food - Haiti Observer Blog

Lalo Legume Fey is a signature dish of Artibonite. Any Artibonitenne, one must know how to prepare this dish properly. It is a staple food of the area made using rice, beans and lalo. The dish is not only filling but is also hearty and tasty and is known for high amounts of protein and iron. The dish is made using different kinds of green vegetables. The greens that are generally used include lalo, spinach, watercress and purslane. Meat is also required for the preparation and is cooked one day ahead of preparing the dish.

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Haitian Boillion is a hearty Haitian soup that is as tasty as it is wholesome. The cooking time is long, but the steps are so easy and low-maintenance it will prove a wonderful addition to your repertoire.

What you will need:
• 1 chicken (cut into pieces)
• 2 lbs of Beef Cubes
• 2 stalks of celery (sliced)
• 3 sprigs of parsley (fresh)
• 2 russet potatoes (peeled)
• 1 lb sweet potatoes (peeled and sliced)
• 1 lb white potatoes (peeled and sliced)
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 2 carrots (scraped and sliced)
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 3 medium tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
• 2 cloves (whole)
• 4 quarts of water
• 2 green plantains (peeled and cut up)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp seasoned salt
• 2 halved limes
• 1 spinach
• 1/4 cup scallions (chopped)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste

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What you will need to make Haitian Patties:
• 1 cup of cold water
• 1 egg yolk (beaten)
• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. of salt
• Hot pepper (to taste)
• 1 tbsp. of vinegar (white)
• 1/4 cup of butter (softened)
• 1 cup of vegetable shortening
• 1 lb of cooked ground beef (or another other meat kind you favor)
• 2 tsp. parsley
• 1 clove of garlic (chopped)
• 2 shallots (chopped)
• 1 tbsp. broth
What you should do.
1. Make paste with the hot pepper, garlic, parsley and shallots.
2. Season cooked meat with seasoning paste and broth.
3. Cook for ten minutes over medium heat in covered pot while stirring constantly.
4. When all the liquid has been cooked off the filling will be ready.
5. In large mixing bowl, add flour and make a hole in its center. Into the hole pour water and add the salt. Using a spoon to mix, combine ingredients without kneading.
6. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
7. Mix shortening and butter in bowl.
8. Roll dough into 1/4 inch thick rectangle then spread with half of the shortening mix.
9. Fold an edge over the middle and spread the remaining shortening on this section. Then fold over the last section and roll dough to thickness of a 1/4 inch. Fold into thirds and roll again, repeat, then refrigerate overnight.
10. Roll dough to a thickness of 1/2 an inch and then cut into rounds of 1 1/2 inches.
11. Place a spoonful of meat mixture on one side and fold over the other side, pressing the ends together.
12. Place on baking sheet, brush with egg yolks and baked in oven with a pan of water on the rack below at 4000 F for 30 minutes. Turn oven down to 3000 F and bake for another 20 minutes or until patties are golden brown.

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What you will need to make Poul ak Nwa - Chicken with Cashews
:
• 6 Chicken pieces (Three thighs and three legs preferably)
• 1 tbsp. of Tomato Paste
• 1 Lime
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 4 tbsp. parsley
• 4 tbsp. garlic
• 4 tbsp. thyme
• 4 tbsp. scallions
• Salt (to taste)
• 4 tbsp. onion powder
• 1 cup of cashews (raw)
• 2 tbsp. of Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp. of black pepper
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 1 large onion (red or white)
• 1 1/2 tbsp. chicken bouillon (optional)
• 1/4 tsp. of chopped hot pepper (optional)

What you should do:
1) Juice the lime and set juice aside.
2) Clean chicken pieces with the squeezed lime then rinse in cold water and use paper towel to pat the pieces dry.
3) Combine chicken and parsley, black pepper, garlic, thyme, onion powder, scallions, reserved lemon juice, salt and pepper, then marinate for two hours (preferably overnight).
4) In a heavy pot, add chicken and let stew on medium flame for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5) Boil cashews in a separate pot in water until cooked halfway. Drain and set water aside as well as cashews.
6) Empty pot of chicken and its juices, then add oil and tomato paste to the pot while stirring. Cook tomato paste for a few minutes and add chicken to be browned all around, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.
7) Add tomatoes, bouillon, onions and hot pepper. Cook for five minutes then stir in cashews, adding water from cashews as necessary.
8) Cook for a half hour or until chicken and cashews are cooked. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

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Enjoy this tasty cornmeal dish hot and with sliced avocados on the side.

What you will need to make Corn Meal or Mais Mouline::
• 1 cup of corn meal
• 1 tbsp. of oil
• 4 cups of water
• 1 tsp. of parsley
• 2 clove of garlic (minced)
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1/2 of an onion (chopped finely)
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
• Hot pepper (to taste)
• 2 scallions (chopped)
• 1 cup kidney beans (dried)
• 4 cloves
• 1 400ml can of coconut milk
• 1 ripe avocado (large and slightly soft)

What you should do in making Corn Meal (Mais Mouline):
1) Soak kidney beans overnight in 3 cups of water.
2) Drain the next day and cook in pressure cooker with enough water to cover beans until they are tender. You may use a normal pot to boil the beans if you don't have a pressure cooker. Just add another cup of water and cook on low heat for an hour to an hour and a half. Then, separate beans from the liquid, saving both.
3) In a mortar, grind all spices together with a pestle.
4) Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pot and sauté the booked beans with the ground spices and onion for 5 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, salt, cloves and the water from the beans and bring to a boil. Stirring vigorously to avoid lumps, add cornmeal to the mixture.
5) Stir regularly while cooking for 40 minutes along the side of the pot with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
6) Add salt and pepper to tast.

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An extremely popular Haitian dish, usually served with fried plantains (Bannan Peze) is Griot. This is pork shoulder, cubed, marinated, boiled and then fried to golden brown perfection.
What you will need:
• 3 lbs of pork shoulder (cut into 1-2 inch cubes)
• 1 cup of orange juice (bitter)
• 1/2 cup of shallots (chopped)
• Salt, pepper and hot pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp. thyme.
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves
• 1/4 cup parsley
• Paprika
• 2 limes
• 3-4 cups of water

What you should do to make Fried Pork or Haitian Griot:
1. Mix into a paste the hot pepper, onions, thyme, shallots, cloves, garlic, parsley and paprika with a tbsp. of lime juice. Set aside.
2. Use the remaining lime halves to clean pork and rinse with cold water. Then, in a medium-sized bowl, use hands to mix paste, pork and orange juice together. Cover and let sit in refrigerator for 45 minutes to up to a day.
3. Add pork with water to pot and boil until tender (for about half an hour to 45 minutes). Drain.
4. Heat oil and fry boiled pork pieces until crispy (for a healthier option, one may bake the pieces at a high temperature until golden brown.
5. Drain on paper towels and serve with Fried Plantain, rice and pikliz.
Of note: the remaining juice after the boiling of the pork may be used to make a sauce to accompany the dish.

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A drink straight from our ancestors, the Haitian Akasan is our version of the popular indigenous cornmeal drinks popular throughout the Americas. Passed down from our Taino forbearers, this meal can be served hot or cold, in a cup or a dish. It's a particular Sunday Morning breakfast favorite when served with fresh rolls of bread.

What you will need to make Haitian Akasan or Corn Flour Drink:
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 1 cup of corn flour (very fine)
• Brown or white sugar (to taste)
• 4-6 anise stars
• 1 can of evaporated milk (12 ounces)
• Dash of salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Lime zest

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Pikliz is a popular and traditional side-dish served as a salad, as part of a marinade, or as a flavor-enhancer to prepared Haitian foods. A very hot brew of several types of peppers and a sliced medley of vegetables pickled in vinegar, the heat level can be adjusted by adding more or less of Scotch bonnet peppers.

To make Pikliz, prepare a large enough quantity (50 servings) you can use over a several-month period. For 50 servings you will need:

• 6 Scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 cups of slivered or shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup of slivered or shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup slivered or shredded onion
• 1/4 cup of frozen peas
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon salt (if you want)
• 8-10 peppercorns
• 3 cups of white vinegar

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Krémas is pungent Haitian-style egg nog--but without the eggs--a festive drink prepared during the Christmas holidays in Haiti. The preparation is simple and shouldn't take more than 15 minutes, if you are an organized cook.

The tools needed to make Krémas are:
• a large punch bowl
• a whisk
• a ring of measuring spoons
• 1-cup measuring cup
• 1 wooden spoon for removing the cream of coconut from the can
• 6 to 8 cordial glasses

To prepare, assemble the following ingredients:
• 2-12 oz. cans of Carnation evaporated milk
• 4-12 oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk
• 1-15 oz. can sweetened cream of coconut
• 1 tsp. Mc Cormicks vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. Mc Cormicks almond extract
• 1 grated anise star
• 1 tsp. Mc Cormicks cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Mc Cormicks grated nutmeg
• 1 lime or lemon zest and juice of one lime or lemon
• 1/2 to 2 cups of 80-proof 5-star Barbancourt Dark Rum, or Bacardi Light Rum

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Haitian style Pain Patate, or sweet potato bread is a baked pudding. It is traditionally made with boniatas as regular sweet potatoes give a much stronger color to the treat than white potatoes. Either way, you should enjoy this tasty pastry.

What you will need:
• 2 lbs of sweet potatoes (white, washed, peeled and cut)
• 1 banana (large, peeled and cut into 1 inch slices)
• 1 cup sugar (brown)
• 1/2 cup raisins (seedless)
• 1 tsp. ginger (grated)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 12 oz can of evaporated milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg (grated)
• 1tsp cinnamon (ground)
• 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
• 1 grated lemon rind
• 3 tsp. melted butter

What you should do:
1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, grate the sweet potatoes.
3. Mash the banana into the grated sweet potatoes.
4. One by one, mix in all the remaining ingredients except for 1 tbsp. of the brown sugar. Continue until all are completely mixed into the batter.
5. Line or grease a 9 by 13 inch baking pan then evenly spread mixture in.
6. Top evenly with the reserved brown sugar. This will caramelize the top of the pudding for a wonderful color.
7. Bake for about an hour and a half. You can check for its doneness by inserting a clean toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes away clean, the pudding is done.
8. Let cool and serve.

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