Couples Cooking Corner…

SOUP:
CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SOUP
With apple, jerk sausage, herb cream
Courtesy of Misja Ruijs - Head Chef @ Couples Negril

Ingredients (for 8 portions):
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 medium size onion (peeled and finely diced)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger (peeled and finely chopped)
4 cloves garlic (peeled and finely chopped)
2 pound Cauliflower (cleaned and cut in small rosettes)
2 apples (peeled and cored, chopped)
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 cup liquid cream
Salt & black pepper to taste

Garnish:
1 Jerk Sausage (grilled and cut into Julienne)
8 tablespoons sour cream
Fresh cilantro (chopped)

Method:
In a heavy saucepan heat the olive oil. Sauté onion, ginger, garlic, curry for about 1 minute. Add the Cauliflower, chicken stock, the coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes (until cauliflower is cooked). Add the apple and simmer for another 2 minutes. Remove from the stove and blend in a food processor (blender). Put back on the fire add the heavy cream and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

To serve:
Place a dollop of the sour cream in the warmed soup plates add the julienne jerk sausage on top and finish with the cilantro. Poor the soup into the plates.

SALAD:
MIXED EXOTIC GREENS
Presented with roasted sliced almonds, grilled pineapple and topped with Mango Vinaigrette
Courtesy of Chef Osmond Brown @ Couples Sans Souci

Ingredients:
3 oz mixed exotic leaves
1 oz pineapple( grilled and cut into julienne)
2 oz cucumber( cut into a ring remove the centre)
3 oz vegetable oil
1\4 cup honey
1\2 cup vinegar
Almonds (toasted)

Garnish:
1 Jerk Sausage (grilled and cut into Julienne)
8 tablespoons sour cream
Fresh cilantro (chopped)

Method:
Combine vinegar, oil, mango puree and honey for dressing and put aside. Wash and arrange lettuce into cucumber ring, sprinkle with pineapple and almonds. Top with mango vinaigrette.


MAIN COURSE:
"CREOLE STYLE" CHICKEN BREAST
With tomato & red onion salsa on braised island greens
Courtesy of Regional Executive Chef Stefan Spath @ Couples Negril

Ingredients:

Creole Spice Mixture:
1 teaspoon each - salt, rubbed thyme, ground cumin, paprika, ginger powder, ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon Cayenne pepper

4 each chicken breasts – skin removed
Dash of white wine

2 large tomatoes (cut in halves, remove seeds and dice finely)
1 small bunch scallion (finely chopped)
1 medium size red onion (diced – same size as tomatoes)
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ bag spinach
1 cup chopped pak choy
1 cup calalloo (if available)
1 small onion (diced finely)
2 cloves garlic (finely diced)
1 tomato (cut into strips)
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Small sprig of fresh thyme

Method:
For the Creole Spice Mixture, combine all dry spices. Season chicken breasts with the spice mix (according to taste). In a frying pan heat little vegetable oil until very hot. Place chicken breast into the pan (skin side down), reduce heat and fry for approximately 1 minute. Turn over, cover with a lid and fry for one more minute. Add a small amount of white wine, cover and continue broiling until chicken breasts are fully cooked. Keep warm.

To make the salsa, combine tomatoes, scallion, and red onion in a bowl. Add lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Adjust seasoning according to taste (should be a little tangy)

For the Greens, heat olive oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic and ‘sweat’ for about 1 minute (do not allow to burn!). Add the greens and the tomatoes, cover, reduce heat and cook until soft (do not overcook as greens will otherwise turn grey).

DESSERT:
SOUR SOP PASSION SHORT CAKE
With tamarind coulis
Courtesy of Chef Tim Wood @ Couples Ocho Rios

Ingredients (for 8 portions):
3 cups Strong sour sop coulis
1 cup Ginger
¼ tsp Nutmeg grated
2 tsp Red rum
4 cups Pastry cream
½ cup Gelatin
2 cup Whip topping (whipped)

Method:

1. Mix sour sop coulis with sugar, rum, nutmeg
2. Mix smooth pastry cream and (whip) whip topping.
3. Fold in sour sop mixture into pastry cream mixture
4. Set with mix gelatin
5. Set mixture into cake pan and bake short cake for 1 hour
6. When set add whip cream on top, add bake short cake on the top into slices. And sprinkled with icing sugar

Ingredients for the Short Cake:
3 cup Flour
3 oz Butter
1 cup Cornmeal
1 tsp Vanilla
1 (only) Egg
½ cup Brown Sugar
½ tsp Baking powder
1 cup Ice cold water

Method:

1. Mix all ingredients by hand into a bowl to look like sweet paste. Set to rest for ½ hour.
2. Roll out short cake round for the size of the cake pan and bake. Cut the top  piece into slices dust with icing sugar.

Ingredients for the Tamarind Coulis:

1. 2 cups Tamarind remove shell
2. 1 cup granulated sugar.
3. 1 pinch of cream of tar tar
4. Bring it to a boil, remove seed from tamarind and blend to a coulis for sauce.