight. Grill over very hot coals or under high heat in the broiler for 3-4 minutes per side, for rare, the best way to serve flank steak. Slice very thinly at a sharp angle across the grain.
BREAST OF DUCK WITH MANGO
A traditional recipe from St. Martin. Make the sauce ahead of time, and reheat it when you’re ready to serve.
- 4 10-12 oz duck breasts
- 1/2 cup dark rum
- 1 Tbsp dried thyme (or 3 Tbsp fresh)
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup minced shallots
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded, ribs removed, minced (wear gloves when working with hot peppers!)
- 1 lb green mango, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper and white sugar to taste
Remove the skin from the duck breasts, and reserve. Combine the rum, thyme, allspice and salt, and place the skinless duck breasts in it. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
Sauté the reserved duck skin, fat side down, over medium heat until crisp. Cut into thin strips and reserve.
In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the shallots and scallions until soft. Add the garlic and jalapeno and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the mango, white wine, salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken slightly. Cool and reserve.
When ready to serve, gently reheat the sauce. Grill (or sauté) the duck breasts until done (I like mine medium, some may like it cooked more). Place a pool of the sauce on a place. Slice the duck, and fan it over the sauce. Garnish with the reserved crispy duck skin.
MANGOS WITH CREAM
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 oz rum
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted and coarsely pureed
- Freshly whipped heavy cream (as needed)
- 2 Tbsp zested lime peel
In a non-reactive bowl, combine the sugar, rum and lime juice, mixing until the sugar is dissolved. Add the mango pulp to this mixture and stir until well combined. Adjust sugar as needed; the mixture should be rather sweet. Combine an equal part of the whipped cream to the mango mixture, and gently fold, taking care to keep some of the two products separate. Spoon into chilled goblets or serving bowls, and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with the lime zest.
ZOMBIE
This drink is actually not of Caribbean origin, although, some people associate it with the island of Haiti. The drink was the creation of Don Beach (nee, Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gannt), owner of Hollywood’s Don the Beachcomber Restaurant in 1930. It was popularized at the 1939 New York’s World Fair. Beach created this cocktail for a friend who was traveling to San Francisco.
After consuming three of them, the friend complained that it turned him into a zombie for a week. Don the Beachcomber had a 2-zombie policy, which is the equivalent of 7 ordinary cocktails; there is about 7-1/2 oz of hard liquor in each drink, being cleverly hidden by fresh fruit juice. This is purported to be close to the original recipe: Don Beach used small amounts of several different rums, most of which are not available anymore, so generic rums are specified.
- 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 1/2 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
- 1/4 oz falernum
- 1 1/4 oz golden Puerto Rican rum
- 1 oz dark Jamacian rum
- 1 oz 151-proof Demarara rum
- 3/4 oz Maraschino liqueur (not juice from the cherries)
- 1/4 tsp grenadine
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 6 drops (1/8 tsp) Pernod
- A handful of crushed ice
- Sprig of mint (for garnish)
Combine all ingredients, in order, in a blender. Blend no more than 5 seconds. Pour into a tall glass and add ice cubes to fill. Garnish with the mint.
F. M. Longo, Jr., a retired banker and chef lives in western Connecticut where he manages public relations for nonprofit organizations. Frank’s short story, “Morningside”, will appear in A Dash of Madness: a Thriller Anthology, scheduled for release on July 31, 2013.