They don’t call good old USA the “melting pot” for nothing. So give thanks this Thanksgiving for the Caribbean’s hefty contribution to the American dinner table with some classic Caribbean flavors and ingredients.
Plantain Stuffing
This ripe plantain and cornbread combination is so good, it may outshine the turkey.
SERVES 4-6
Ingredients
2 cups herbed or cornbread stuffing cubes
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon picked fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large plantain with some black areas, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add jalapeno, onions, bell peppers, and thyme, then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook until tender, then add the garlic. Pour mixture over cornbread cubes in a bowl. Set aside. Wipe out pan with paper towel and place back on the heat. Add the remaining butter and olive oil. When melted and bubbly, add plantains and sprinkle with salt. Sauté until plantains are golden and caramelized on the edges, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour over stuffing in the bowl. Add the chicken stock and stir. Press the stuffing into an 8 by 8-inch oven dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until the top edges are golden, another 20 minutes.
Jerk Turkey
A dose of freshly-made jerk spice makes this centerpiece an authentic zinger
SERVES 10-12
Ingredients
3⁄4 cup olive oil
1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar
1⁄2 cup chopped scallions
1⁄4 cup freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 1⁄2 tbsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1⁄2 tbsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄2 tsp. ground cloves
1⁄4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus wedges for serving
1 1⁄2 tbsp. soy sauce
6 cloves garlic
2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chilies, stemmed and chopped
2″ pieces ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 (12) lb. turkey
Instructions
Heat oven to 500˚. Combine ¼ cup oil, sugar, scallions, ¼ cup pepper, 2½ tbsp. salt, thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg cloves, juice, sauce, garlic, chilies, and ginger in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth and set aside. Melt butter and mix with remaining oil; set aside. Rinse turkey and pat dry with paper towels. Season turkey inside and out with salt and pepper and let come to room temperature. Transfer turkey to a rack set inside a roasting pan, tuck wings behind turkey and tie legs together with kitchen twine. Brush turkey all over with butter, reserving some for basting. Pour 2 cups water into roasting pan and roast turkey, brushing once with more butter, for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350˚ and continue roasting, brushing occasionally with butter, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh, without touching the bone, reads 150˚, about 2 hours. Remove turkey from oven and baste completely with reserved sauce. Place back in oven and continue to cook until internal temperature reaches 165°, about 20 to 25 minutes more. Transfer turkey to a cutting board, and let sit for 30 minutes before carving; serve with lime wedges.
