image: flikr.com

I think it’s important to remember and celebrate Haitian culture at this tragic time in the country’s history. I wanted to write a post with a whole Haitian meal. The dishes included are: Squash Soup, Fried Cubed Beef,  Picklese Vegegtables, Sweet Potato Bread, and Sweetened Fried Plaintains for dessert.  To drink, we will make some Mango Juice… Let’s get started!!

Squash Soup

Ingredients

• 1 lb. cubed beef stew meat
• 1 lb. chicken
• 1 frozen squash
• 1 boniata
• 1 spinach
• 1 malanga
• 2 onions-sliced
• 3 large carrots
• 6 medium potatoes
• 1/4 lb spaghetti or noodles
• 3 tbsp seasoned salt
• 2 limes cut in half
• 2 tsp. thyme
• 2 tsp parsley
• 1/2 cup scallions
• salt, black pepper, and hot pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Clean the meat with hot water and lemon ans set aside in a bowl.
2. Add seasoning salt and set aside for 2 hrs. Boil meat in stockpotwith 3 quarts of water until tender (about 1 1/2 – 2 hrs).
3. Add more additional water if necessary and remaining ingredients except noodles. Cook for 20 minutes and add noodles.

Fried Cubed Beef

Ingredients

• 2 lb steak or goat cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup of chopped shallots
• 1/2 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 cup lime or lemon juice
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1 tsp of parsley

Preparation

1. Put all ingredients except the oil in a large pot and marinate at least 4 hours.
2. Transfer meat mixture to medium saucepan or pressure cooker and add water to cover.
3. Heat to boiling and reduce heat . Simmer covered until meat is very tender.
4. Fry meat in a large pan until crisp and golden brown.

Picklese Vegetables

Ingredients

• 6 Scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 cups thinly sliced or shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced or shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced or shredded onions
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 to 10 peppercorns (optional)
• 3 cups vinegar

Preparation

1. Snip off the stem of the peppers, cut each into 4 pieces, and keep the seeds. Place hot peppers, cabbage, carrots, onion, cloves, salt, and peppercorn in a quart size jar. Then add vinegar.
2. Close jar tightly and let sit at least 24-48 hours before serving.
3. Serve with meat or fish.

Sweet Potato Bread

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. white sweet potatoes, peeled and cut
• 1 large banana, peeled and cut in 1 inch pieces
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup seedless raisins
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/4 tspn salt
• 12 oz evaporated milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• Rind of 1 lemon, grated
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 3 tsp butter

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Grate sweet potatoes into mixing bowl and mash the banana into sweet potatoes.
3. Add all ingredients (except 1 tbsp brown sugar) mixing each ingredient at a time until each ingredient is fully blended into the mix.
4. Spread evenly into 9×13 inch baking pan and sprinkle remaining 1tbspn brown sugar over the top of the pudding.
5. Bake for 1 1/2 hour or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Sweetened Fried Plaintains

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 medium-sized green plantains, peeled and sliced

Preparation

1. In a heavy 12-inch skillet, heat the oil over moderate heat.
2. Add as many plantain slices as you can without crowding the pan and brown for about 2 minutes on each side.
3. As they brown, transfer them to paper towels to drain.
4. On a board, using a spatula, press each slice flat and round, about ¼-inch thick and 2 inches in diameter.
5. Heat the oil and fry the rounds again for about 1 minute on each side.
6. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
7. Serves 4.

Mango Juice

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 3 cups orange juice
• 2 mangoes
• 1 cup sugar

Preparation

1. Boil the sugar and water together until sugar is dissolved; let mixture cool.
2. Scoop out the mango flesh and combine with orange juice in a blender.
3. Add the sugar water with puree and continue to blend.
4. Pour into a pitcher filled with ice cubes and serve.

As a Carribbean woman myself, my heart goes out to my fellow islanders. I hope we all do everything we can to help these people because the truth is, this could have happened to any one of us or our loved ones.

Mesi (“Thank You” in Creole),
Naimah