Courtesy of Tim Wood
@ Couples Ocho Rios

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of blond roux (1½ tbsp of melted butter and 1½ tbsp of flour cooked for approx 5 minutes at medium heat)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup of minced onions
• 2 cups of assorted wild mushrooms, sliced (Chanterelles’, Oysters, Shitake, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons of minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons of minced celery
• 1 cup of shrimp stock or fish stock
• Salt and white pepper
• 3 cups of milk
• 1 cup of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of boiled crab
• 1 pound of crab meat
• ½ cup of chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons of chopped mild herbs
• ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 12 wonton wrappers
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon of chopped chives

Method:

Preheat the fryer. In a sauté pan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, sauté the onions and mushrooms for one minute. Stir in the shallots, garlic, and celery and sauté for 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the stock and bring up to a boil. Whisk in the whole milk, cream and boiled crab. Bring the liquid up to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for five to seven minutes. Whisk in the roux, 1 tablespoon at a time until thoroughly incorporated into the soup. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking until the mixture thickens. Stir in the 1/2 pound crab meat, 1/4 cup green onions, and Worcestershire and simmer for six to eight minutes.

For the dumplings: in a mixing bowl, combine the remaining crabmeat and green onions together. Season with salt and pepper. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center of each wonton. Bring up the corners to the center and twist. Fry each wonton for two minutes or until the wontons are golden, stirring constantly for over all browning. Remove from the fryer and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season with Essence. Ladle the soup in a shallow bowl. Arrange the wontons in the center of the soup. Garnish with chives.

APPETIZER:
CARIBBEAN SALAD OF JERK GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST
With honey ginger glazed plantain, crunchy garden greens & cilantro sour cream

Courtesy of Stefan Spath
@ Couples Negril

Ingredients:

• 1 Chicken Breast per salad
• 1 tsp of Jerk seasoning (wet mix from the jar)
• 1 Ripe plantain per salad
• Honey
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Fresh thyme
• ½ cup of sour cream
• Mixed Salad Greens & Sprouts
• Vinaigrette Dressing
• Lime juice (fresh)
• Salt, pepper
• Chives
• ½ Red pepper per salad, char-grilled, skin removed
• Fresh Cilantro, washed, picked and torn
• 2 Flour tortillas per salad, cut into strips and fried in vegetable oil

Method:

Cut plantain into bit-size pieces. Place on baking sheet with olive oil, finely ground ginger, garlic and thyme sprigs, and roast in oven at 375 degrees until soft (about 15-20 minutes). Add a little honey five minutes before plantain are done. Toss plantain regularly whilst roasting. Allow to cool.

Rub chicken breast with a little jerk seasoning (wet mix from the jar). Char grill on both sides, reduce heat and continue to grill until done (about 5 minutes). Allow to cool. Slice into bite size. Toss with little olive oil / vinaigrette and adjust seasoning with little salt and lime juice. Add fresh torn herbs.

Mix sour cream with chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper.

To Serve:

• Arrange your favorite salad greens on a plate.
• Add the plantain and chicken pieces. Add sprouts and drizzle with Vinaigrette dressing.
• Finish with a dollop of sour cream, red pepper strips and picked herbs.
• Top with crispy fried flour tortilla strips

MAIN COURSE:
GRILLED BOSTON RACK OF PORK
Grilled pork rack accompanied by sweet potato and julienne of vegetables rolled in calaloo leaves

Courtesy of Osmand Brown
@ Couples Sans Souci

Ingredients:

• Pork
• 1 kg pork loin
• 1 sprig of thyme
• 1 small onion
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 8 crushed pimento (all spice)
• I cup of vegetable oil
• .5kg sweet potato
• 2 guava 
• 1oz of ginger
• 1tbsp of vinegar
• 1tbsp of jerk seasoning
• 1oz of red pepper,1oz of yellow pepper,3oz of pak choy

Sauce:

• 2 each guava
• 10z of chopped ginger
• 2tbsp of vinegar
• 1tbsp of brown sugar

Method:

Clean and wash seasoning, finely chopped and put aside. Clean and trim pork rack, season with salt and pepper and half the chopped seasoning and jerk seasoning. Put aside and allow to marinate for 15 minutes. Clean vegetables, julienne and set aside, then blanch callaloo leaves. Shred potato and add salt and pepper fry and set aside.
Sauté the julienne vegetables, rolled into the callaloo leaves and put aside. Cook pork until done then ready to serve.

Puree guava add chopped ginger and brown sugar, allow to simmer for 5 minutes, strain and ready to serve.

DESSERT:
ASIAN “TIRAMISU” (serves 4)

Courtesy of Stefan Spath @ Couples Negril
Created by Andre Jones, Couples Negril pastry team leader

Ingredients:

• 2 oz of jasmine rice
• ¾ oz of granulated sugar
• 400 ml milk
• A pinch of salt
• ½ pod fresh vanilla
• 100 ml whipped heavy cream
• 1 egg white
• ½ oz of granulated sugar
• 3 oz of red peas (cooked, drained and tossed in white sugar)
• 8 pieces lady finger cookies
• Green tea (brewed and chilled)
• Sake
• Sugar
• Zest of one lemon

Method:

Cook the Jasmine rice with the milk, vanilla, sugar and salt until soft (rice pudding texture) and let cool.

Whip the egg whites with the sugar until soft peeks are formed, and then fold in the peas and rice.

In 4 serving dishes (glass or bowl) lay one layer of lady finger cookies and soak with green tea and Sake mixed with a little sugar.

Spread a layer of the ‘rice and peas’ mixture, sprinkle with lemon zest.

Repeat this two more times finishing with the rice and peas mixture. Dust the top with cocoa.