The celebration of Thanksgiving is approaching in America! The adopted home for the largest number of Caribbean nationals living outside of the Caribbean region anywhere in the world. So during this celebration all Caribbean–American cooks and chefs across America will be feverishly planning their Thanksgiving meal for their families, friends, and clients.
We all love Thanksgiving, it’s a beautiful festive holiday. We celebrate by giving thanks and by visiting and eating with friends and family-it’s a big party!
We also and to share and serve cooked Thanksgiving meals to the less fortunate and show love to the community in large festive feasts –which makes us all feel great and happy!
For me, my Thanksgiving meal is always a work in progress to the very last minute! Yes, after doing several three hours long “Iron Chef” like international culinary exams at the University of Technology in Kingston, Jamaica formally (CAST) during my food management training, my menu planning is never done always a work in progress. My planning method is to mentally prepare a menu (you should actually write it down).
Having a flexible approach to menu planning is a skill that should be embraced. It helps especially when you have to fix an accident like “too much salt”, products are not available in the supermarket or butchers or worse! your oven does not work! To create a delicious meal a good chef/cook must have solutions and this is why the menu cannot be written in stone!
As a lover of Caribbean cuisine, I look for ways to incorporate the influence of Caribbean cuisine in all my meals of course, including my Thanksgiving Dinner.
So for my Thanksgiving Dinner this year the following is the menu will be used to create delicious meals for my family and special guests.
Appetizers
- Freshly cubed escovitch King fish,
- Buttered mini-festival, Minty meatballs, Mini Ackee and Saltfish Sandwiches
Soup
- Caribbean Pumpkin puree Soup /garnish roasted garlic croutons
Salad
- Watercress /Mango/Sweet Pepper medley /with honey mustard dressing
Main Course
- Jerk Roasted Turkey
- Buttered Jamaican Hard dough Bread, Italian sausage and Raisin Stuffing
- Creamy mashed Breadfruit Salad topped with Parmesan Cheese
- Gungo Rice and Peas
- Cabbage with Calaloo and Roasted Corn salad
- Steam Carrots & Choyote
- Cranberry Sauce
- Corn Bread with Scotch Bonnet- Red onion
- Jelly
Dessert
Caribbean Dreaming: Sweet Potato Pie with Coconut Ice Cream
- Tip: Marinate Turkey for 12 -18 hours in the following mixture before seasoning and Roasting in the oven.
- Salt to taste
- 1/2cup Lime juice
- ½ Lemon juice
- 1 cup Sour orange juice
- 1cup Cider vinegar
- 1 cup sugar
- 1cup Soya Sauce
- Pimento seeds/or Tablespoon Allspice
- Mix with enough water to cover turkey
After this you:
- Remove Turkey
- Dry
- Season Turkey with two bottles of Jerk Seasoning
- Add 3teaspoons of powdered Pimento
- Follow the Roasting instructions for your specific size Turkey.
Enjoy!
